MyCarTSB

2010 Kia Optima Electrical Problems

13 owner-reported electrical complaints from NHTSA data

13
Complaints
Mar 2025Dec 2016
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (13)

criticalELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
Filed: Mar 2025

Your car's engine shut off while you were driving at 65 mph in traffic, even though you had fuel and no warning lights appeared beforehand. This happened multiple times, and while the car restarts immediately without any diagnostic error codes showing up, losing power at highway speeds creates a serious safety hazard for you and other drivers. The problem may be related to an electrical or engine issue that isn't triggering the car's diagnostic system.

NHTSA #: 11646102
highELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Jul 2023

Your car's gear shifter stopped working and wouldn't engage any gear, including Park, while you were trying to park in your driveway. A plastic clip connected to the shift cable broke, preventing the shifter from communicating with the transmission. The repair involved ordering and replacing the broken plastic clip on the shift cable.

NHTSA #: 11533397
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Apr 2017

THE IGNITION WANT TURN ALL TO WAY OFF I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF AND ON 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WILL TURN COMPLETELY OFF SO I CAN REMOTELY LOCK THE DOOR. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR ACTUATOR WORK WHEN IT GET READY I HAVE TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WITH KEY AND MANUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOOR.

NHTSA #: 10980032
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,AIR BAGS
Filed: Dec 2016

AIR BAG LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OFF DEALER RESET BUT CAME BACK ON SOON AFTERWARDS. ANOTHER DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND PART WAS OVER $1000. MULTIPLE DEAD CAR BATTERIES DUE TO RUNNING LIGHTS NOT TURNING OFF AFTER YOU PARK THE CAR. PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING GOOD IN THIS WORLD JUST RECALL AND FIX ALREADY.

NHTSA #: 10934582
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Sep 2016

THE ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCK DO NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME.I HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE KEY SOMETIME.THE CAR IS STATIONARY. THIS START IN MAY 2016 AND CONTINUE.

NHTSA #: 10907502
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Jun 2016

WHEN IT IS HOT AND THE SUN IS SHINING DOWN ON THE VEHICLE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, THE DRIVERS DOOR AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPERATE FROM THE KEY FOB? WHEN IT COOLS DOWN SUCH AS EVENING OR EARLY MORNING THE LOCKS WORK JUST FINE FROM THE KEY FOB? SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO HOT OR COOL WEATHER. NO CLUE AT THIS POINT WHY I HAVE TO WORK THE LOCKS MANUALLY WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE?

NHTSA #: 10874930
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Apr 2016

POWER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT WORK AT TIMES BOTH INSIDE AND WITH THE REMOTE PREVENTING ALL ABILITY TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS AT A STOP BOTH WHILE RUNNING AND NOT RUNNING. I GENERALLY DO NOT TRY TO OPEN THE DOORS WHILE I'M DRIVING.

NHTSA #: 10861988
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Sep 2015

WENT TO GO OUT(6:30 AM) AND FOUND THAT MY TRUNK LID WAS UNLATCHED, NOT OPEN, JUST UNLATCHED. FOUND OUT BY IT SHOWING ON MY DASHBOARD. YESTERDAY, 9/3/15, NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON MY DOOR (2:45 PM) AND TOLD ME MY PARKING LIGHTS WERE ON. I HAD COME HOME AT 7:30 AM. I HAD GONE OUT WITH A NEIGHBOR A COUPLE OF TIMES, LIGHTS WERE NOT ON. LAST TIME WAS AROUND NOON.

NHTSA #: 10761482
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR POWER DOOR LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK WHEN ACCESSING WITH THE KEY FOB, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS, OR MANUALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ON ONE OCCASION, THE DRIVER HAD TO EXIT FROM ANOTHER DOOR DUE TO THE LOCK FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA #: 10759089
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE
Filed: Aug 2015

VARIOUS DOORS WILL NOT PROPERLY LOCK/UNLOCK FROM THE ELECTRIC SWITCH AND THE KEY FOB. THIS IS AN INTERMENT FAILURE AFFECTING MULTIPLE DOORS IN THE VEHICLE. DIFFERENT DOORS LOCKS ARE FAILING AT DIFFERENT TIMES, BOTH LOCKING AND UNLOCKING. BASED ON MY RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, THIS AFFECTS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF 2005 TO 2010 OPTIMAS. THIS DEFECT COULD CAUSE OCCUPANTS TO BE TRAPPED IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR EMERGENCY.

NHTSA #: 10749374
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS
Filed: May 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG, ABS, AND BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,400.

NHTSA #: 10717174
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Filed: Sep 2014

OUR VEHICLE STARTED ONLY UNLOCKING THE 3 PASSENGER SIDE DOORS, WHEN USING THE KEYFOB TO UNLOCK. THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL STAY LOCKED AND YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK VEHICLE WITH KEY. NOW 2 OF OUR OTHER DOORS(BOTH REAR) DONT UNLOCK. ALL THE DOORS DO NOT LOCK WITH THE KEYFOB AND WHEN WE PUSH THE LOCK BUTTON INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK/UNLOCK THE DOORS, WHICH IS A PAIN IN THE BUTT WHEN YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN! *TR

NHTSA #: 10638485
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Dec 2013

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH OUR 2010 KIA OPTIMA, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS 45000 MILES ON IT. THE TPMS, (!) AND THE AIRBAG "OFF/ON" LIGHTS ALL GO OFF AND ON CONTINUALLY. THEY WILL BE ON FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN GO OFF AND STAY OFF FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME. THE BRAKES ALSO JERK OUR CAR VERY ROUGHLY FORWARD WHEN WE ARE BRAKING. EVEN IF WE ARE GOING 5 MPH, WE PRESS ON THE BRAKES, THEN THE CAR GIVES A BIG JERK BEFORE IT COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP. *TR

NHTSA #: 10554972

Other 2010 Kia Optima Issues