IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 40-50MPH THE VEHICLE HESITATES AND SURGE FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *MR
2001 Kia Optima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2001 Kia Optima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 186.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Optima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
160–25K
425–50K
1550–75K
1775–100K
22100–150K
10150K+
84 reports with mileage · 59 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
143 reportsINTERMITTENTLY WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECOME INOPERABLE OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND COULD NO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *MR
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING. DEALER REPLACED THE BRAKES. CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING.
THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN OFF CENTERED COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE BEING TOTALED. NONE OF THE FOUR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, EVEN AFTER THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE, AND WINDOW BREAKING. OWNER SUFFERED HEAD INJURY AND CHEST TRAUMA. *AK THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DIMINISHED. *SCC
CONSUMER NOTICED RPMS CHANGING WHILE SET ON ONE SPEED. SOON AFTER VEHICLE WOULD SURGE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT COMPUTER CHIP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHR INFORMATION.*AK
DURING SPRING/2002 NOTICED HESITATION OF CAR DURING ATTEMPTS TO PASS OTHER CARS ON THE HIGHWAY. HESITATION/DELAY WORSENED OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. IT THEN DEVELOPED HESITATION AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND WOULD AT TIMES STALL OR SUDDENLY "LUNGE" AS ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED. THIS BECAME A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WHEN STARTING THE ENG…
Read full complaint
DURING SPRING/2002 NOTICED HESITATION OF CAR DURING ATTEMPTS TO PASS OTHER CARS ON THE HIGHWAY. HESITATION/DELAY WORSENED OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. IT THEN DEVELOPED HESITATION AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND WOULD AT TIMES STALL OR SUDDENLY "LUNGE" AS ACCELERATOR DEPRESSED. THIS BECAME A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE WHEN COLD. AFTER A FEW MINUTES WITH THE ENGINE WARMED-UP IT SEEMS TO RUN FAIRLY WELL WITH EXCEPTION OF THE HESITATION/STALLING SENSATION WHEN PASSING. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON JULY 18. INITIALLY, THEY BELIEVED IT WAS THE COMPUTER, AN AIR SENSOR OR FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEM. HOWEVER, KIA NOW STATES THE PROBLEM IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM LINKED TO SPRING/SUMMER GAS FORMULATION. THEIR SOLUTION IS TO MAKE SURE THE CAR WARMS UP SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE DRIVING AND THAT THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY IN THE FALL. OBVIOUSLY, IT WILL RECUR NEXT SPRING. THE DEALERSHIP HAS PROVIDED US A RENTAL CAR AT NO CHARGE D/T THE WARRANTY. THEY HAVE BEEN EXCEPTIONALLY POLITE. KIA HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT SLOW ON THEIR END COMMUNICATING WITH US BUT POLITE AND CORDIAL. HOWEVER, THE CONCERN REMAINS WITH THE PROBLEM OF KNOWING HOW LONG TO WAIT TO WARM THE ENGINE AND THEN WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR ADAPTING TO THE SPEED THAT IS SOMEWHAT ERRATIC. THE CAR IS OFTEN PARKED IN PARKING GARAGE AND THIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR REPRESENTS SOME CONCERN WITH PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES MOVING IN A CONFINED SPACE.*AK
INSIDE TRUNK RELEASE WAS FAILING TO OPERATE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND MADE REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED OPERATING, VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS BEFORE CORRECTION WAS MADE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH PREMATURE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS, CAUSEING PROBLEM WITH PULSATING AND VIBRATION WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. DEALER HAS MADE REPAIRS; HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
POWER LOCKS ON BOTH DOORS WOULD FAIL TO OPERATE. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILLOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Official recalls
309V183000 · Suspension:front
May 27, 2009
KIA MOTORS CORPORATION (KMC) IS RECALLING 36,538 MODEL YEAR 2001-2004 OPTIMA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE STATES DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME. OVER TIME, SUCH SUBFRAME CORROSION NEAR THE CONNECTION TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CAN LEAD TO WHEEL MISALIGNMENT AND/OR OTHER NOTICEABLE STRESS IN STEERING, OR ACCELERATED ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME COULD LEAD TO SEPARATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: KMC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA'S CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
03V067000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly
Mar 4, 2003
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5 AND 2.7 LITER V6 ENGINES, THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR (CKP) CASES DID NOT MEET DIMENSIONAL SPECIFICATIONS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN CRACKING OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR. A DAMAGED CKP CAPACITOR COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CKP. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 28, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
01V156000 · Air Bags:side/window
May 1, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SIDE AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS FOR THE DRIVER POSITION COULD BE MIS-ROUTED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN IT BEING PINCHED OR CUT BY THE SEAT CUSHION TILT MECHANISM.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DAMAGE TO THE WIRE HARNESS COULD RESULT IN THE SIDE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK FOR PROPER ROUTING OF THE SIDE AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS AND SECURE IT IN PLACE WITH A PLASTIC TIE-WRAP. IF THE WIRE HARNESS IS DAMAGED, IT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA04030 · Power Door Lock Failure
Opened Nov 4, 2004 · Closed Nov 7, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
INVESTIGATION FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MALFUNCTION WITH A CLEAR AND CONSISTENT PATTERN OF COMPROMISE TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.FAILURE OF THE SUBJECT DOOR LOCKS MAY IMPEDE NORMAL EGRESS OF A VEHICLE OCCUPANT BUT DOES NOT ENTRAP THE OCCUPANT.COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY DATA DOCUMENT THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM, BUT THESE MALFUNCTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY A HISTORY OF DEMONSTRATED SAFETY RELATED IMPLICATIONS.DETAILS REGARDING THIS INVESTIGATION ARE CONTAINED IN THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT.FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING THAT A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY MAY TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE04050 · Power Door Lock Failure
Opened Jul 7, 2004 · Closed Nov 4, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
THIS PE DISCLOSED THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED INCIDENTS OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT IN SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS.THIS PE HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA04-030) TO FACILITATE A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE MATTER, INCLUDING EVALUATION OF THE POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED CONSEQUENCES.