2001 Kia Optima problems
NHTSA has received 231 complaints about the 2001 Kia Optima, and 16% of them involve body & structure. Next are air bags (13%) and suspension (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 231 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Body & structure 16% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 26 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 18 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 79,000 miles 132 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 33 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 16 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 16 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 21 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 14 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 15 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 3 |
| 200k+ miles | 4 |
What the data shows
Of the 132 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 78,000 miles. For body & structure specifically, the median reported mileage is about 95,000 miles (33 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 26 complaints mention a crash; 18 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2001 ranks 11th most-complained-about out of 20 model years of the Kia Optima with enough data (126 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
My son hit a truck from behind at 35MPH. He was driving my 2001 kia optima. The seatbelts did not lock when hit the brakes and the air bags did not deploy. My son (driver) hit the steering wheel and windshield. The passenger in our car hit the windshield. The police report indicates this information and I have pictures of the inside and outside of the car. The car was totaled.
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. The entire front of the vehicle was diminished. *scc
This vehicles electrical system continues to fail along with nonworking lights, air conditioner, lock failure, battery and altrenator failure. Car has been worked on for same problems more than 5 times. Car has had (that I know of) 3 batteries and 2 alternators. Once the locks on the car failed and I was trapped inside vehicle for more than an hour. Locks would automatically relock faster than you could open the door.
Purchased oct,15,07. Within 3 day we had it up to dealer were purchases 1) for windows not going up or down all the time. 2) light on radio and heater do not work. 3) the car had no power and would go from 1st gear to 3rd gear and would stay that way until car turned off. 4)had to replace speed shift sensor. 5) brakes. Got looked in car several times and could not get out. Sometimes they work most of the time they don't. 6). Antenna broke off for no reason. Went out on day barely touched it and it feel off.