KnownCarProblems2010 Kia Optima Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 75 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Kia Optima, most often about the transmission (32% of complaints, typically around 73,000 miles). It is 20th of 20 Optima model years by number of complaints and has 1 recall.
Most common 2010 Kia Optima problems
Transmission
24 complaints · 32%Half of these problems showed up before 73,000 miles.
The car has a lurching issue when it slows down to 20mph when the car lurches with a hard down shift to 1st gear. This phenomena is especially acute when the car is cold or when you first start driving it.
While decelerating, either braking or coasting, the car will lurch violently when reaching approximately 22 MPH. The severity of the lurch varies but in most instances it is hard enough to snap my neck forward.
Air bags
17 complaints · 23%Half of these problems showed up before 63,000 miles. Parts named most often: frontal.
While sitting at a traffic light, a vehicle rear-ended my 2010 Kia Optima. The driver hit my Kia so hard, I hit the mustang in front of me. No air bags deployed upon either impact. Kia was drivable, but there were noticeable differences in the way the car drove (I.e. Started pulling to the right, wheel shaking, etc).…
The contact owns a 2010 Kia Optima. The contact stated that another vehicle crashed into the rear of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately…
Electrical
13 complaints · 17%Half of these problems showed up before 75,000 miles.
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…
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.
Engine
11 complaints · 15%Half of these problems showed up before 76,500 miles. Parts named most often: engine, cooling system.
While driving home one day in december 2015, each time I approached a stop light, yield sign or slowed to a low speed (less than 15 MPH), my vehicle would shut-off multiple times. My in motion speed was approx 45 MPH when not approaching a stop light or yield sign. It happened both when I was turning and going…
Driving car just shut off in heavy traffic on rd average speed 40 no warning lights came on restarted stalled all the way home and huge knocking sound
Speed control
6 complaints · 8%While decelerating, either braking or coasting, the car will lurch violently when reaching approximately 22 MPH. The severity of the lurch varies but in most instances it is hard enough to snap my neck forward.
The contact owns a 2010 Kia Optima. The contact called on behalf of the driver. While driving 35 MPH, the driver lost control of the vehicle as it inadvertently accelerated. As a result, the driver struck another vehicle. The contact stated that the driver had to turn off the vehicle in order for it to stop. The air…
Brakes
4 complaints · 5%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…
Loud grinding noise developed in right rear brake. Upon his examination, mechanic found right rear brake caliper frozen in the engaged or closed position. Also, left rear brake caliper found to be frozen in the disengaged or open position. In essence, both rear brakes were inoperable! We were driving a car that only…
Other or unspecified
4 complaints · 5%When accelerating or slowing down my vehicle jerk even when I'm on the highway and have the cruise control set it will do the same thing. I would like to know what I need to do or if there is any kind of recall on this because I really can't afford to take it and have it looked at. I have seen multiple reports of the…
Driving home from work may7 on i64 st.charles co,mo.smoke coming from under hood as I approached bride over missouri river and as soon as I crossed bridge it was worse and I called home to say my car was on fire and I was getting out of it ,then I called 911 and police and fire dept from from cottleville arriver. The…
Doors and locks
3 complaints · 4%My rear passenger door lock stopped working. The door will not unlock. I called the dealership while I was still under warranty but they could not get me in for an appointment in a timely manner and now my warranty has expired and the dealership is telling me it costs over $200 to fix the problem. I consider this to…
Driver door fails to unlock when remote is pressed to unlock but will unlock all other doors. The drivers door and all other doors will lock with remote but only the drivers door will not unlock.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2010 Kia Optima recalls
Lights: switch
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'on' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in may 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is sc098.
Full defect summary
Kia motors corporation (kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 rondo, model year 2007-2011 sedona, sorento and sportage, model year 2010-2011 soul, model year 2008-2011 optima, model year 2010 forte, model year 2007-2009 amanti, and model year 2009 borrego vehicles. Originally, in april 2013, kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 rondo and sportage, model year 2007-2011 sorento, model year 2007 sedona, model year 2010-2011 soul, and model year 2011 optima vehicles. In september 2013, kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressi
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Loss of motive power
Summary
The national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated july 13, 2022, petitioning the agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain hyundai motor america, inc. And kia america, inc. Vehicles spanning model years (my) 2005-2021. The petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) of the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated october 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (etc) system on certain kia vehicles resulting in the opening of dp21-003. Accordingly, model year (my) 2005-2016 kia optima/k5, my 2006-2015 kia sorento, my 2007-2016 hyundai elantra, my 2007-2016 hyundai santa fe, my 2006-2015 hyundai sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a vehicle owner questionnaire that can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under reference (odi) number 11439675.on november 12, 2021, odi opened defec
Questions about the 2010 Kia Optima
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Kia Optima?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: transmission (24 complaints, typically around 73,000 miles); air bags (17 complaints, typically around 63,000 miles); electrical (13 complaints, typically around 75,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2010 Kia Optima have?
- 1 recall listed by NHTSA, the latest from April 1, 2013 (lights). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2010 a bad year for the Kia Optima?
- It is 20th of 20 Optima model years by number of complaints, with 75 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.