| Issue ID | 1187607 |
| Internal NHTSA # | 10722963 |
| Manufacurer | Kia Motors America |
| Brand | KIA |
| Model | OPTIMA |
| Model Year | 2011 |
| File date | 25/01/15 |
| Component | EXTERIOR LIGHTING |
| Product type code | VEHICLE |
| Description of the problem | My headlights have gone completely dim. I can't see more than 4 ft in front of my car so no longer drive at night. I have taken it to the kia dealership here in orlando and they stated this has happened because the heat of the bulb cause the paint in the unit to peel away. I have not had any accidents yet, but have had a few occasions where a car cut me off and another almost ran me off the road because my light to not illuminate. The dealership said since i am no longer under warranty it would cost me $1200 to fix. I have researched and found some forums where other drivers have complained of the same issue for years and nothing has been done. There is also an issue with the steering. There is a clicking noise and rattling when i drive and hit a small bump. I was told by the same dealership that it would cost $400 to fix that $3. 00 piece of plastic that holds that together. If it not fixed in time that the steering would be gone completely. I don't think consumers should have to pay for the manufacturer taking short cuts and using cheap products that cost us tons of money to fix. |
| Vehicle Mileage at Failure | 82000 |
| Number of Occurences | |
| Source of the issue | PORTABLE SAFETY COMPLAINT FORM (PDF) |
| City and State | ORLANDO, FL |
| VIN pattern | KNAGM4A73B5XXXXXX |
| Was vehicle invloved in a crash? | N |
| Was vehicle involved in a fire? | N |
| Was incedent reported to police? | N |
| Was medical attention required? | N |
| Was part original equipment? | |
| No. of injured persons | 0 |
| No. of fatalities | 0 |
| Date of purchase | 07/08/26 |
| Was original owner? | N |
| Anti-lock brakes | N |
| Cruise control | N |
| Number of cylinders | |
| Drive train type | |
| Transmission type | |
| Vehicle speed | 50 |
| DoT tire identifier | |
| Tire size | |
| Location of tire code | |
| Type of tire failure code | |
| Was defective tire repaired? | |
| Date of manufacture | |
| Type of child seat code | |
| Type of restraint | |
| Dealer's name | |
| Dealer's telephone number | |
| Dealer's city | |
| Dealer's state code | |
| Dealer's ZIP code |