There are 4 stored owner reports matching the lighting leading-label group for the 2003 Kia Optima in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 4 of 4 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE WAS TO CLIMB OUT FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY THE DEALER NOR WAS IT REPAIRED FOR THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.
THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC SWITCH TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON OR USE THE MANUAL SWITCH. WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SWITCH WAS USED, THE HIGH BEAMS WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS NORMAL. ALSO, THE POSITION OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR SIZE/HEIGHT OF THE DRIVER SEAT LIMITED FRONT VIEW ON THE RIGHT OF THE WINDSHIELD. THE CONSUMER ALMOST HIT A PASSING VEHICLE AS HE WAS GOING INTO THE DEALERS LOT AND COULD NOT SEE IT UNTIL IT WAS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *SCC *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO USE HIGH BEAMS. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
VEHICLE COMES EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL OPERATED HEADLIGHTS. WHEN THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT ARE ENGAGED VEHICLE'S HIGH BEAMS ARE INOPERATIVE. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.