There are 2 stored owner reports matching the lighting leading-label group for the 2004 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 2 of 2 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I BOUGHT A 2004 KIA OPTIMIA IN MARCH 5005 AND ALREADY THE HEADLIGHT GLOBE WAS STARTING TO FADE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. THE CAR HAS 26800 MILES ON IT. AND WAS KEPT IN A GARAGE . THE SERVICEMAN SAID IT CAME FROM SUN RAYS. THE ONLY TIME THE CAR WAS IN THE SUN WAS WHEN I WAS AT WORK. THE CAR WASIN GOOD CONDITION. THINK THIS WAS AN INJUSTICE, I DIDN'T CAUSE THE PROBLEM. *AK
THIS IS AN ON GOING PROBLEM FROM NEARLY DAY ONE. I TALKED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO CORRECTION FOR THE PROBLEM AS THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR IS MADE, AND THEY WOULD NOT EVEN TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, OTHER THAN TO SELL ME OTHER BULBS AT A HIGH PRICE. THE PROBLEM BEING THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATE ABOUT 6" (YUP, INCHES) IN FRONT OF THE CAR ON THE DIM SETTING. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE ANYTHING IN FRONT OF ME AT NIGHT UNLESS THERE IS ADDITIONAL ILLUMINATION, IN THE FORM OF OTHER VEHICLES OR STREET LIGHTS, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE. I CANNOT DRIVE WITH THE BRIGHT LIGHTS ON BECAUSE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD THE BULBS CHANGED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BY OTHER THAN THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *TR
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.