There are 10 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2009 Kia Optimain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
LAST WEEK, ON AUG 29TH 2020, I TRIED TO MAKE A LEFT U-TURN ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I GOT SCARED AND JUST DROVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT STREET AND TURNED RIGHT ONTO THAT STREET. ON AUG THE 17TH, 2020 I HAD MY CAR INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC SAID THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING AND HAD TO FIX THAT. APPROX 2 WEEKS LATER, SEPT 2ND, THE MOTOR BLEW ON MY CAR WHILE DRIVING ON A HWY. THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE A/C VENT RIGHT BEFORE IT HAPPENED. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT SENT NOTIFICATION OF THE VEHICLE BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FROM MARCH 29, 2013. WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE PULLING THE VEHICLE OVER, AN OFF DUTY FIRE FIGHTER FLAGGED THE CONTACT TO QUICKLY PULL OVER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE FIGHTER REMAINED AT THE SCENE AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A FACILITY, INSPECTED THE COLLISION DAMAGES, AND CLAIMED THE VEHICLE AS A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT INVESTIGATED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO REDUCE THE SPEED BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD REDUCE SPEED AS NORMAL TIL AROUND 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY JERK FORWARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT, WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKES SMOOTHLY, THE BRAKES WILL GRAB AND THE CAR WILL JERK TO A STOP, USUALLY WHEN THE CAR IS GOING LESS THAN 20 MPH. THIS IS MUCH WORSE IS COLD WEATHER. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING, IT NO LONGER OCCURS. WE JUST BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUGUST 2014, SO THIS IS THE FIRST WINTER WE'VE HAD THE CAR, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE PRIOR OWNERS TRIED TO HAVE IT FIXED OR NOT.
AFTER GETTING THE BRAKE LIGHT RECALL SWITCH EXCHANGED THE NEXT DAY MY CAR STARTED MAKING DRAGGING NOISE AND SO ME CLICKING SOUNDS IN THE BACK REAR ESPECIALLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I TOOK IT JEFFREY KIA, ROSEVILLE, MICHIGAN ON GRATIOT AVENUE AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE RIGHT BRAKE PAD AND THE LEFT ROTOR AND IT WOULD BE $300. I TOLD HIM I HAD A WARRANTY, EXTENDED WARRANTY AND A TIRE WARRANTY AND THAT I DO NOT RIDE MY BRAKES AND HAS NEVER EXPERIENCE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH ANY CAR I HAVE DROVE. MIKE CALLS ME BACK AND SAYS HE CAN ORDER SOME GENERIC PADS AND FIX THE ROTOR FOR $169. WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP HE PLACED ON PAD ON ONE SIDE AND ONE ROTOR ON THE OTHER SIDE AND THE BREAKING SEEMS UNSURE OF A COMPLETE STOP. THE DISTANCE SEEMS TOO LONG. MY CREDIT IS MESSED UP DUE TO FAMILY BUT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SELL THIS CAR AND GET A NEW ONE BECAUSE THIS IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE OCTOBER 2010 AND BARELY DRIVE IT. EITHER KIA IS A RIP OFF OR JEFFREY KIA IS BECAUSE THE TIME BEFORE THIS I WAS TOLD BY [XXX] I NEEDED A BATTERY WHEN I DID NOT. AT THIS SERVICE CALL IT WAS NOT EVEN MENTIONED. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE ROLLED BACK THE PROMOTERS ON THIS VEHICLE AND SOLD IT AS NEW AND IT IS DEFECTIVE BUT THEY ARE MAKING ME PAY FOR THE DEFECTS. THEY MAY BE CREATING THEM BECAUSE THIS IS CRAZY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT MADE A CONTINUAL NOISE UNTIL BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WOULD OCCASIONALLY MAKE THE NOISE EVEN WHEN STOPPED UNTIL I PUSHED ON THE BRAKES. THE ESC LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT WERE ON AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY TURN OFF WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HULLMAN'S FORD FOR DIAGNOSTICS. I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE HYDRAULIC ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT WAS FAULTY. *TR
WHEN I BRAKE TO 20 MPH MY CAR JERKS FORWARD. I CALLED THE KIA CONSUMER LINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM HADN'T BEEN HEARD OF. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO BE INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,200.
WHILE DRIVING ON A NORMAL DAY WITH OUT RAIN AND GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS ESC STARTS BLINKING AND KEEPS BLINKING AND THE SPEED KEEPS GOING DOWN. EVEN AFTER FLOORING THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES TWICE AFTER REPLACING A BRAKE SWITCH THAT WENT FAULTY. TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT HE COULD NOT FIND ANY CODE ON THE VEHICLE RECORDED. REALLY WORRIED OF THINKING IF THIS HAPPEND WHEN I GO ON TO A FREE WAY. *TR
I AM A OWNER OF THE KIA 2009 OPTIMA, AND I BROUGHT IT FROM LUMBERTON KIA OF LUMBERTON, NC THE PROBLEM THAT I AM HAVING WITH MY 2009 KIA OPTIMA, IS WHEN I GET READY TO MAKE A STOP MY CAR JERKS REALLY HARD AND I HAVE TOLD THE LUMBERTON, KIA TO PLEASE CHECK IT WHEN I WOULD GET MY OIL CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES BUT THE TECHNICIAN WOULD TELL ME THAT HE CHECK IT AND FEEL NOTHING BUT IT DOES IT IN MY CAR EVERY DAY EVEN MY PASSENGERS FEELS IT WHEN THEY ARE IN THE CAR.I FEEL THAT I HAVE A MALFUNCTION IN MY BRAKES BUT I NEVER WHO I NEEDED TO TALKED WITH ABOUT MY CAR UNTIL MY FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT THIS WEB SITE.I HAVE NOT HAD NO ACCIDENTS THUS FAR WITH MY CAR AND I HOPE I DON'T IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *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.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026