2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID Electrical System Problems

While driving during colder weather the car will show HEV (hybrid system) warning and tell you to shut it off. I was in a construction zone with no where to pull over when the car died and lost all propulsion and brakes. This seems to be a common problem on KIA Optima hybrids from 2012-2015.

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with a battery management system (BMS) message displayed. The contact desperately depressed the brake pedal, but the pedal became firm, causing the contact to almost crash into another vehicle. The contact was able to pull into a parking lot, turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the BMS message and check engine warning was light illuminated. The dealer was contacted but the vehicle needed be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 84,000.

Mileage: 84,000

ON 6/07/19 WHILE TRAVELLING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY, TRAVELLING ABOUT 65 MPH, THE DASH DISPLAY READ CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, AND SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, STEERING WHEEL BEGAN STIFFENING, I COASTED FROM THE PASSING LANE TO THE RIGHT LANE AND THEN TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PARK THE CAR. KIA FAILED TO PROVIDE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE SINCE THE CAR HAS OVER 60,000 MILES(ACTUALLY HAS 95,000 MILES), HOWEVER I AM STILL UNDER THE 10YR/100,000 MILES WARRANTY. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP VIA MY INSURANCE COVERAGE. AFTER THE ASSESSMENT I WAS TOLD I HAD A BLOWN MAIN HYBRID FUSE. CHARGED $201.24 TO REPLACE THE FUSE. I PRESENT THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE HAD I BEEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY POSSIBLE TO REACH A LANE SHOULDER WITHOUT POSSIBLE HARM OR DEATH. ACCORDING TO KIA'S OWN "TECHNICAL OPERATIONS NOTICE - PS515(REV 2, 02/28/2019" DATED AUGUST 2017), THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE BATTERY FUSE IS TO BE REPLACED FROM A 125 AMP TO A 150 AMP. THIS FUSE IS PART OF THE SAFETY PLUG LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. AS A OWNER I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WARNED OF THIS POSSIBLY HAPPENING TO THE CAR AND GIVEN THE OPTION TO HAVE THIS FUSE REPLACED....AT KIA'S EXPENSE. FOR THOSE STILL DRIVING THIS YEAR AND MAKE OPTIMA HYBRID,PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS OCCURRENCE. THE 125 AMP HV BATTERY FUSE SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE NEWER 150 AMP HV BATTERY FUSE(PART #375F2 4R150. SEE KIA'S PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS NOTICE #PS515. UNFORTUNATELY MY COMMUNICATION WITH KIA PROVED FRUITLESS.

Mileage: 95,000

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE DASHBOARD READ 'HEV SYSTEM WARNING. PULL OVER AND SHUT OFF VEHICLE.' ENGINE THEN SHUT OFF. AFTER NEARLY BEING HIT BY A SEMI-TRUCK, I COASTED FROM THE CARPOOL TO THE OFF RAMP EXIT. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO TRAVEL AT APPROXIMATELY 5-15MPH AND MADE IT HOME SAFELY. I TOWED MY VEHICLE TO THE CITRUS VALLEY MOTORS IN THE CITY OF ONTARIO. THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS STATING IT WAS A FUSE IN THE ENGINE AND IT WILL COST ME $686.97. KIA RELEASED INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC STATING THEY KNOW THE 125 FUSE AMP FOR THE HYBRID SYSTEMS WAS THE WRONG SIZE WHICH CAN CAUSE A 'BLOW OUT' TURNING THE ENGINE OFF WHILE DRIVING. KIA STAYED THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE IT WITH THE 150 AMP FUSE IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THE POWER TO THE ENGINE. I CALLED KIA EXPRESSING MY CONCERN UNDER THE FEDERAL POLICY 'LEMON LAW.' KIA TOLD ME 'YOUR WARRANTY IS EXPIRED BY 3 WEEKS. WE CAN NOT GIVE YOU ASSISTANCE.' MY VEHICLE SITS IN THE SHOP WITH A WRONG SIZE FUSE AND WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE CORRECT SIZE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED IN THEIR IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Mileage: 87,000

DRIVING VEH ON HWY AT ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR WHEN WITHIN SECONDS THE CAR JUST TURNS OFF COMPLETELY. SCARY!!! AFTER TAKING TO LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEM BEING STUMPED SO MUCH THEY CALLED AND SPOKE TO KIA ENGINEERS,( TECH LINE CASE REF #13028149) I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE PRESSURE SOURCE UNIT. I DID, DID NOT FIX IT. IN FACT WHEN I RETURNED THE PART THEY SAID IT IS NOW NOT WORKING. MECHANIC SUGGESTED A NEW ABS SYSTEM. I ALSO REPLACED THAT.... VEH IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. I HAVE SPENT OVER $1600 AND CAN STILL NOT OPERATE MY VEH SAFELY. KIA DOES NOT HAVE A CLEAR ANSWER, AND I HAVE SEEN THIS COMPLAINT ON THIS SITE MORE THAN ONCE. PLEASE RECALL THIS VEHICLE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.

Mileage: 76,000

DRIVING NORMALLY, HCU ERROR POPPED UP ON NAV DISPLAY AS WELL AS DRIVERS DISPLAY. TOLD TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY AND TURN OFF ENGINE. I WAS TRAVELING ON ONCE HE INTERSTATE, BY THE TIME I GOT INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER. TURNED ON EMERGENCY HAZARD LIGHTS AND AFTER 5 MINUTES THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND BROUGHT IT TO ROCK RIVER KIA IN ROCKDOED, IL. LATER WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND THE HYBRID BATTERY WAS NO LONGER HOLDING A CHARGE. ESTIMATED 14,000 REPAIR COST.

Mileage: 152,238

STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF I-25, GOING ABOUT 70 MPH AND RUSH HOUR. I WAS ABOUT 40 MIN FROM HOME STILL ON MY EVERYDAY COMMUNTE. I AM SEEING VERY MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THIS HAS ME AND MY FAMILY IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION DAILY AND KIA WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THERE CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THE SAME (OR VERY SIMILAR) ISSUE ON THE RECALL ON THE GAS VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE. WE SHOULDN'T WAIT TILL SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED FIRST.

Mileage: 30

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE HYBRID-ELECTRIC VEHICLE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND 'TURN THE ENGINE OFF' DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (MERCED KIA, 1575 W. 16TH ST., MERCED, CA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM SAFETY FUSE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. *TT

Mileage: 78,000

MY KIA ALERTED ME TO A HYBRID CHARGING ISSUE BEFORE STALLING AT AN INTERSECTION AND REFUSING TO START AGAIN. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER WHO DID EXTENSIVE DIAGNOSTIC WORK. THEY DETERMINED THAT A 125 AMP FUSE HAD FAILED IN THE HYBRID SAFETY PLUG AND THE APPROPRIATE REPAIR RESPONSE WAS TO REPLACE THAT FUSE WITH A 150 AMP FUSE (PART # 375F2-4R150). I AUTHORIZED THE REPAIR AND MADE SEVERAL PHONE CALLS TO KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS REQUESTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS IT SEEMED UNLIKELY THAT REPLACEMENT OF A FUSE WITH A LARGER FUSE WAS THE NEEDED REPAIR. I FINALLY REACHED SOMEONE AT CONSUMER AFFAIRS WHO HAD DEALT WITH A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH THE EXACT SAME FUSE. SHE INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAD BEEN A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED ABOUT THIS. SHE STATED THAT THE FUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE TOO SMALL AND THAT KIA HAD DECIDED TO USE A LARGER FUSE TO PREVENT FUTURE PROBLEMS IN THE SYSTEM. I ASKED WHY I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND SHE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THUS MY CHARGE. IF THE WRONG FUSE WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS MANUFACTURED, IT SHOULD BE REPLACED BY RECALL OR WARRANTY. SHE WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE TSB # BUT DID STATE THAT IT IS LOCATED IN TSB-PS-515 AND I WAS WELCOME TO HAVE A KIA DEALER PRINT IT FOR ME.

Mileage: 106,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE, HEV, TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING, AND OIL CHANGE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (FRED ANDERSON KIA OF RALEIGH LOCATED AT 9209 GLENWOOD AVE, RALEIGH, NC 27617; (919) 785-4500). THE DEALER RECALIBRATED THE HYBRID ELECTRIC STARTER GENERATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR OTHER TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER ALL EACH TIME WHERE THEY RECALIBRATED THE CHARGING SYSTEM. LATER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, THE ENTIRE HYBRID SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-333-4542 AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A SEALED CRACK IN THE HYBRID BATTERY WHERE THE COOLANT WAS HELD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,885.

Mileage: 31,885

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET (35MPH) WHEN I WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER CAR MAKING A TURN IN FRONT OF ME AND WE COLLIDED. I T-BONED HIS CAR AND MY AIR BAGS DIDNT GOT OFF. MY CAR STALLED COMPLETELY AND NOTHING ABOUT THE VEHICLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT REACTED TO THE CRASH. THE SYSTEM (CLUSTER AND SCREEN) DIDNT SHOW THAT THERE HAD BEEN ANY IMPACT AND THE CAR WAS READY TO DRIVE. I REPORTED THIS TO KIA OF DOWNTOWN LA (THE DEALER) AND KIAUSA CORPORATE WHERE THEY OFFERED TO CHECK THE CAR OUT AND SEE IF THE CAR REACTED THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSE TO. AT THE END OF THEIR INSPECTION THEY CLAIMED THAT MY CAR DID WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO AND DIDNT DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS AS THE CAR DETERMINED THAT IS DIDNT NEED TO. I ASKED WHY DIDNT THE CAR SHOW ANYWHERE THAT THERE WAS IMPACT AND IF THE SENSORS EVEN DETECTED ANYTHING AS THERE WAS NO MESSAGED ANYWHERE. THEY CLAIM IT DOESNT SUPPOSE TO. A FEW WEEKS AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED I STARTED GETTING MESSAGES IN THE CLUSTER "CHECK AIR FLAP SYSTEM". TOOK IT BACK AND FOURTH TO THE DEALER WHERE I FINALLY OPENED A BBB CLAIM. IN MY CLAIM I ALSO REPORTED A DELAY REACTION WHEN ACCELERATING AND WAS TOLD THAT HYBRIDS WORK THAT WAY AND THE RESPONSE TIME IS SLOWER THAN REGULAR GAS CARS. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN TURNING AFTER A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR DOESNT MOVE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN TAKES OFF. OCCASIONALLY, THE CAR WONT TURN OFF, AND ASKS ME TO SHIFT TO P (PARK) WHEN IT IS IN PARK. WHEN THAT HAPPENS I AM FORCED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY HAVE TO "RESET" THE CAR TO FORCE IT TO TURN OFF (NO ACTUAL SOLUTION BUT TO UNPLUG THE BATTERY AND PLUG IT BACK IN IS WHAT THEY DO) ACCORDING TO KIA I CANT PROVE THAT THE AIRBAGS DONT WORK AS I AM NOT AN EXPERT AND SAME WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN. UNFORTUNATELY THE ONLY WAY OF FINDING OUT IS IF THIS CAR IS INVOLVED IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

Mileage: 19