2005 KIA OPTIMA Structure Problems

driver side door lock does not open using the arm rest switch. wife was in the car could reach the switch but not the unlatch lever . Car was overheating with Ac on with keys in the ignition . Had to have her roll down the passenger door window to manually open the rear passenger side door . From the rear seat I could reach the lever and unlock the door. If I could not it would have been a fire hazard.

THE DRIVER DOOR BECOME JAMMED AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT OPEN. YOU HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY/EXCESSIVELY JERK ON IT. DUE TO NOT OPENING, I HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IN ORDER TO GAIN ENTRANCE INTO THE VEHICLE. NOT ONLY THAT, AFTER FINALLY GETTING THE DRIVER DOOR TO OPEN, I HAVE TO LEAVE IT CRACK TO AVOID THIS STRUGGLE.

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM MALFUNCTION. MECHANISM WILL NOT ALLOW THE DOOR TO UNLOCK, THEREFORE THE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED. DRIVER MUST CLIMB OUT OF PASSENGER SIDE.

LOCKED CAR AFTER BUYING IT USED DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK. MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. MY DAUGHTER WAS GOING TO DRIVE THIS THING. KIA DEALER DID NOT EVEN MENTION THIS TO ME, BUT DID SAY IT WAS 200 MINIMUM. I HOPE THIS GETS INVESTIGATED. IN AN ACCIDENT THE DOOR WILL NEVER OPEN. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND AFTER 2 HOURS IT WILL NOT UNLOCK.

Mileage: 155,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE IN PARK, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE REMOTE FOR ENTRY AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

Mileage: 128,000

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY. IT WILL LOCK WITHOUT PROBLEM BUT THEN WILL NOT UNLOCK. IT CANNOT BE UNLOCKED FROM WITHIN THE VEHICLE AT ALL. TO UNLOCK IT FROM OUTSIDE REQUIRES THAT THE DOOR BE UNLOCKED AT THE SAME TIME THE DOOR HANDLES IS PULLED OPEN. IT REQUIRES MULTIPLE TRIES TO GET IT RIGHT - USUALLY IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES OF PLAYING WITH THE DOOR HANDLE AND KEY TO GET IT TO WORK PROPERLY.

Mileage: 105,000

THE FRAME IS EXTENSIVE RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THE VEHICLE'S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY HAS LIKELY BEEN COMPROMISED. NOTHING UNUSUAL HAS HAPPENED THAT WOULD CAUSE SUCH RUST, SUCH AS BACKING INTO SALT WATER, ETC. IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN ON SALTED NY ROADS BUT STILL, THE RUST IS EXTREME ON THIS VEHICLE EVEN WITH THAT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THE BODY HAS RUSTED EXTENSIVELY AS WELL, TO THE POINT WHERE THE REAR QUARTER PANELS BY THE REAR WHEEL ARCHES HAVE RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH.

Mileage: 75,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS LOCKED AND FAILED TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE CONTACT HAD TO GO THROUGH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND CLIMB OVER THE SEAT TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

KEY WILL NOT UNLOCK DRIVER'S DOOR AND DRIVER CANNOT UNLOCK DOOR FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. KIA MOTORS WILL NOT ISSUE A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. CLIMBING OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE IS REQUIRED TO ENTER OR EXIT THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A FREQUENT ISSUE WITH KIA OPTIMA CARS, WELL KNOWN AND OFTEN WRITTEN UP ONLINE, THE PART REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS SOLD ON EBAY BY MULTIPLE SELLERS ALWAYS. *TR

Mileage: 56,650

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. YOU COULD CLICK IT AND IT WOULD SOUND LIKE IT WAS GOING TO OPEN, BUT IT DIDN'T. HAD TO DRIVE TO A KIA STORE AND HAVE THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY REPLACED AT THE TUNE OF $450. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THEY DID NOT SEEM TO THINK THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT I CAN SEE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I HAD MY TWO YEAR OLD GRANDSON IN THE BACK SEAT AND WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT GETTING STUCK IN THE CAR. IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, I WILL SELL THE CAR. THERE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ON THIS CAR. I REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS REGULARLY (ABOUT ONCE A MONTH) AND I AM ALWAYS HAVING THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, WHEN THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. HOW MANY OF THESE COMPLAINTS DO YOU NEED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? OR DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO GET KILLED FIRST? *TR

Mileage: 80,000

DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT OPEN, FROM EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE LOCKING MECHANISM WILL NOT UNLOCK, LEAVING NO EASY ACCESS OR EXIT TO OR FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THIS IS QUITE A HAZARD AS THE OPERATOR COULD BECOME TRAPPED IN THE CAR IN AN EMERGENCY (AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET FOR SOME YEARS NOW AS BEING VERY COMMON TO THIS PARTICULAR CAR). WHY HAS NHTSA BEEN IGNORING THIS PROBLEM? *TR....UPDATED 12/09/15 *BF UPDATED 08/30/2017*CT

Mileage: 79,800

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXIT THE VEHICLE FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCH AND ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT HAD THE ACTUATOR REPLACED PREVIOUSLY BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,038.

Mileage: 107,038

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NO LONGER OPEN. WHEN I TRY TO UNLOCK IT FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE, THE UNLOCK MECHANISM WORKS, BUT THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. I NOW HAVE TO CRAWL IN FROM ANOTHER DOOR AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT IN AN EMERGENCY. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH KIAS AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH KIA. *TR

Mileage: 66,000

THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN AFTER THE DOORS ARE LOCKED . IF YOU UNLOCK THE DOORS THE DRIVER SIDE WILL UNLOCK AND THEN RE LOCK ITSELF. IF THERE WAS TO BE A VEHICLE FIRE OR OTHER PROBLEM, THE DRIVE WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF A WINDOW OR CROSS OVER THE CENTER CONSUL TO EXIT THE VEHICLE . THIS IS WITHOUT A DOUBT A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING. *TR

Mileage: 169,900

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS COULD NOT BE LOCKED. THE CONTACT COULD HEAR THE LOCKS ATTEMPTING TO LATCH, BUT THEY FAILED TO DO ACTUALLY ENGAGE. THE CONTACT HAD TO CLIMB IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE REAR DOORS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,338.

MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN BOTH FROM OUTSIDE AND INSIDE, SO I'VE TO GO THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE TO GET OUT AND GET IN THE CAR. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCKS WHEN YOU TRY TO OPEN IT. WHETHER IN OR OUT, IT WON'T OPEN. SOMETIMES IT WILL OPEN WITH A KEY OUT OF THE CAR, BUT WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE. *TR

I HAVE HAD TO TAKE MY CAR TWICE NOW TO GET MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPEN, I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO CLIMB IN FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR AND I HAVE HURT MY KNEES IN DOING SO. EVERYTIME I LOCK MY DOORS AND THEN UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR DOESN'T OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THIS NEEDS A RECALL .I HAVE ALREADY SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DOORS DID NOT OPEN WHEN USING THE KEY, KEY FOB, OR FROM THE INTERIOR. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENTER THE VEHICLE FROM THE REAR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED.

Mileage: 73,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA OPTIMA LX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE IDLE POSITION, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. HE COULD NOT OPEN IT FROM THE OUTSIDE WITH THE KEY OR EVEN USING THE HANDLE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.

Mileage: 80,000

I HAVE A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. I HAVE NOT EVEN HAD THE CAR FOR THREE YEARS AND AM HAVING A MAJOR PROBLEM. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I COULD NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED UNTIL LAST WEEK. I PICKED THE CAR UP YESTERDAY AND DID NOT DRIVE IT FOR HALF AN HOUR WHEN THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AGAIN. I PAID ALMOST $400 AND THE DOOR STILL WILL NOT OPEN. IT IS BACK IN THE SHOP AND MY MECHANIC DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. CAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO FIX THIS BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS TO ME AND MY SON BECAUSE OF THIS VEHICLE? I CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY ANOTHER ONE!*CW

Mileage: 68,000

I HAVE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS. I HAVE A 2005 KIA OPTIMA. MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME "ANYTIME ANYONE WITH ANY WEIGHT SITS DOWN ON THE SEAT IT WILL COME DISCONNECTED". I HAD IT FIXED ONCE AND NOW IT IS ON AGAIN. EVER SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT THIS CAR I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. THE ONLY DEALERSHIP I CAN GO TO IS 2 HOURS AWAY BY FREEWAY. I AM AFRAID FOR MY FAMILY TO BE IN THIS CAR BECAUSE I DO NOT KNOW IF WE WILL BE PROTECTED AS WE SHOULD BE. THE FIRST TIME THAT IT BROKE DOWN WAS A WEEK AFTER WE BOUGHT IT AND THE MECHANICS TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK, AND WHEN I HAD THE THROTTLE REPLACED THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT EVEN DO THE REPAIR CORRECTLY CAUSING THE CAR TO REV UP WHEN STOPPED. PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THE ISSUES I HAVE. *TR