Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | ||||||||||||||||
| 12V014000 | KIA MOTORS CORPORATION | from 09/29/2005 to 01/29/2008 | V (Vehicle) | 145755 | 03/01/2012 | MFR | KIA MOTORS CORPORATION | 01/17/2012 | 01/17/2012 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Kia motors america, inc. (kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 kia optima vehicles manufactured from september 29, 2005, through january 29, 2008, and model year 2007 and 2008 kia rondo vehicles manufactured from september 13, 2006, through march 21, 2008. the clock spring contact assembly for the driver's side air bag supplemental restraint system (srs) may become damaged through usage over time. if the clock spring contact assembly becomes damaged, the driver's air bag electrical circuit will experience a high resistance condition potentially causing the driver's air bag to not deploy. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | If the clock spring develops high resistance, in the event of a crash, the drivers air bag will not deploy and will not be able to properly protect the driver, increasing the risk of injuries. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vehicle's air bag clock spring contact assembly as necessary, free of charge. the safety recall is expected to begin during march 2012. owners may contact kia customer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Kia's recall campaign number is sc094.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 10/10/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the clock spring needed to be replaced, but that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa recall campaign id number: 12v014000 (air bags; frontal). the failure mileage was unknown but the current mileage was 80,000. kmj | |||
| 10/10/2011 | |||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated the air bag illuminated on the instrument panel. the took the vehicle to the dealer and was told the clock spring needed to be replaced, but that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa recall campaign id number: 12v014000 (air bags; frontal). the failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 80,000.rl | |||
| 09/08/2012 | 73000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that while parked the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v014000 (air bags: frontal) that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 73,000. | |||
| 09/08/2012 | 73000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that while parked the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 12v014000 (air bags: frontal) that may be related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who stated that the vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 73,000. pmb | |||
| 04/01/2012 | |||
| Kia currently has a recall on 2006 optimas for an air bag issue and warns consumers with this vehicle to contact kia if the air bag light comes on. in my car, the light came on on 4/1/12 and is still on. i contacted kia of columbus, ga where the car was purchased and they said to bring it in and we did to only be told the car was not covered because it was a few months old than the campaign. kia needs to investigate and include all of 2006 optimas, as they are having the air bag issue as well. kia has never honored any repair on the car even when brand new and had issues with headlights which we still have to do this day. | |||
| 05/15/2006 | 2000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. while driving approximately 60 mph the air bag warning indicator illuminated. the light remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on five separate occasions for the similar failure. the air bag module was replaced during the previous repairs; however the failure continued to occur. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 2,000. js | |||
| 02/28/2011 | 50000 | ||
| One day the door on the driver side of the car wouldn't open from the inside or outside. i called kia and they informed me that there is nothing they could do because the car was out of warranty. i took the car to the dealership and they couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. after researching the problem on the internet, this seems to be a common occurance with this particular car. i called and notified kia consumer relations and again was given the speech of it's not covered under warranty and basically they didn't want to hear about it. i also in conjunction with the telephone call, filed a written complaint with kia and have yet to hear anything from them about this. i have also included in this complaint the air bag light that the dealer cannot find out what's wrong with it. i did a very simple search and it was able to find many people having the same issue and maybe you can force kia to do a recall and fix this faulty parts before someone gets killed in these vehicles. thank you! | |||
| 03/07/2011 | 74600 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that since march 2011, she noticed the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrumental panel. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who stated that the vehicle was outside the warranty. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 74,600. | |||
| 03/07/2011 | 74600 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that for the past 3 weeks she has noticed the air bag warning light has illuminated on the instrumental panel. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they advised her that she was out of her warranty. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 74,600. tb | |||
| 01/11/2010 | 80890 | ||
| I own a 2006 kia optima and the air bag light is on and does not go off even you are in the seats this is a hazzard if you have a accident you do not know if the air bag will work or not could be deadly ,also doors will not unlock if you lock them will not unlock with the key or from inside vehicle ,have to crawl over to passenger side to get this can be deadly if you get in a accident . | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 70000 | ||
| 2006 kia optima. discovered air bag lighted icon on dash just past the warranty expiration. (driver-side bag). paid $125 diagnostic, only to be told air bag doesn't work, --duh! dealer wants another some $500 to explore cause, and another some $500 to maybe fix it. f'n rip-off! (warranty expired at 60,000 miles because i am the 2nd owner---another rip-off by kia). can't afford the repairs, so my life is in kia's hands!!!!. i will never buy nor recommend another kia. | |||
| 04/17/2010 | 130000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that the air bag light continuously illuminated since 2007. she took the vehicle to the dealership several times where the air bag light was reset but the failure continued. in april 2010, while driving at approximately 10 mph, the air bag suddenly deployed. the contact stated that her face became swollen as a result. the vehicle was totaled as a result. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that she would have to deal with the sales dealership from which she purchased. the current and failure mileages were approximately 130,000-bk | |||
| 01/15/2009 | 187000 | 1 | |
| Air bag light on dash will not go off. passenger air bag on/off light not always working. dealer says $115 for test. if warranted they will pay. if not i will pay. read of many reports like this. 87,000 miles. *tr | |||
| 09/25/2008 | 36000 | 1 | |
| Your nhtsa campaign id no. 08v161000, concerning the airbag system on 2006-08 hyundai sonatas, should be expanded to include kia optimas. i just had the exact same problem with a 2006 kia optima, , which i purchased from enterprise car sales and then returned within the 7-day return period due to discovery of this problem. the software did not recognize a 120-pound adult as an adult on the passenger side, as a result of which we got the signal that the passenger side air bag was off. *tr | |||
| 08/03/2008 | 46000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. on august 3, 2008, the contact was involved in a three vehicle crash. her vehicle crashed into the preceding vehicle and the air bag failed to deploy. on two occasions, the contact took the vehicle to the dealer because the air bag light kept illuminating. during the first repair, the dealer replaced a wire shortage. during the second repair, the wiring harness was replaced. the vehicle is currently at the tow yard. the manufacturer will be notified. the contact was injured. the speed was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 46,000. | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL | |||
| 03/13/2012 | 1 | ||
| 2006 kia optima. consumer writes in regards to recall notice and repairs concerning air bag clock spring contact assembly. *tgw the consumer stated he was charged a $113.00 for diagnostic testing. however, according to the recall letter, in addition to providing a lifetime warranty for the driver's air bag clock spring contact assembly, kia was to replace the clock spring contact assembly free of charge. *jb | |||
| 01/31/2011 | 79000 | ||
| In a 2006/2007 kia optima, passenger airbag off light continuously illuminates regardless of seated passenger weight or occupancy. this could lead to failure to deploy airbag in a frontal collision resulting in serious injury or death. resetting the computer temporarily deactivated the light, but problem persists. | |||
| 04/26/2009 | 43000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that the air bag warning light would sporadically illuminate on the instrument panel, which indicated that the driver's side air bag was inoperative. the failure could prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a crash. the contact is in the process of having the vehicle inspected to determine the cause of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 43,000. | |||
| 05/10/2008 | 1 | ||
| The passenger air bag warning light does not work properly. when a passenger sits in the passenger seat and buckle the seat belt, the passenger air bag warning light does not go out or it will go out and back on. it is necessary to shut the engine off and reset the computer for it to work properly. *tr | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL - SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | |||
| 04/29/2007 | 181 | 3 | 04/27/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that the passenger side air bag indicator light remains illuminated when there is an adult over 100 lbs in the passenger seat. the dealer stated that the air bag needed to be reset to correct the failure. this meant that when a passenger entered the vehicle, the air bag sensor needed to be shut off and then reactivated for the air bag to work properly. this did not correct the failure and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, however, the service technician was unable to perform the repair. the failure mileage was 181 and current mileage was 8,000. | |||
| 07/31/2007 | 2791 | 30 | 04/01/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that the air bag warning light remained illuminated no matter how much the passenger weighed. the dealer attempted to repair the failure on three occasions, but it continued to occur. the current and failure mileages were 2,791 starting 60 miles. the dealer stated hears a rattle from the sunroof and gasket on trunk. updated 08/29/07 *tr | |||
| 09/01/2006 | 500 | 1 | 08/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2006 kia optima. the contact called regarding the air bag sensor light. the front passenger sensor light illuminated intermittently regardless if someone was in the passenger seat. the mechanic stated that the failure occurred in approximately 50% of these vehicles and may be prevented by sitting in a certain position. the current mileage is 9,000, and failure mileage was 500.*ak | |||
| 02/07/2007 | 7558 | 1 | 12/12/2006 |
| Tl* - the contact called regarding a 2006 kia optima. the contact stated that the contact's vehicle struck another vehicle at 5 mph, and the airbags did not deploy. the road conditions were icy. the contact stated the airbag light stayed on. he took the vehicle to a kia dealer, and was told the airbag module would need to be replaced. the current and failure mileage were 7558. *ak the consumer stated a ground wire was replaced. updated 03/30/07. *jb | |||
| 02/15/2007 | 500 | 100 | 11/17/2006 |
| Purchased brand new 2006.5 kia optima,,,the passenger air bag does not turn on when a passenger is in the seat. my wife ways 170 so this is well above a 130 lb limit i have read about but not verified. this is an intermittent problem but quite frequent though. 9 times in last 2 days...took it to kia and they could not get it to act up and no codes in computer. though i have witnessed this malfunction at least 100 times now in the last month. i told them this is a safety issue and needs to be fixed. they said they cant just throw money at it hoping to replace the bad part by luck as the sensors are $1200.00 a piece and they told me there were 5 sensors in the seat. i then told them that the safety aspect of the car was one of the main reasons i bought it, and now it is not dependable, i cant trust it to protect any passenger in that seat. *nm | |||
| 11/30/2006 | 450 | 1 | 11/30/2006 |
| Tl*- the contact stated he purchase a 2006 kia optima on 11/30/06, with 377 miles on the vehicle at purchase. the contact states that after purchasing the vehicle he notice that passenger side airbag sensor light would not turn off. the contact states that while no one is in passenger seat the light stays on and the airbag is off. the contact stated that while someone is in passenger seat the airbag light continues to stay on. he said that the airbag is malfunctioning. the contact states that he has informed dealership of the problem and they ordered the part. the contact stated that the dealership contacted him and told him to bring vehicle in today even though the part will not be in until after christmas. the contact stated that dealership has ordered the padding for the cushion on the passenger seat. the contact stated this is a safety issue and nhtsa should know about this problem. | |||
| 11/30/2006 | 4000 | 1 | 10/31/2006 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while a passenger weighing 125 pounds was properly restrained in the front passenger seat, the advanced airbag sensor light would not illuminate, which indicated a lack of airbag protection. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who performed a diagnostic test, which did not produce any failure codes. the dealer referred to the vehicle owner's manual which indicated in some instances with lighter passengers, the advanced airbag system may not be active. the dealer determined the advanced airbag system was functioning accordingly to the manufacturer's specifications and all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards. the manufacturer was alerted. | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 20 | 1 | |
| We purchased a 2006.5 kia optima a few months back. this car is equipped with a feature, the de-activation of the front seat passenger airbag when the seat is vacant. my wife weighs about 104 lbs and does not always activate the switch as indicated by the fact the warning light does not go off, and therefore is unprotected if there was a frontal crash. the dealer checked and indicated that the switch is functioning as designed. this problem occurs about 50% of the time. sometimes she can get the indicator to go off by moving around and/or bouncing on the seat. the other fun fact is that we can be riding along and the indicator will come on or if it is on it will sometime turn off. there does not appear to be any rhyme or reason for the activation or de-activation of the sensor switch. i was told by the dealer that the sensor switch can not be by-passed because of federal regulations. *nm | |||
| 11/15/2006 | 15 | 1 | 10/31/2006 |
| I just purchased a 2006.5 kia optima. my concern is when my wife sits in the passenger seat; the air bag does not arm. kia states that the new standard (nhtsa) states that one must be over 130 lbs. if true, i find that unacceptable. there is no statements within the owners manual or is there a placard on the dashboard warning one must be over 130 lbs. should i have an accident, who is liable, you or kia. please let me know the rules, the law and if this is so, what individual, felt individual less than 130 lbs do not deserve that safety feature. *jb | |||
| 09/04/2006 | 10 | 1 | 09/04/2006 |
| Our concern relates to the safety of our vehicle. a nice feature of this car is the de-activation of the passenger airbag when that seat is vacant; however, there appears to be a malfunction. the dashboard lights up as passenger air bag off even when a passenger is seated there. this is a huge safety concern of ours. *nm | |||