Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Kia Optima problems

Owners filed 110 complaints about the 2002 Kia Optima with NHTSA between Nov 2002 and Nov 2025. The most-cited component is structure (30).

Complaints
110
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
16
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Structure30
  2. Suspension21
  3. Air bags19
  4. Electrical system15
  5. Latches/locks/linkages12
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic9
  7. Steering8
  8. Engine and engine cooling7
  9. Power train6
  10. Wheels5
  11. Engine4
  12. Fuel system, gasoline4
  13. Equipment4
  14. Visibility3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20022
20035
200414
200510
200610
20074
20087
20099
20104
20115
20126
20138
20148
20155
20167
20171
20180
20192
20200
20211
20221
20230
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Structure

30 reports1 crash1 fire
“locked the car as most people do, then went to unlock the car heard it unlock but the door would not open. I could hear the door sound like it was locking/unlocking like it was stuck. I tried to climb through the passenger side to open the door from the inside and it will not open. The door appears to be "unlocked" but it is not and will not open creating a hazard if in an accident there is no way to get to safety. In researching online this is a common problem and there is a part in the lock mechanism that gets stuck so the door does not unlock and cannot open. It appears it has been reported several times on the year of my car and other years but nothing has been done. There is no warning that this will happen, you just lock the doors and then it doesn't unlock.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 13, 2025Electrical system, StructureODI 11699168

Suspension

21 reports1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2002 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after he replaced all four tires, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an alignment; however, the mechanic was unable to perform an alignment due to the subframe corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V183000 (Suspension) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2022Suspension, StructureODI 11493468

Air bags

19 reports11 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 219,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 23, 2017Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11035830

Electrical system

15 reports2 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“MY 16 YEAR OLD JUST PURCHASED A 2002 KIA OPTIMA SEDAN ON SATURDAY 8/20/2016 FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. VERY FIRST CAR, HIS OWN EARNED SAVINGS. UPON FINALIZING THE PAPERWORK, WE LITERALLY WALKED OUT THE DOOR & IMMEDIATELY WERE UNABLE TO UNLOCK HIS DRIVER'S DOOR WITH THE KEY FOB. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, NOT RUNNING, PARKED IN ALL INSTANCES IN REGARDS TO THIS COMPLAINT. COINCIDENTALLY, IT WORKED PERFECT FOR OUR TEST DRIVE. I DO ALSO HAVE SIGNED DOCUMENTATION STATING THE CAR LOT DOES NOTHING TO THE CAR ELECTRONICALLY, MECHANICALLY OR OTHERWISE AS WELL IF NEEDED. I WAS HOPEFUL IT WAS THE KEY FOB BATTERY, BUT IT'S BEEN REPLACED & STILL NOT WORKING. WE'VE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH ALL THE LOCKS SINCE & NO SUCCESS TO UNLOCK WHEN NEEDED. HE USES THE DRIVER'S SIDE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME, BUT ALL WITHOUT WARNING WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK WITH NO RHYME OR REASON. HE'S HAD TO CRAWL OVER FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TO GET IN EVERY TIME. MY NIGHTMARE AS ANY PARENTS IS GOD FORBID A FIRE START OR HE ACCIDENTALLY GOES INTO A BODY OF WATER & IS TRAPPED. I REALIZE IT'S AN OLDER CAR BOUGHT USED, BUT I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LOCKS, NOT JUST ON YOUR SITE. EVEN A…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2016Electrical systemODI 10897840

Latches/locks/linkages

12 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACTUATOR DOOR LOCKS FOR THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW WAS USED IN ORDER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE THE FRONT PASSENGER ACTUATOR WAS REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2014Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10650292

Service brakes, hydraulic

9 reports4 crashes1 fire
“UPON ROUTINE INSPECTION OF VEHICLE, MY REPAIR GARAGE NOTED THAT BRAKE LINES WERE QUITE RUSTED, AND STATED THAT THEY COULD FAIL SUDDENLY. IS THIS COMMON OR UNCOMMON IN A 10 YEAR OLD VEHICLE? *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10461957
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.