Problems · by component

2003 Kia Optima structure problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Kia Optima cite structure, 17% of all 144 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
17% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000(SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT CALLED BOB ROHRMAN KIA (801 SAGAMORE PKWY S, LAFAYETTE, IN 47905, 765-746-7301) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN COMPLETED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,531.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 5, 2019Suspension, StructureODI 11278319
“THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSAFE, THOUGH IT HAD A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM AND IT WAS ONLY INSPECTED AND NOT REPLACED. THE CAR WAS INITIALLY TAKEN TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR AN ALIGNMENT AS IT PULLED TO THE RIGHT, THE SHOP SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT AN ALIGNMENT COULD NOT BE DONE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN MADE FOR THIS VEHICLE. RECALL #09V183000. GURLEY LEEP KIA IN MISHAWAKA, INDIANA WAS CONTACTED AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE FRAME WAS RUSTED BUT KIA WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE AS THE RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 29, 2019StructureODI 11240321
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DULLES MOTORCARS LOCATED AT 107 CATOCTIN CIR SE, LEESBURG, VA 20175, PHONE NUMBER: (703) 777-7077, FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND SAFETY INSPECTION, THERE IT WAS INFORMED BY THE TECHNICIAN OF SEVERE CORROSION AND CRACKS IN THE SUB FRAME AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO BE DRIVEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR SEVERAL WEEKS WITHOUT REPAIRS BEING COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V183000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2017StructureODI 11003026
“DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN IF LOCKED WHEN CLOSED. MECHANISM WORKS FINE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK WHEN OPEN, HOWEVER. A PART IN THE LOCK ASSEMBLY APPEARS TO BE ROTATING TOO FAR AND GETTING STUCK. AS A RESULT, THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED IF LOCKED WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED OR THE DRIVER WILL HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF THE PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR OR THROUGH THE WINDOW.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2017StructureODI 10960160
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM EITHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 147,433.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 11, 2016Structure, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10864345
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN UTILIZING THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES, THEY FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,526.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2016StructureODI 10863592

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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