Problems · by component

2006 Kia Optima air bags problems

46 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Kia Optima cite air bags, 30% of all 155 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
46
30% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I ALSO HAVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON. I CHECKED AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL FOR DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG ON 2006 KIA OPTIMA, BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAID MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. THIS RECALL NEED TO COVER ALL 2006 KIA OPTIMAS SINCE SO MANY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2016Air bagsODI 10885436
“THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON. I CHECKED AND FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL FOR DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG ON 2006 KIA OPTIMA, BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAID MY CAR IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. THIS RECALL NEED TO COVER ALL 2006 KIA OPTIMAS SINCE SO MANY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 27, 2016Air bagsODI 10876967
“MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAVE NOT GONE OFF YET. I TOOK IT TO GET A DIAGNOSE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR IN THE SEAT AND I SHOULD HAVE IT REPLACED. WELL I HAD SOMEONE PUT IN A DIFFERENT SEAT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF. NOW IT'S TIME FOR MY INSPECTIONS AND I CAN'T EVEN GET IT DONE BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2016Air bagsODI 10871474
“I HAD A RECALL ON AIRBAGS TOOK IT TWICE TO DEALER AND THE LIGHT IS STILL ON WILL NOT GO OFF. ALSO WHEN I STOP AND GET GAS AND AFTER I FINISH PUMP ON THE INSIDE IT SMELL SO LOUD JUST LIKE I WASTE IT ON ME I HAVE TOOK IT TO LET THEM CHECK IT OUT CANNOT FIND OUT WHERE IT COME FROM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2016Air bags, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10820578
“ON 1/11/16, I TOOK MY OPTIMA TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP (LOKEY IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA) BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON AND I WANTED AN UPDATE ON ALL APPLICABLE OPTIMA MODELS AND YEARS. I PAID $135.29 FOR THEM TO JUST LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY OPTIMA HAS NO RECALLS AND THAT MY DRIVER`S SIDE SEAT BACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE AIRBAG PROBLEM. PARTS FOR THIS ALONE WERE QUOTED TO ME TO BE OVER $1248.71 THEIR REPAIR ORDER (#26083616/1) NOTED THAT THE AIRBAG PROBLEM WAS "A LOOSE CONNECTION."”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 13, 2016Air bagsODI 10819931
“AIRBAG- WE STARTED THE CAR UP AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS NOT WENT OFF (OTHER THAN WHEN THE CAR IS SHUT DOWN). AFTER RESEARCH DISCOVERED THAT AN AIRBAG FAILURE WAS PART OF A RECALL FOR THIS MODEL, BUT ONLY FOR OPTIMA'S MANUFACTURED FROM SEPT 2005 FORWARD. THIS ONE WAS MANUFACTURED A FEW WEEKS PRIOR, YET HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER A GOOGLE SEARCH, THE ISSUE CAN BE FOUND ON OPTIMA'S WITH A MANUFACTURE DATE AS FAR BACK AS APRIL OF 2005. THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO ALL 2006 MODELS. DRIVER DOOR LOCKS- WHEN THE DOOR IS LOCKED, IT WILL NOT UNLOCK WITHOUT A LOT OF PLAYING WITH THE FOB OR USING KEY AND 'GETTING LUCKY' TO GRAB THE HANDLE AT THE CORRECT TIME WHILE DOING SO, OTHERWISE IT LOCKS BACK IMMEDIATELY UPON PULLING THE HANDLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON 2 LEVELS. 1-IF FOR WHATEVER REASON YOUR TRAVELS TAKE YOU THROUGH ROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS, THE ABILITY TO LOCK THE DOORS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE IF YOU COME ACROSS THE WRONG PEOPLE. HOWEVER, YOU CAN NOT LOCK THEM BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND THE CAR CATCHES ON FIRE OR YOU NEED TO ESCAPE THE VEHICLE QUICKLY, THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK SO YOU CAN OPEN IT LEAVING YOU TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. AFTER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2015Electrical system, Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 10789786

Showing 6 of 46 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags: frontal

Free remedy

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.

Air bagsReported Jan 17, 2012NHTSA 12V014000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 12, 2026

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

Other 2006 Optima problem areas