2002 KIA Optima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Optima years
- Fewer complaints than other years 19th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 KIA Optima. That ranks 19th out of 20 Optima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is structure (30 complaints, 28%), typically at around 124,933 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 4 fires, 11 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 107owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 KIA Optima problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 30 | 28% | 124,933 | — | — |
| Suspension | 21 | 20% | 126,513 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 19 | 18% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 14 | 13% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 12 | 11% | 80,048 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 9 | 8% | 45,593 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 7% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 7% | 55,360 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 6% | 86,020 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 5% | 141,803 | — | — |
| Engine | 4 | 4% | 118,049 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | 81,848 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 3% | 43,036 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 50,026 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 94,049 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 2% | 54,850 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 64,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 2% | 82,549 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 60,233 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | 64,399 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 137,858 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 37,125 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 KIA Optima recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:front
Problem: Kia motors corporation (kmc) is recalling 36,538 model year 2001-2004 optima vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Road salt applied in these states during the winter months may result in progressive, internal corrosion of the front subframe. Over time, such subframe corrosion near the connection to the lower control arm can lead to wheel misalignment and/or other noticeable stress in steering, or accelerated abnormal tire wear.
Risk: Corrosion of the front subframe could lead to separation, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Kmc will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on june 15, 2009. Owners may contact kia's consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Some passenger vehicles may contain a fuel tank assembly valve that may not close properly. If a vehicle with a fuel tank assembly valve that is not properly closed were to roll over, fuel spillage may occur.
Risk: Fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. Owner notification began june 25, 2004. Owners should contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Electrical system:starter assembly
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5 and 2.7 liter v6 engines, the crankshaft position sensor (ckp) cases did not meet dimensional specifications.
Risk: Internal gaps within the cases allowed epoxy to contact the printed circuit board, which resulted in cracking of the circuit board capacitor. A damaged ckp capacitor could result in engine stalling.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ckp. Owner notification began march 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 kia optima. The contact stated that there were holes from corrosion due to sub-frame rust. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the sub-frame to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. Upon investigation…
Air bag light all of sudden,after just starting up
Over a weeks time,i noticed my steering wheel was turned like maybe i needed an alignment and it started pulling to the left so bad that i had to force the steering wheel to the right so i wouldn't wreck into the median on the interstate. I could only go about 45 or 50 mph or it would start shaking…
Other KIA Optima years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Optima | 151 | 0 |
| 2019 Optima | 212 | 1 |
| 2018 Optima | 232 | 2 |
| 2017 Optima | 256 | 3 |
| 2016 Optima | 758 | 5 |
| 2015 Optima | 1,009 | 4 |
| 2014 Optima | 589 | 7 |
| 2013 Optima | 1,386 | 9 |
| 2012 Optima | 920 | 5 |
| 2011 Optima | 594 | 5 |
| 2010 Optima | 75 | 1 |
| 2009 Optima | 116 | 1 |
| 2008 Optima | 144 | 3 |
| 2007 Optima | 167 | 2 |
| 2006 Optima | 155 | 2 |
| 2005 Optima | 144 | 0 |
| 2004 Optima | 225 | 1 |
| 2003 Optima | 141 | 2 |
| 2002 | 107 | 3 |
| 2001 Optima | 143 | 3 |
See all KIA Optima problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2002 KIA Optima?
Owners most often report structure, suspension, air bags problems. The top one, structure, accounts for 30 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 KIA Optima?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 KIA Optima a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Optima model years, the 2002 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.