2009 KIA Optima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Optima years
- Fewer complaints than other years 18th of 20 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 KIA Optima. That ranks 18th out of 20 Optima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (33 complaints, 28%), typically at around 62,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 4 fires, 5 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 116owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2009 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 33 | 28% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 28 | 24% | 70,100 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 17 | 15% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 16 | 14% | 66,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 14 | 12% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 9% | 64,905 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 9 | 8% | 62,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 8% | 106,315 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 6% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 3% | 19,058 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 3% | 58,250 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | 23,233 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 77,200 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 73,468 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 11,500 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 914 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 114,856 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2009 KIA Optima recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
- Throttle control system vulnerabilities (DP21003) — opened Nov 12, 2021, closed Jun 20, 2023.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2009 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal knocking noise and then stalled. The contact stated that the battery and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The…
After 131,500 miles, struts, rotors and pads wore out. Lower ball joint and control arm also wore out, No injuries or accident.
The airbags did not deploy while the car was being driven at 65 mph on Interstate 275 S and crashed into a wall barrier. Since the airbags did not deploy, the driver's head was thrown around because the rest of his body was held firm by the seat belt. The driver was transported by ambulance to the…
While driving the car when cold the car downshifts hard into first at about 20 mph. Almost at sometimes feeling like i have been hit from the back. My neck has started hurting from whiplash. This is a very horrible problem that needs to be fixed. In states where roads become wet, icy, and covered…
Transmission downshift very hard from 2nd to 1st. Dealer reset module 10 months ago. Solved problem. Problem recurred. Dealer reset module but problem continues. Checked internet, problem seems to be widespread.
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 | 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 Optima | 107 | 3 |
| 2001 Optima | 143 | 3 |
See all KIA Optima problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
Embed this 2009 KIA Optima badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2009 KIA Optima?
Owners most often report power train, air bags, service brakes problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 33 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2009 KIA Optima?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2009 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 2009 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.