2011 KIA Optima Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2011 KIA Optima, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 85,675 miles. The words owners use most often: “low beam” (35% of reports).
- 88exterior lighting complaints
- 85,675median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 50%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Low beam: mentioned in 31 of 88 complaints (35%)
- High beams: mentioned in 18 of 88 complaints (20%)
- Headlights dim: mentioned in 10 of 88 complaints (11%)
- See feet: mentioned in 6 of 88 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the 2011 KIA Optima at $1,200, and half of them between $800 and $1,300.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2017–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 55 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 88 complaints, 2 a fire.
KIA Optima exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Optima | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2019 Optima | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2018 Optima | 14 | 6% | 32,663 |
| 2017 Optima | 15 | 6% | 61,500 |
| 2016 Optima | 47 | 6% | 56,650 |
| 2015 Optima | 23 | 2% | 42,000 |
| 2014 Optima | 18 | 3% | 58,900 |
| 2013 Optima | 40 | 3% | 80,000 |
| 2012 Optima | 31 | 3% | 93,500 |
| 2011 Optima | 88 | 15% | 85,675 |
| 2010 Optima | 2 | 3% | 99,500 |
| 2009 Optima | 9 | 8% | 106,315 |
| 2008 Optima | 8 | 6% | 38,000 |
| 2007 Optima | 27 | 16% | 111,000 |
| 2006 Optima | 16 | 10% | 3,650 |
| 2005 Optima | 4 | 3% | 40,000 |
| 2004 Optima | 5 | 2% | 34,598 |
| 2003 Optima | 3 | 2% | 90,016 |
| 2002 Optima | 2 | 2% | 50,026 |
| 2001 Optima | 3 | 2% | 9,251 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have replaced the headlights in my 2011 Kia Optima multiple times but no matter what without the brights on, the road is not at all illuminated making it impossible to see at night. When you look at the car head on the lights look as if they would be incredibly bright, but I believe due to faulty…
After getting HECU recall done , it has caused issues with the HECU module to where the brake lights no longer work and the ESC light comes on the cluster panel. Up on reading the code C2130, it says Brake lamp relay error. Mind you that my car was in working order before this recall was even done…
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the headlights were significantly dim, which reduced the driver's visibility of the roadway while driving at night. The vehicle was taken to the local Pep Boys where the headlight bulbs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 KIA Optimas have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 88 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2011 KIA Optima (15% of the 594 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 KIA Optima exterior lighting?
Yes: 1 safety recall list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 85,675 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the 2011 KIA Optima?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,200 (half paid between $800 and $1,300), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2011 KIA Optima?
The most frequent phrase is “low beam”, in 31 of 88 complaints, followed by “high beams” (18).
Other 2011 KIA Optima problems
- Engine problems (256)
- Steering problems (100)
- Electrical System problems (63)
See all 2011 KIA Optima problems or exterior lighting problems across all Optima years.