How many recalls does the 2001 Kia Optima have?

3 open NHTSA safety recalls are on record for the 2001 Kia Optima, alongside 231 owner complaints.

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2001 Kia Optima Recalls & Complaints

open safety recalls on record

Critical

231 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.54 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical03V067000

Electrical System:Starter Assembly

INTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN CRACKING OF THE CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Serious01V156000

Air Bags:Side/Window

DAMAGE TO THE WIRE HARNESS COULD RESULT IN THE SIDE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL CHECK FOR PROPER ROUTING OF THE SIDE AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS AND SECURE IT IN PLACE WITH A PLASTIC TIE-WRAP. IF THE WIRE HARNESS IS DAMAGED, IT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2001. 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.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SIDE AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS FOR THE DRIVER POSITION COULD BE MIS-ROUTED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN IT BEING PINCHED OR CUT BY THE SEAT CUSHION TILT MECHANISM.

Serious09V183000

Suspension:Front

CORROSION OF THE FRONT SUBFRAME COULD LEAD TO SEPARATION, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

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.

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.

Complaint volume

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

26Crashes

0Fires

18Injuries

0Deaths

Across 231 complaints. Severity Index 0.54.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Structure:Frame And Members — 21 reports
Suspension:Front — 17 reports
Air Bags — 17 reports
Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch — 11 reports
Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 10 reports
Suspension — 10 reports
Electrical System — 9 reports
Air Bags:Frontal — 7 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 7 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling — 7 reports

What to do

Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2001 · 2002 (3) · 2003 (2) · 2004 (1) · 2005 · 2006 (2) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (3) · 2009 (1) · 2010 (1) · 2011 (5) · 2012 (5) · 2013 (9) · 2014 (7) · 2015 (4) · 2016 (5) · 2017 (3) · 2018 (2) · 2019 (1) · 2020

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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