Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.
vehicle
2005 / kia / optima
known issues
5 clusters (reviewed 2026-09-16)
complaints
144 on file (2005-07-25 → 2022-06-22)
recalls
0
investigations
0
fars
36 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
Door lock and latch failure preventing entry or exitLATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES89 complaints2009-02 → 2022-06kia-optima-2005-door-lock-latch-failure
11058053 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE, THE DOOR'S FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXIT THROUGH THE SUN ROOF
10993523 I AM A DISABLED WOMAN WHO BECAME TRAPPED IN HER OWN CAR BECAUSE THE LOCK MECHANISM ON THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN NOR COULD I ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW
10552323 IT'S SO DANGEROUS NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF YOUR CAR WHEN YOU'RE READY
Fuel tank leakFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE10 complaints2008-04 → 2012-02kia-optima-2005-fuel-tank-leak
10440412 THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS DEFECTIVE AND COULD ONLY BE FILLED PARTIALLY BEFORE SPILLING
10346809 AFTER PARKING, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE
10225108 ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE
Air bag warning light illuminationAIR BAGS15 complaints2008-03 → 2017-06kia-optima-2005-airbag-warning-light
11000725 THE LIGHT FOR MY AIR BAG HAS BEEN STAYING ON AND MY HORN QUIT WORKING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW
10863486 MY AIRBAG CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF FOR OVER A YEAR NOW
10232961 MY FAMILY IS IN GRAVE DANGER IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND I WOULD LIKE THIS INVESTIGATED FURTHER
Air bag non-deployment in a crashAIR BAGS6 complaints2005-09 → 2009-11kia-optima-2005-airbag-nondeployment-crash
10293368 IT SMASHED IN MY FRONT BUMPER, FENDER, BENT THE HOOD ABOUT TWO FEET IN THE AIR, AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY
10223832 THE AIRBAGS IN THE VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL
10135179 OUR MAIN ISSUE IS WITH THE AIRBAG NOT HAVING DEPLOYED ON IMPACT
Engine stalling without warningENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4 complaints2006-09 → 2011-10kia-optima-2005-engine-stall-without-warning
10264212 WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING
10168515 THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING
10218584 YOU HAVE NO WARNING--IT JUST TURNS EVERYTHING OFF--LIKE YOU NEVER STARTED THE CAR AT ALL
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.
Cite this
Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.
Wrench.Pro (2026). 2005 Kia Optima vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2005/kia/optima
@misc{wrenchpro_2005_kia_optima_2026,
author = {Wrench.Pro},
title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2005 Kia Optima},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2005/kia/optima}},
note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}
