2001 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
231 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Kia Optima, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 12/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Body & structure leads the reports, typically around 95,200 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2001 Kia Optima has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2001 sits among all Optima years
What owners report
“I took my car for a state safety inspection and was told the engine cradle was beginning to show rust. I took it to a second provider who confirmed that this was the case. After doing some research i found that rusting of the subframe had been recalled but not for the state i live in (virginia).”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Optima
“My airbag light on and I've check the fuses in it,Not it,,, My AC,. The drivers door lock , Oxagen senser Crank Shaft,”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Optima
“03/06/02 purchased a optima kia 2001, still under warranty until 2/6/06. Problems with airbag, engine, and locks from the date of the purchase of this car. Car brought in for airbag light problem 14 times since 2002 to present date 2005 and still not fixed as we speak. Engine brought in 6 times,…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Optima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 128 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 40,000 and 113,400 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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,…
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.
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.
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…
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.
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
25 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2001 Kia Optima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2001 Optima TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2001 Kia Optima reliable?
The 2001 Kia Optima drew 231 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 12/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2001 Kia Optima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Kia Optima are body & structure (37 complaints), airbags (31), and suspension (29).
At what mileage do 2001 Kia Optima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Kia Optima problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 40,000 and 113,400 miles.
Does the 2001 Kia Optima have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Kia Optima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.