2009 Kia Optima Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Kia Optima most often describe an abrupt downshift just below about 20 mph that makes the car lurch, usually when the engine is cold; many also report an air bag warning light that stays on and a hard brake-pedal feel or grabbing at low speed. Most sampled complaints were filed between roughly 40,000 and 100,000 miles, and the downshift reports appear at mileages from under 1,000 to over 150,000.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hard downshift or lurch near 20 mph

   • 35 complaints (30%)
   • median 53,000 mi at 4.9 yrs old (30 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2021

   Complaints describe the car jerking or lurching as it slows and drops from second to first gear, most often around 20 mph; some say the jolt feels like the brakes were slammed and that passengers notice it. Several owners say it is worse when the car is cold or in winter weather and eases once warmed up. According to the complaints, dealers reset or reprogrammed the transmission computer, sometimes for a fee, and the behavior returned in some cases; other owners were told a replacement transmission was needed. Reported across a wide mileage range, from under 1,000 miles to over 150,000, with many between 40,000 and 90,000; frequently after a cold start.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car from a cold start and coast down through 20 mph to feel for a lurch. Ask whether the transmission computer was ever reprogrammed or the fluid changed, and whether records show a reset.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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 with snow, this can cause a lot of damage/ possibly death.”

   NHTSA complaint #11405236, filed 2021-03, 66,000 miles

   “My 2009 Kia Optima with 90,000 miles is experiencing a hard downshift into first gear when it decelerates to about 20 MPH. It is so abrupt, it feels as if the brakes have been applied very rapidly. The car jerks forward and is accompanied by a clunking sound from the transmission. It mostly happens when the vehicle is cold and goes away after it has warmed up. It just started and I have not taken it to be serviced.”

   NHTSA complaint #11013124, filed 2017-08, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light stays on

   • 25 complaints (22%)
   • median 70,100 mi at 7.0 yrs old (21 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2011–2021

   Owners report the air bag or SRS warning light coming on and staying lit, sometimes after a battery replacement or after the code was cleared. Several complaints say a dealer identified the front passenger occupant sensor mat or a loose connection as the source and quoted a repair; in some cases the light returned shortly after. Some owners note the vehicle will not pass inspection with the light on. A few complaints also describe air bags not deploying in a collision. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 95,000 miles, often years after purchase rather than at delivery.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Turn the key and confirm the air bag light goes out after the bulb check. Ask whether the passenger occupant sensor mat was replaced or covered under the extended warranty described in Kia's owner letter.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My car has 60,603 miles on it the srs light is illuminated it has remained on for the past week. I have not been in an accident. After extensive online research I've noticed that there were thousands of Kia's recalled all the way up to 2008 for this exact problem as it stands now although it's a known problem it will not be covered under any hundred thousand miles warranty.”

   NHTSA complaint #10994142, filed 2017-06, 60,603 miles

   “While hitting several trees in my Kia Optima, going about 45mph, the air bags did not deploy. My insurance company said from their experience and from looking at the damage of the car, they also think the air bags should have deployed. However, nobody was seriously injured, no thanks to the air bags.”

   NHTSA complaint #10789825, filed 2015-11, 95,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake pedal grab and brake-switch faults

   • 29 complaints (25%)
   • median 57,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2019

   Complaints describe the brakes grabbing and the car jerking to a stop when braking gently below about 20 mph, worse in cold weather and fading after several minutes of driving. Other owners report stop lamp switch failures affecting the brake lights, cruise control or ESC, and one complaint describes an ABS malfunction. Dealers reportedly replaced switches, pads and rotors, and some owners question whether the repair matched what was billed. Reported from under 15,000 miles to about 100,000 miles; the low-speed grab is often described as a cold-weather symptom.

   Recall 13V1140001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the stop lamp switch replacement recall work was completed, and test the brake lights and cruise control. Drive the car cold and brake gently from about 25 mph to check for grabbing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The ESC alarm came on and the car began shuddering. I tried to brake but it seemed to make the shuddering worse. It became difficult to steer so I coasted the vehicle.to the shoulder of the road and waited a few minutes. I turned the ignition again and the car came on first try but the ESC alarm was still illuminated and usually is although it turns off from time to time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10661501, filed 2014-12, 65,000 miles

   “Approaching a stop sign or light, when I apply the brakes smoothly, the brakes will grab and the car will jerk to a stop, usually when the car is going less than 20 MPH. This is much worse is cold weather. After about 10 minutes of driving, it no longer occurs. We just bought the car in august 2014, so this is the first winter we've had the car, so I don't know if the prior owners tried to have it fixed or not.”

   NHTSA complaint #10730207, filed 2015-06, 14,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Stalling, knocking or engine failure

   • 9 complaints (8%)
   • median 126,000 mi at 8.7 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2024

   Complaints describe knocking noises, stalling at speed with battery and check engine lights on, and in some cases engine seizure or smoke and fire from the front of the car. One owner reports metal debris found in the oil pan and an engine replacement recommendation; another reports an oil pump failure at very low mileage. A separate complaint concerns an oil supply line to the turbocharger on a different model year, so treat that one as context only. Spread from under 3,000 miles to over 150,000, with several reports past 100,000 miles.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for a knock at idle and on revving, check the oil level and condition, and ask for oil change records. Ask whether the engine has been replaced or had major repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Last week, on aug 29th 2020, I tried to make a left u-turn on a residential street and the steering wheel locked up. I got scared and just drove forward to the next street and turned right onto that street. On aug the 17th, 2020 I had my car inspected. The mechanic said the brake fluid was leaking and had to fix that. Approx 2 weeks later, sept 2nd, the motor blew on my car while driving on a hwy. There was black smoke coming through the A/C vent right before it happened. The car is a total loss.”

   NHTSA complaint #11353024, filed 2020-09, 150,000 miles

   “A bearing in the motor or something gave out as I was driving. I am unable to start it and keep it started. I was told the engine ceased up. It only has like 126000 miles on it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11218787, filed 2019-06, 126,000 miles
5. 5
   Vehicle speed control

   Surge or hesitation on acceleration

   • 5 complaints (4%)
   • median 23,543 mi at 2.7 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2011–2014

   Owners describe the car hesitating and then accelerating suddenly from a stop, or surging forward while pulling away from a traffic light; one owner says pressing the brake stopped it. According to the complaints, a dealer found no fault on one occasion and reprogrammed the engine control module on another. Some complaints tie the behavior to the same low-speed drivability pattern as the downshift issue. Reported from delivery mileage to about 90,000 miles, on acceleration from a stop.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test acceleration from several stops on a level road and note any hesitation or surge. Ask whether the engine control module or throttle programming was ever updated.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving on a normal day with out rain and good road conditions ESC starts blinking and keeps blinking and the speed keeps going down. Even after flooring the accelerator. This happened 3 times twice after replacing a brake switch that went faulty. Technician at the dealership says that he could not find any code on the vehicle recorded. Really worried of thinking if this happend when I go on to a free way.”

   NHTSA complaint #10425243, filed 2011-09, 28,116 miles

   “The first signs of any trouble with the vehicle started in february/march of 2011 when the shifting on the vehicle was erratic on takeoff and especially bad when the vehicle was slowing down, roughly shifting in and out of gear. It took two occasions to fix the issue even though a few weeks later the shifting appeared to subside it still had the occasional issue on take-off. The issue progressively got to the point when I lost total engine power while crossing lanes of traffic, almost getting hit. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10458183, filed 2012-05, 18,970 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase drive should include a cold start, a gentle coast down through 20 mph and a few stops from a standstill, since those conditions are where owners most often describe the transmission and brake behavior. Ask for service records covering transmission reprogramming or replacement, the passenger occupant sensor mat, and the stop lamp switch recall.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.