2003 Kia Optima Latches/Locks

THE AUTO DOOR LOCK WOULD SNAP SHUT FROM INSIDE OR OUT. MY DAUGHTER HAVE TO CRAWL THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE. *TR

THE DOOR(S) HAVE LOCKED AND WILL NOT UNLOCK WITHOUT MANY ATTEMPTS TO PULL ON THE HANDLE WHILE TURNING THE KEY. WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE, ATTEMPTS AT UNLOCKING WITH THE KEY RESULTED IN ALL DOORS LOCKING WHEN THE INNER OR OUTER HANDLE WAS PULLED, POTENTIALLY TRAPPING SOMEONE IN THE CAR. THEN IT HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER DOOR A FEW MONTHS LATER. REPLACING THE LATCH FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR

I PARKED MY CAR FOR THE DAY TO GO TO WORK. AT THAT POINT IN TIME THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE CAR. UPON RETURNING THAT NIGHT I FOUND THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NO LONGER UNLOCK. I MUST NOW ENTER AND EXIT MY VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR. THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH A KEY, THE UNLOCK-ALL BUTTON, REMOTE ENTRY, INTERIOR UNLOCK BUTTON, OR BY TURNING THE CAR OFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS TRYING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BUT THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF ANOTHER DOOR IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS MANUALLY OR BY USING THE KEY FOB. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ONCE SHE FINALLY OPEN THE DOOR AND ENTER THE VEHICLE THE DOORS WOULD LOCK AUTOMATICALLY LOCKING HER IN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE KEY FOB WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO REFERRED HER TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED AND HE HAD TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BY CLIMBING THROUGH A WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,300. UPDATED 10/11/12*LJ UPDATED 10/11/2012 *JS

KIA OPTIMA 2003. CAN NOT OPEN DRIVER DOOR. LOCK DOES NOT DISENGAGE WITH KEY OR POWER LOCK BUTTON. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS AND I AM SURE THERE LOTS MORE UNREPORTED. DOES 15 OR TWENTY OF US HAVE TO DIE BEFORE KIA IS FORCED TO FIX THIS ISSUE. NO INJURY, CRASH OR FATALLY YET........ *TR

I OWN A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I HAVE HAD TO EITHER CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW OR THE ONE OF THE OTHER DOORS IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. WHEN I LIFT THE OUTSIDE HANDLE TO ENTER THE CAR ALL OF THE DOORS LOCK. WHEN I UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE YOU CAN PUSH AND PUSH ON THE DOOR AND IT WILL NOT OPEN. I SEE THAT SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED AS IF I GET IN AN ACCIDENT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO EITHER CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW OR THE ONE OF THE OTHER DOORS IN ORDER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOCKING SOLENOID WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK WAS INOPERABLE AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ENTER OR EXIT THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS ARE DEFECTED. WHEN I PUSH THE AUTOMATIC SWITCH TO UNLOCK THE DOORS, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR STAYS LOCKED AND HAVE TO PUSH IT ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR TO UNLOCK. I TOOK MY CAR TO A KIA DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $807.00 FOR BOTH DOOR LOCK LATCHES. I STILL HAVE NOT HAD IT FIXED, BEING THAT I CANNOT AFFORD IT RIGHT NOW, SO NOW I HAVE TO GET IN AND OUT THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME CAR MAKE AND MODEL. THE DOOR LOCK LATCH SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY KIA. ARE THERE ANY NEW SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM? PLEASE LET ME KNOW.... *TR

ONCE YOU LOCK THE DOORS ON A 2003 KIA OPTIMA, YOU CANNOT UNLOCK FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. IF YOU KEEP LOCKING AND UNLOCKING FROM INSIDE, THEY WILL EVENTUALLY STAY UNLOCKED. VERY UNSAFE IF YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF CAR QUICKLY. *TR

DOOR LOCKS STOP WORKING ,CAN'T OPEN THE CAR. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCKS STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS OPENING APROX 6 MO. AGO. IT TAKES ABOUT 3 OR 4 TRIES TO GET THE DOOR TO OPEN IF YOU ARE USING THE KEY. IF YOU ARE JUST THE PASSENGER AND THE DRIVER OPENS THE DOOR FOR YOU WITH THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL TRIES AS THE DOOR WILL AUTOMATICLY RELOCK BY ITSELF AND YOU WILL BE LOCKED OUT. ON 10/29/11 THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR STARTED TO HAVE ISSUES. I WENT TO GET INTO THE CAR AND IT TOOK ABOUT 20 TRIES TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE LOCK FELT VERY TIGHT AND WAS HARD TO TURN. I HAD TO FIGHT TO GET THE DOOR TO OPEN. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVER SIDE LOCKING SYSTEM. ONCE I GET INTO THE CAR, I WAS CONFUSED BUT DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT AFTER THAT AND DROVE TO MY DESTINATION, WHEN I TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR I COULDN'T. I WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR. IT TOOK TEN MINUTES TO WITH ME FIGHTING WITHT THE LOCKS TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. I ONLY GOT OUT BY MY DAUGHTER GETTING OUT THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR AND TAKING THE KEYS TO FIGHT WITH THE DRIVER SIDE LOCK. I HAVE MY CAR NOW SCHEDULED TO BE FIXED AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP ON 11/7/11. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE BECAME LOCKED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO EXIT. THE LOCKS HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND SHE HAD TO EXIT THE VEHICLE BY CRAWLING OUT OF THE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED FOR TWO YEAR BEFORE THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE DEALER REFERRED HER TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO ASSIST WITH REPAIRING THE LOCKS FOR THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR ONLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR DOOR LOCKS WERE AFFECTED BY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,442 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

POWER DOOR LOCKS INSTANTLY LOCK AFTER UNLOCKING CONTINUOUSLY, PROHIBITING ENTRY OR EXIT TO THE VEHICLE. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD IF THERE WERE TO BE AN ACCIDENT LOCKING ME AND MY CHILDREN INSIDE THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 5-10 MINUTES TO GET IN OR OUT OF THE CAR TRYING TO CATCH THE DOOR HANDLE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME TO BE ABLE TO OPEN IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEAT DOORS REMAINED LOCKED WITHOUT A WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL DEFECT. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS FAILED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE OR USE THE KEY TO OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO CLIMB INTO THE DRIVER SEAT FROM THE REAR IN ORDER TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,196. UPDATED 01/31/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS ON NOVEMBER 17, 2010. HOWEVER, THE DOORS WERE STILL LOCKING ON THEIR OWN. UPDATED 03/11/11

2003 KIA OPTIMA DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKED AND WON'T UNLOCK. CANNOT OPEN DOOR AND I'M LOCKED IN VEHICLE. MUST CLIMB THROUGH WINDOW OR PASSENGER SIDE. KEY WILL NOT UNLOCK DRIVERS DOOR. I CANNOT LOCK THE REST OF THE DOORS TO VEHICLE IN FEAR I WILL BE LOCKED IN OR OUT FOR GOOD. *TR

THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY. SOMETIMES THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK ELECTRONICALLY AND SOMETIMES NOT. SEVERAL TIMES WE COULD NOT UNLOCK MANUALLY EITHER. A FEW TIMES THE PASSENGER HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE AND EXIT THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE IT A KIA DEALER JANUARY 28, 2010 AND THEY REPLACED BOTH DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLIES. THE LOCKS WERE WORKING UNTIL THIS WEEK, MAY 6, WHEN THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM BEGINNING TO APPEAR. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT BUT THE DOOR SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE UNLOCKED MANUALLY. *TR

DRIVER SIDE LOCK DEFECTIVE. DRIVER GET LOCKED IN. 2003 KIA OPTIMA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE. WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO REACH OUTSIDE THE WINDOW AND UNLOCK THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE LATCH. ONCE THE DOORS WERE UNLOCKED, THEY WOULD INDEPENDENTLY RELOCK WITHIN SECONDS. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A REASON FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

THE DRIVER DOOR ON MY 2003 KIA OPTIMA WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH MY KEY, EVEN THOUGH THE INSIDE LOCK WOULD MOVE TO THE "UNLOCK" POSITION. IT WILL ONLY OPEN WITH A COMBINATION OF TURNING THE KEY AND PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE AT THE SAME TIME OR HAVING MY SON PUSH DOWN ON THE INSIDE LOCK WHILE I TURN THE KEY AND PULL THE DOOR HANDLE. THIS SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM ONLY WORKS ABOUT HALF THE TIME. IF THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK, I HAVE TO ENTER THE CAR THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR AND THE DRIVER DOOR WILL STILL NOT UNLOCK, EVEN FROM THE INSIDE. *TR

DOOR LOCKS - THE DOOR LOCKS ON MY '03 OPTIMA HAVE FAILED TWICE. FIRST THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKS FAILED. AFTER UNLOCKING THE DOORS, THE DOORS LOCK AGAIN WHEN PULLING ON THE DOOR HANDLE. KIA DEALER REPLACED THE ACTUATOR AND LATCH AT A COST OF $300+. WITHIN 1-1/2 YEARS THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE, WITH THE SAME COST TO REPAIR. WHEN IT HAPPENS, YOU CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE. IT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

THE DOORS ON MY KIA OPTIMA (2003) LOCK BY THEMSELVES AFTER I UNLOCK THE CAR. WHEN I GO TO OPEN MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS WHEN THE CAR LOCKS BY ITSELF. I AM AFRAID OF LOCKING MY KIDS IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE OTHER DAY I COULDN'T GET THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPEN AT ALL. *TR