2011 Kia Optima Exterior Lighting

THE LOW BEAMS ON MY CAR ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. I'VE REPLACED THE LIGHT BULBS WITH FACTORY RECOMMENDED TO NO AVAIL. I CAN SO NO MORE THAN 5 FEET IN FRONT OF ME WHILE DRIVING - I HAVE TO LIMIT MY NIGHT TIME DRIVING, WHICH IS TOUGH WHEN DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON A DAILY BASIS. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE AND ISSUE A RECALL AS I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE

THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT REFLECTED TO THE ROAD FROM THE HEADLIGHTS IS VERY LOW AND CREATES VISIBILITY ISSUES AT NIGHT AND IN THE RAIN. THIS IS DUE TO THE REFLECTIVE COATING USED IN THE HEADLIGHTS BEING OF POOR QUALITY AND BURNING AWAY.

"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WE RECENTLY HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE FRONT LIGHT (LOW BEAM) ON THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE. THE BULB WAS REPLACED, AS WE THOUGHT IT WAS A BULB ISSUE. HOWEVER, WHEN THE BULB DIDN'T WORK WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA. KIA STATED THERE WAS POSSIBLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WIRING AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. I'VE HEARD OF BULBS GOING OUT, BUT NEVER THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY, IN WHICH THE WHOLE FRONT BUMPER WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED. I'VE OWNED MANY OTHER CARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE RECALLED BY KIA AS IT PRESENTS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVERS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN UNKNOWN RECALL LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA OF NEW BERN (1715A US-70, NEW BERN, NC 28560, (252) 638-6161) AND THEY STATED THAT THE RECALL WOULD NOT BE HONORED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT TRAINED ON THIS ISSUE AND THE RECALL WOULD NOT BE VALID. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO PROJECT ENOUGH LIGHT, WHICH MADE DRIVING DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE HIGH AND LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE CHANGED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

HEADLIGHTS HAVE NOT WORKED SINCE THE LAST RECALL FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT, DONE IN AUGUST 2017. HIGH BEAMS ARE INSUFFICIENT, AND THE NORMAL BEAMS ARE VERY DANGEROUS -- DOESN'T APPEAR THAT HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AT ALL.

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA HAVE BEEN SLOWLY GETTING SO DULL THAT IT IS GETTING DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I COMMUTE OVER 100 MILES A DAY AND LEAVE AT DARK AND GET HOME AT DARK. SO ALL MY DRIVING IS NEEDING MY HEADLIGHTS. I STARTED NOTICING THE PROBLEM WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE AND JUST THOUGHT MY BULBS WERE GETTING OLD. I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT NEW SYLVANIA SILVERSTAR BULBS AND I ALSO BOUGHT A SET OF SYLVANIA ULTRA. THAT DID NOT HELP. I ENDED UP EVEN TRYING TO CHANGE MY BULBS AND CONVERT OVER TO LED HEADLIGHT BULBS. I DID ALL THE WORK AND CONVERSION AND STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. COME TO FIND OUT IT'S NOT THE BULBS THAT ARE THE ISSUE, BUT THE ACTUAL HEADLIGHT HOUSING IS THE ISSUE. I AM NOW IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES WHICH IS REALLY TERRIBLE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BUY A WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FROM FAULTY MANUFACTURING JUST SO I CAN SEE AND BE SAFE WHILE DRIVING. BUT I FEEL THAT IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING THE WAY MY CAR IS RIGHT NOW. I FEEL KIA SHOULD BE FIXING THE ISSUE AND SUPPLYING A HIGHER QUALITY HEADLIGHT HOUSING TO FIX THIS ISSUE.

HORRIBLE & DANGEROUS LOW BEAM LIGHTING ON THE 2011 KIA OPTIMA I OWN. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND I HAVE CHANGED BULBS, TAKEN TO DIFFERENT SERVICE STATIONS, ETC. THE GOOGLE REVIEWS ARE HORRIFYING, SAYING PEOPLE ARE BEING CHARGED $900+ DOLLARS FOR FIXING THE DETERIORATION OF THE PAINT SURROUNDING THE LIGHT. I PRAY THAT'S NOT THE CASE. YOU SIMPLY CAN NOT SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, AND EVEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE MUCH MUCH MUCH MORE FADED THAN "WORKING & NORMAL" LIGHTS. IT"S AWFUL AND KIA NEEDS TO FIX THIS FOR CONSUMERS! BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT!!!

THE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE BECAME SO DIM IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. I THOUGHT MY NIGHT VISION WAS FAILING, UNTIL A FRIEND RODE WITH ME AFTER DARK AND ASKED IF MY HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. WHEN WE COMPARED THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY VEHICLE COMPARED TO HERS, THE DIFFERENCE WAS STUNNING. I HAD ALREADY HAD THE HEADLAMPS REPLACED IN 2015, BUT THERE WAS NO DIFFERENCE. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM AT LEAST A YEAR PRIOR TO THAT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP., AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE REFLECTORS BEHIND THE HEADLIGHTS HAD COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE DIMNESS. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO FIX THIS, AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FIX IT BECAUSE IT HAD BECOME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THAT OTHERS WITH THIS YEAR AND MODEL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS WAS NOT WEAR AND TEAR. THIS WAS A DEFECT AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED. WHEN I HAD THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES REPLACED, I REQUESTED THE OLD ONES AND I HAVE THEM IN MY POSSESSION. ONE PHOTO SHOWS THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY CAR IN A PARKING RAMP NEXT TO ANOTHER CAR WITH ITS HEADLIGHTS ON. MY CAR IS ON THE LEFT. YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL THE LIGHTS ARE ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM AND PROVIDED POOR VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS PROJECTED A TRIANGLE SHAPE, WHICH PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM SEEING THE ROAD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE CLEARLY SEEN, BUT NOT THE FRONT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,988.

OVER THE PAST 7 YEARS I'VE REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHTS-LOW BEAM ON AN AVERAGE OF TWICE A YEAR. LOW BEAMS ARE SO LOW IN LIGHTING AND I'M CONCERNED IF THEY ARE ON WHEN DRIVING IN THE DARK. RECENTLY I CHANGED THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM LIGHT, 2 WEEKS LATER IT WENT OUT AGAIN. HOWEVER PRIOR TO CHANGING THE BULB THE FIRST TIME, I NOTICED THE LENS COVER WAS SO HAZY ON THE INSIDE, LIKE WHITEISH CHALKY LOOKING. I TOOK BULB #2 OUT BUT NOTICED IT WASN'T BURNT OUT. HOWEVER THE WIRES AND THE HOUSING FOR THE BULB PRONGS WERE MELTED. FORTUNATELY IT ONLY MELTED THE PRONG CONNECTION POINT AND WIRES AND DIDN'T SPARK A FIRE. BUT NOW I'M LEFT REPLACING THE WIRING AND LENS COVER ASSEMBLY. I DO UNDERSTAND THAT MY CAR IS 7 YEARS OLD, HOWEVER THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ON THIS CAR HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT AN ISSUE FROM DAY ONE AT ZERO MILES. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS AND NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. LESSON LEARNED....WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO WORK WITHOUG WARNING. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE BULBS, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DICK HANNAH KIA (3400 NE AUTO MALL DR, VANCOUVER, WA 98662, 360-342-9104) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALLAST IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM TO SEE AT NIGHT. ONLINE REPORTS MENTION THE CHROME REFLECTOR INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS FAILS PREMATURELY. THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH THE HEADLIGHTS, BUT NOT THE HIGH BEAMS. YOU CAN SEE THE REFLECTORS ARE WHITE PLASTIC WITH NO MORE CHROME COATING. WE RARELY USED THE HIGH BEAMS SINCE WE LIVE AND WORK IN THE CITY, AND THE HIGH BEAM REFLECTORS STILL HAVE A CHROME REFLECTIVE COATING. THE LIGHT BULBS ARE VERY HOT AND MOST LIKELY BURNED OFF THE CHROME REFLECTIVE COATING. WE HAVE TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS TO SEE AT NIGHT, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES SO THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS CAN BE USED TO DRIVE SAFELY AGAIN.

HEADLIGHTS ARE USLESS. THEY ARE SO DIM YOU CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT AT ALL. THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE A ACCIDENT.

MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA HEADLIGHTS ARE SUPER DIM. I CAN BARELY SEE WHAT IS IN FRONT OF ME AND THE BULBS CONSTANTLY GO OUT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 4 BULBS (2 ON EACH SIDE) WITHIN A 2 YEAR TIME PERIOD. I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON WHEN ITS DARK BECAUSE YOU CAN BARELY SEE IF YOU DONT.

LOW BEAM HID HEADLAMP ILLUMINATION HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER THE LAST YEAR, TO THE POINT AT WHICH DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON IS A HAZARD AND THE FOG LAMPS ARE NOT ONLY REQUIRED TO BE ON BUT ALSO PROVIDE NEARLY ALL OF THE FORWARD ILLUMINATION. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, REPLACED THE AUTO LEVELING MODULE AND HID BULBS AND CLEANED THE REFLECTORS WITHIN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. I HAVE SEEN COMPLAINTS ONLINE THAT THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL WITHIN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES MAY FAIL MAKING THE LOW BEAMS INEFFECTIVE AS THE LIGHT IS NOT PROJECTED DOWN THE ROAD. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE CASE, BUT SUSPECT THAT IT MAY BE.

THE CARS HEADLIGHTS CONTINUE TO GET DIMMER AND DIMMER TO WHERE A DRIVER CAN BARELY SEE 10 FEET IN FRONT OF THEM. I HAVE CALLED KIA REGARDING SOLUTIONS AND ALTHOUGH THEY STATE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THERE AREN'T ANY PERMANENT ALTERNATIVES. I HAVE TO USE MY HIGH BEAMS AT NIGHT TO DRIVE.

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM, TO THE POINT OF BEING VIRTUALLY USELESS. FOG LIGHTS PROVIDE MORE LIGHTING. REPLACED BULBS TO NO AVAIL. HIGH BEAMS WORK GREAT. POSSIBLE THAT THE REFLECTIVE COATING INSIDE HID HOUSING HAS BURNED OFF.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT WORK, WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS AT NIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED FUCCILLO KIA OF WESLEY CHAPEL AT 813-395-0347 (28555 FL-54, WESLEY CHAPEL, FL 33545) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS PRODUCED VERY LITTLE LIGHTING. THE CONTACT CALLED JEFF WYLER FAIRFIELD CADILLAC KIA NISSAN AT 513-682-2500 (LOCATED AT 5815 DIXIE HWY, FAIRFIELD, OH 45014) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD PROPERLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (GRIFFIN MOTORS, 11031 PERRY HWY, MEADVILLE, PA 16335). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $300 TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS PERSONAL MECHANIC. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM TO THE POINT WE HAVE QUESTIONED IF THEY WERE EVEN ON AT TIMES. HAVE REPLACE THE BULBS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THERE IS SOME LIGHT TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT BUT NOTHING STRAIGHT AHEAD INDICATING THE REFLECTORS ARE NO LONGER INTACT.

BOUGHT 2011 KIA OPTIMA USED WITH 75K MILES ON IT. DID NOT REALIZE IMMEDIATELY THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT BEING REALLY DIM. I BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND CALLED THE KIA DEALER AND MENTIONED MY ISSUE AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID IT WAS PROBABLY A WIRING ISSUE OR A GROUND ISSUE AND THAT IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WITHOUT THE HIGH BEAMS ON. WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT VISIBILITY IS GOOD WITH HIGH BEAMS ON, WHEN SWITCHING TO LOW BEAMS FOR ONCOMING CAR, YOU ARE DRIVING BLIND, HOLDING THE WHEEL STEADY AND HOPING YOU STAY ON THE ROAD UNTIL THE ONCOMING CAR PASSES AND YOU ARE ABLE TO TURN YOUR HIGH BEAMS BACK ON AGAIN. TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC AND HE TESTED THE ELECTRICAL, GROUND AND BULB AND THERE WERE NO ISSUES. UPON PUTTING A SCOPE INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WHERE THE BULB GOES, HE FOUND A PILE OF CHROME SHAVINGS SO THE HEADLIGHT REFLECTIVE HOUSING DETERIORATED. ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IS TO REPLACE WHOLE HEADLIGHT UNIT ASSEMBLY. AFTER SEARCHING ONLINE, REALIZED THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE ON THIS MODEL OF CAR FOR MULTIPLE YEARS NOW. OWNERS BEWARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND DON'T LET PEOPLE RIP YOU OFF BY CHARGING YOU TO GO DOWN THE WRONG/ELECTRICAL PATH TO FIX. POTENTIAL BUYERS BEWARE: IF YOU HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THIS FIXED AT A DEALER IT CAN COST BETWEEN $500 AND $800 AND IT MAY ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT IS AN ISSUE AGAIN. SEEMS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL BY KIA.

THE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS OR ALMOST USELESS AT NIGHT. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THE REFLECTIVE PAINT USED BURNS OFF AFTER A COUPLE YEARS OF USE. I HIGHLY DOUBT THAT IT MEETS THE ILLUMINATION STANDARDS OF THE NATIONAL TRAFFIC AND SAFETY ASSOCIATION. I LIKE HAVING 2 WEAK FLASH LIGHTS TAPED TO THE HOOD.

APPARENTLY MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME COMPLETELY USELESS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED A YEAR AGO AND WAS ASSURE THAT IT WAS JUST CLOUDY HEADLIGHT COVERS AND THEY WOULD "BUFF" THE LIGHTS BEFORE I TOOK IT HOME. SEVERAL TRIPS LATER I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE LIGHTS ARE SO DIM I'VE BEEN PULLED OVER TWICE AND TOLD THAT MY LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. LUCKILY BOTH TIMES I WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE PROOF THAT THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN WORKED ON AND WAS NOT TICKETED. I HAVE CHANGED TO TWO DIFFERENT BRIGHTER BULBS AND STILL ITS USELESS. I CAN ONLY DRIVE MY CAR AT NIGHT WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON. WHAT A WASTE.