2001 Kia Optima Airbags Problems

Your airbag warning light stays on continuously, and your seat belt won't lock properly when fastened — the seat belt warning light also turns off and on inconsistently. Your dealer won't repair these issues because your vehicle isn't covered under a recall. Both the airbag and seat belt systems are critical safety features that need to work correctly.

Your airbag warning light is on. You've already checked the fuses, but that didn't solve it. You're also experiencing issues with your AC, driver's door lock, and oxygen sensor/crankshaft. A diagnostic scan of your vehicle's computer system will be needed to identify which component is causing the airbag light to illuminate.

Your airbag warning light is on, but your vehicle's VIN wasn't included in the recall campaign that addresses this issue. Even though the recall doesn't apply to your car, the warning light indicates a problem with your airbag system that should be diagnosed by a technician.

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG (IN FRONT DRIVER SEAT) DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR DID I HIT ANYTHING. THERE WAS NO EVIDENT CAUSE ON WHY THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP THEY JUST LOOK AT IT DID NO DIAGNOSTIC OR ANYTHING AND TOLD ME IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY SO THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME THE SAME THING BUT DID SEND IN A AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CASE REPORT. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01V156000, REGARDING THE AIRBAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALERS AGREED TO REPLACE THE AIR BAGS BUT WITH A CHARGE FOR LABOR. ONE MONTH LATER THE VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT TRAVELING 15 MPH IN RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES INCURRED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. UPDATED 7/7/2006 - *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING & WOULD GO OUT REPEATEDLY. WHEN I CALLED THE KIA 800 NUMBER WAS TOLD PROBABLY NOTHING. BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SCHEDULE IT IN WITH YOUR LOCAL DEALER. I ASKED "DO I NEED TO BE CONCERNED THAT IT MIGHT DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY". HE SAID PROBABLY NOT, IF YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT IT MIGHT DEPLOY YOU ARE BETTER OFF NOT DRIVING IT. I TOLD HIM I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT AIRBAGS, HE REPEATED,"IF I BELIEVE THERE IS REASON TO BE CONCERNED, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY JUST PARK IT." I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR CENTER THAT IS NEAR MY HOME & WAS TOLD THAT THE "CLOCK SPRING" IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD BROKEN & THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, THAT THE AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY AT ANYTIME WITHOUT CAUSE OR IN A COLLISION IT MAY NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. I CALLED THE 800 NUMBER BACK & ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY RECALLS ON THE AIRBAG FOR A 2001 KIA OPTIMA LE & WAS TOLD THEY WILL NOT DISCUSS RECALLS WITH ME AT ALL WITHOUT THE VIN #. I ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT AIRBAG PROBLEMS FOR THE OPTIMA 2001& TOLD HIM I DIDN'T HAVE THE VIN# BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE SHOP. HE STATED THEY WOULD NOT DISCUSS ANY RECALLS WITHOUT MY NAME, ADDRESS AND/OR THE VIN#, I SAID I WOULD FIX IT THEN SUBMIT CHARGES IF RECALLED THE 800# SAID THAT IF IT IS RECALLED AFTER I REPAIR IT I MAY NOT GET REIMBURSED IF IT WASN'T DIAGNOSED BY A DEALERSHIP. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE IT, THEY SAID TO BRING IT IN. I TOLD THEM I WOULD BE TOWING IT IN & THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY TOWED IN. I TOLD THEM THE REPAIR CENTER SAID THAT THE AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY WITHOUT NOTICE, THEY SAID IT COULD BUT NOT NECESSARILY. I BELIEVE THAT KIA HAVE NO CONCERN FOR THE FACT A PERSON COULD DIE OR BE SERIOUSLY INJURED IF THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS PROBLEM AROSE WITHOUT ANY INDICATION & I ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM & NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, I HOPE THE NHTSA WILL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AT 15 MPH AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT SUFFERED NO INJURIES DUE TO THE FACT THE SEAT BELT WAS WORN. THE CONTACT STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE MAKING A TURN. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS THE FRONT END OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND PROVIDED A WRITTEN REPORT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DEEMED IT TOTALED. UPDATED 05/04/06

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE AND I TOOK IT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME 500.00 DOLLARS TO REPAIR THE WIRING HARNESS. I DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIR DONE BECAUSE I FELL THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE. THE DEALER ALSO TRIED TO HAVE ME REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AT 60,000 MILES AT THE SAME COST AND THEN LATER REPLACED THE BELT FOR FREE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE SRS WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE AIR BAG MODULE, CLOCK SPRING, AIR BAG HARNESS CAMPAIGN, AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT, AND TITIAN PIN PLUG CONNECTOR FOR DSAB. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

DT: ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO UPON PURCHASE OF VEHICLE OWNER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMING ON. THE DEALERSHIP HOOKED UP AN INSTRUMENT TO THE VEHICLE AND THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. THEN IT WOULD COME BACK ON, AND IS ON AT THIS TIME. THE DEALER REPORTS THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP WILL FIX IF IT OWNER PAYS. OWNER DOES NOT FEEL SHE SHOULD PAY SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING EVER SINCE THE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN ACCIDENT IN A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. OWNER DOES NOT REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF ACCIDENT. *NM *JB

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH ON NOV 02. I WAS BROADSIDED BY A TRUCK (F150 TYPE VEH.) IN AN INTERSECTION. AS A RESULT, MY ROOF BOWED AND THE ENTIRE DRIVERS SIDE FROM WHEEL WELL TO WHEEL WELL WAS CAVED IN LIKE A HALF MOON. THE FRAME WAS PINNED UP AGAINST THE DRIVERS SEAT. THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK BUT RELEASED ME AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I SUFFERED BACK AND NECK INJURY AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMUBULANCE TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN STORAGE. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER NUMEROUS TIMES AS DID MY ATTORNEY. ALL WE RECEIVED WAS THE RUN-AROUND FOR APPROX. SIX MONTHS. NO RETURN CALLS, EXCUSES, UNABLE TO GET A RELEASE TO HAVE A KIA AUDITOR LOOK AT THE CAR, ETC. MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND MY ATTORNEY SENT THEM THE RELEASE TWICE AND STILL NO RESPONSE. CONSEQUENTLY, I DEPLOYED OVERSEAS (MILITARY) AND UPON MY RETURN FOUND THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN DISPOSED OF (DESTROYED). I STILL SUFFER FROM MY INJURIES AND MY ATTORNEY IS STILL HANDLING MY CASE.*AK

A LADY PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, I TRIED TO STOP, BUT I COULDN'T, I HIT HER @ 20 MPH, MY FRONT BUMPER, DEAD CENTER INTO HER LEFT FRONT TIRE. MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND HERS DID. I HAVE A 2001 KIA OPTIMA LX. MY FEAR IS, IF THE CAR IS FIXABLE,WILL THE BAGS WORK OR WILL THEY COME OUT ON ME SOMETIME GOING DOWN THE ROAD. I'VE TALKED TO THE DEALER AND HAVE GOTTEN DIFFERENT STORIES ON WHERE THE SENSORS ARE LOCATED. NOW THE SAY THE AIR BAG SENSORS ARE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE TRANSMISSION AND I DIDN'T GET HIT HARD ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM DEPLOY. WAS TOLD THAT IF I HAD BEEN GOING 80 MPH THEY WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED! *JB

WHILE TURNING LEFT AT 3 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. NONE OF THE FOUR AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED TO PROVIDE ANY WARNING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG. THE DRIVER WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT. THERE IS A POLICE REPORT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

MY SON HIT A TRUCK FROM BEHIND AT 35MPH. HE WAS DRIVING MY 2001 KIA OPTIMA. THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK WHEN HIT THE BRAKES AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY SON (DRIVER) HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND WINDSHIELD. THE PASSENGER IN OUR CAR HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE POLICE REPORT INDICATES THIS INFORMATION AND I HAVE PICTURES OF THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOTALED.

THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *JB

CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH IN RESULT OF REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE CONSUMER VEHICLE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN,VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE SIDE. NONE OF THE AIR DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. CAUSING INJURIES TO DRIVER. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. MR

THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN OFF CENTERED COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE BEING TOTALED. NONE OF THE FOUR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, EVEN AFTER THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE, AND WINDOW BREAKING. OWNER SUFFERED HEAD INJURY AND CHEST TRAUMA. *AK THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DIMINISHED. *SCC

WHILE DRIVING ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT 300-40 MPH HEAD-ON AND NONE OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.*AK

01 V 156 000/SIDE AIR BAG WIRE HARNESS: REPORTING DEALER ( PERFORMANCE KIA; NICHOLASVILLE, KY; PHONE # 1-800/203-8445 OR 859/887-4737) SOLD VEHICLE BEFORE CORRECTING RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER.*AK