Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Kia Optima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
When trying to exit my Kia, the door locks would not unlock. I tried the manual and electrical switches on the door and all I could get was a click, and then an immediate re-lock of the doors, as soon as I pulled on the door handle. I then rolled the window down and tried the key, several times, from the outside with the same results. I managed to work my 79 year old 210 lb. Body over to the passenger seat and tried the same thing and got the same results. I was ready to call 911 when I tried the key on the outside again for the 5th or 6th time and the locks worked. This is a dangerous situation and I understand is quite common on the Kia's at about 100,000 miles, I know I was frightened. I don't know what would happen in a wreck with a fire and the doors would not unlock from the inside or outside. …
It started with doors will lock and unlock automatically while driving, this has been going on since 2012, then the passenger door will not unlock at times since 2012. Then on 2-28-15, the driver's side door will not unlock. I had to climb through the back seat and the console to get to the driver seat. Then on the 3-02-2015, driver's door, the passenger door and the rear back door completely refused to unlock. This is very scary, in fact, I almost broke my right foot while climbing into the driver seat from the back seat through the console, because my right leg was caught on the passenger seat head rest.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the front driver side door lock malfunctioned and would not unlock, which made it difficult for the driver to exit the vehicle. The contact also indicated that the rear passenger side door would not unlock when attempting to exit the vehicle. The contact indicated that the failure for the rear door was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the door locks needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the driver side door failed to open and close. As the failure progressed, the contact was unable to enter and exit the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 7/16/15
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the driver side door failed to unlock or open. The contact had to get in and out of the vehicle by using the passenger side door. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the driver's side door failed to unlock. The contact was able to gain access after several attempts. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 101,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the door lock failed. In addition, the doors would automatically lock once opened with the key fob. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 125,000.
My car doors do not open either inside or outside. This problem started with my front passenger side door and now is affecting my drivers side door. The problem appears to be electrical and will happens randomly. The pass. Door is now 100% affected and the drivers side just started today. So the end result is I am locked inside my car unless I crawl through the window. I googled this problem online and apparently this problem is rampant. I called Kia customer service and they said that there is not a recall and because my car is a 2004 (with only 39,000 miles) they will not cover it. I told him how dangerous this type of problem was and he really didnt seem to care. …
2004 Kia Optima 140,000 miles. This failure happened without warning. I first noticed when I tried to unlock the driver's side door. The key was hard to turn and the unlock button moved slightly. Upon pulling the handle to open the door the lock automatically moved to the locked position and the door would not open. This happened repeatedly. From inside the car, if you manually lock the car or if the automatic locks engage while driving you can not open the driver's side door by any means. The locking mechanism failure causes 3 serious safety issues. 1) prevents the operator from entering the vehicle in an emergency situation 2) the driver can not lock the door for personal security while operating the vehicle because this will permanently lock the occupant inside. …
The driver side door will not open. It will not unlock from the outside, nor from the inside. I am forced to get into and out of my vehicle through the passenger side and climb over the console. This is the second time this has happened. The first time, in 2006, the dealership in greer, south carolina, said that part of the car was out of warranty. They charged me a little over $300.00 and kept my car for 2 weeks! I had to rent a car and pay for it myself. Now, I have this same problem. I have a 5 speed Optima. In addition to climbing over the console, I have the stick shift and the emergency brake to climb over as well. This is a safety issue!! Should I have an accident, on the passenger side, I will be trapped in my car. I see from the other posts on here, I am not the only one having this problem. …
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Optima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2004 Kia Optima?
NHTSA has 81 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2004 Kia Optima, 36% of the model year's 225 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Kia Optima door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 2004 Kia Optima, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Kia Optima door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 92,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to locks & latches problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.