Component Record

Kia Optima 2003 Suspension Problems

9 distinct owners reported a suspension problem on the 2003 Kia Optima - 6% of all complaints for this model year.

Recall Coverage9 complaints

9 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system.

Campaigns Covering This System

09V183000Reported May 27, 2009 - 36,538 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the suspension system, reported to NHTSA on May 27, 2009. The campaign covers an estimated 36,538 vehicles across all affected models.

Other Systems on This Model Year

Latches, Locks and Linkages53 Vehicle Structure26 Electrical System24 Air Bags19 Fuel and Propulsion System12 Engine9

How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.