Doors wont unlock/open

Hi Josh, I have much the same problem with both the doors and the ignition. I think it is wear on the locks, but do try pushing the key straight into the lock, take the pressure off it for a second or so, then ease out turning the key very gently, works for me and is the same with ignition. It is about a sixteenth of an inch then the key will turn ok. Do not try to put too much weight on the key itself, gently does it.

had the same problem w/my 2004 optima. the actuator and the door lock mechanism was failing. while you can still get the door open i highly recomend you replace them. I ordered a kia shop dvd for about ten bucks and bought the parts for about $190. Took the better part of a day, but saved a ton. Once you are in the door, the design is simple to figure out.

I have a 2005 optima have the same problem, mine stopped working 2 weeks after warentey ran out , was five years old 61,000km, I looked online so many with the same problem but yet no recall. If your inAN ACCIDENT YOU WILL BE TRAPPED IN. wOULD i EVER BUY ANOTHER kIA NOT A CHANCE. cAR SUCKS AND THE DEALERS SUCK

I just aquired a 2004 Kia, worked great, for a while. Now same problem. Can't get out of the driver side door. I've been researching this and beginning to think KIA needs to answer for this. It is a hazard to anyone driving there car(s). There are a lot of people who are having the same problem. Scary situation...

My elderly mother 2004 Optima 2004 driver door will not unlock or open. All other doors work with the remote. This just happened over the weekend. Took the car to Sears, they couldn't fix it. Now heading to the dealer. This is a shame.

I have a 2006 Optima with the same problem. Only the driver door will not open. When I turn the key in the driver look, it feels stuck. It will unlock, but when I pull the handle, it re-locks. I took it in and they said they just adjusted it a little and it worked. I got in, drove it home, and the same thing happened. I'm very angry. I recommend just buying the new part and having them replace it.

I have a 2006 Kia Optima as well with the same problem with the drivers door for months. Yesterday I accidentally pulled on the drivers door handle from inside the car and the door opened. I was stunned and realized that I had to remove the door panel. Finally got the panel off in about 1 hour. I am still investigating the lever and cables that operate the Mechanical part of the locking system. The door unit has locked once again but at least I have a place to start to remedy the problem. Kia should be concerned about this hazard or danger. !!!

Bingo !!! Ranger 58 was "Right On" about the key !!! I tried it before and didn't work for me. So I tried it again after posting what I came up with when I got the door panel off. I took my time focusing in on insertion of the key and BINGO, it worked. Try inserting the key all the way in then pull it back ever so slightly rotating the key. It's like try to crack a safe. "Many Thanks to Ranger Josh" .............. Phasechief

I'm gonna try this when i get off work, hopefully it works!

This should be a recall issue! it is very unsafe and I have been locked inside my car without any way to get out....I had it filled with stuff I was moving and could not crawl out the passenger side......the car had to be unpacked before I could crawl out on that side....this is a safety hazard and I am very upset with Kia...this should not be happening.

Hello: Simply order new door latch assembly for the door that has problem and replace it. I works great after that. You can order thru ebay, Amazon or Partsgeek for the car make, model and year and type and the door needing the fix and take it to a auto service place and they will replace it for $65. Parts cost $55 delivered. There is no other way you can get a the door to function well. Doors get locked and not able to open as latch assembly fails due to wear and tear.

Ranger58 's advice worked!!!! The door opened and I went directly to the KIA dealership to order the full door lock assembly and actuator. Because I followed Krishna's advice to price the parts on Partsgeek first I was able to negotiate a$22 dollar price reduction with KIA. I am one happy camper! THANK YOU BOTH!

It worked!!My door popped open

I tried the key trick but wouldn't work for me. However I eventually got my door open by opening the right rear door, from there using a metal flat object to pull back a little of the rubber door seal of the driver's door on the side closest to the centre of the car and above the the latch (check other door to work this out), using a long nozzle on a CRC can push the nozzle in and around to the left then squirt a whole lot of fluid in. Hopefully, like mine, it will dribble down enough fluid into latch mechanism. I could open the door within a minute of doing this. I then well lubricated the latch. I'm sure the latch fused through the car sitting for a while in a garage that was reaching over 35 C during summer.

I think you might want to replace the battery # CR2032, it worked for me.

Ranger58 it worked but how many cars does this have to happen to before there is a recall? What did you say about the ignition??

Okay i have a 2005 optima and before this i had a 97 toyota Camry both have done this to me. What i found is if you slightly pull on the handel to create tension and work the key a few time can take a little while sometimes, but it will open do not lock your door right away open it take the door panel off then remove the latch mechanism once you have the latch out lay it down on a work table and carefully open the latch it has springs inside. What tends to happen is as the car gets older thos springs can stretch so carefully remove the stretched spring clip off the stretched coil then with pliers and a precision screwdriver take the next full coil bend it outward to make a new end loop and put the spring and latch back together. It should fix the issue without spending 500.00 on a new latch

I'm to old to crawl across the console to get in and out of my car. I have had this problem for 9 years. I did figure a trick out with the key to get in, but the other night I heard a crunch and now that trick don't work. I had to crawl over the console at 10pm to get in the car. If I was ever in an accident it would be all over, not way to get you out. Kia really needs to do a recall on this problem.

Wow Sound like they need a recall on these door handle and locks system....I got the same problem with my 06 kia optima se car....Replacing it I'm going to do but this is number 2 times now....Same thing on timing belt replacement every 5yrs....Wow!! Not safe...Kia needs more recalls....To nice of cars and not cheap to have to worry about kias company ignore and take car of....Thxs