What's New for 2003 Kia Optima
Knowing how much a vehicle has changed from previous model years can help provide additional context when reviewing reliability ratings. Our Editors give you the bottom-line on what's new, the pros, the cons and more.
What's New for 2003
The Optima gets several revisions for its third year on the market. Most obvious is its new front-end styling, which replaces the Optima's reserved countenance with a more upscale European look -- double light clusters call to mind the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Other changes include new wheel designs, and inside, a new center stack, new door panels and fresh seat fabric. A manual transmission will no longer be available on the four-cylinder SE model; all automatic four-cylinder models will offer Sportmatic manual-shift capability. The LX model now comes with cruise control and a CD player (at the expense of the cassette deck). The SE will include automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Homelink and Infinity speakers; a wood- and leather-trimmed steering wheel is now part of the Leather Package. Lastly, engine horsepower ratings have been lowered following parent-company Hyundai's announcement that it had misstated outputs (the Optima is a corporate twin of the Sonata), but the engines themselves are unchanged. Read More
Long-Term Reliability Ratings by Identifix
Portions © 2008 by Identifix, Inc. All rights reserved
Ratings Key
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Minimal Problems |
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Moderate Problems |
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Significant Problems |
2003 Kia Optima Reliability Rating
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Comments |
| Engine |
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An occasional problem on this vehicle is the failure of the Timing Belt (2.4L engine only). This failure can cause the engine to stall and will prevent the engine from starting. When the timing belt fails it may also damage the Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor. The damaged CKP can prevent the engine from starting, and may cause the Check Engine Light to illuminate. In extreme cases, if the Timing Belt breaks while driving, it is possible to damage the Engine Valves. The cost to repair the Timing Belt is estimated at $106.90 for parts and $195.00 for labor. The cost to replace the CKP sensor is estimated at $108.35 and $136.50 for labor, or can be replaced at the same time as the timing belt for no additional labor. The cost to repair the Engine Valves is estimated at $325.00 for parts and $715.00 for labor. All prices are estimates based on $65.00 per flat rate hour and do not include diagnostic time or any applicable sales tax. |
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4 out of 5 |
Reliability ratings displayed above reflect style specific standard features and may vary from aggregated values displayed for the same year in the historical model overview below.
Reliability History for Kia Optima
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Reliability History for Kia
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