2007 Kia Optima Exterior Lighting Problems

NHTSA component category: EXTERIOR LIGHTING · data through 07/12/2026

25Exterior Lighting complaints

15.1%Of all 166 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How exterior lighting ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS48 · 28.9%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING25 · 15.1%

VISIBILITY/WIPER20 · 12%

ENGINE16 · 9.6%

VISIBILITY13 · 7.8%

Share of the 166 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2007 Kia Optima overview page.

What owners report

“LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM. TRIED REPLACING THE BULBS, BUT NO CHANGE. CLEANED THE OUTER LENS TO IMPROVE CLARITY AND GET RID OF YELLOWING…”NHTSA complaint 11132052 — filed 09/28/2018

“I WAS AT THE GAS STATION AND MY SON NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STILL ON, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY CUT OFF. THEY WOULD…”NHTSA complaint 11119411 — filed 08/12/2018

“UNLESS THE BRIGHTS ARE ON I CAN HARDLY SEE AT NIGHT. I AVOID DRIVING AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THIS.”NHTSA complaint 10914907 — filed 10/08/2016

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Exterior Lighting complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2007 Kia Optima have exterior lighting problems?

Exterior Lighting is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2007 Kia Optima: 25 of 166 complaints on file (15.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2007 Kia Optima have in total?

166 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 11 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 6 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's exterior lighting category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the EXTERIOR LIGHTING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.