Kia Optima (K5) Fault Codes

About the Optima (K5)

Originally known as the Kia Optima, the K5 is a mid-sized family car created by Kia and sold onwards from 2000.

Its first generations was essentially a rebadged version of the Hyundai Sonata, with just small changes made to the styling and features.

For the Australian market, the K5 was sold only with a 2.5-liter V6 engine with an option of either manual or automatic transmission.

After undergoing intensive tests actioned by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the K5 received a horrendous score. With an overall rating of one out of five stars, the K5 had ‘poor’ ratings for side impacts and unsupportive head restraints.

In 2005, Kia brought out the second generation of K5s which were launched primarily in South Korea. Keen to rectify the safety issues of the previous models, Kia again submitted the K5 for IIHA testing, for which the score was increased to a three out of five, this time receiving ‘good’ for head restraints.

Now in its 5th generation, the K5s are almost unrecognizable from the early cars, now with a fastback body style they have a number of premium features like Bose sound systems and smart cruise control.

Now there are a number of alternatives to consider before purchasing a K5, some are the Hyundai Sonata, Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy, Mazda 6, Honda Civic, Renault Megane, Kia Stinger or the Hyundai Elantra.

Common fault codes to look out for are:

• U1111 – The U1111 is a very common fault code for the Kia Optima (according to our visitor numbers). This code is flagged up when the ECU hasn’t been able to contact the center display/screen (or at least the power supply inside of it) inside the car for over 65 seconds. Check the connections and the wiring first to make sure they haven’t become loose or are damaged.
• P0191 – A P1091 error code in your Kia K5 is a sign that the fuel rail sensor is operating outside of its expected parameters (either reporting impossibly high or impossibly low). A fuel rail sensor is typically found in diesel engine cars and can become dirty and clogged up over time.
• P0014 – When this code shows, there are a number of things one can do to fix the problem, like resetting the fault codes, replacing the oil or repairing the wiring to the cam shaft
• P0455 – This code tells the engine computer that a leak has been detected.
• P0011 – The ECM alerts to the fact that the camshaft is more advanced than it should be
• P0456 – A leak was detected in the Evaporative Emissions System
• P0304 – Indicating a misfire or an ignition issue.