2016 KIA OPTIMA

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    engine oil consumption

    2 stranded, 135 unsafe, 5 annoyance

    142
    incidents

    Mileage not reported in 80% of these reports - too few people reported an actual figure to show a reliable typical mileage.

    • "SO I JUST TOOK MY WIFES CAR TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC WHO NORMALLY DOES OUR OIL CHANGES. THE PRIOR WEEKEND I MOVED HER CAR TO MOW THE LAWN AND HER OIL LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT RIGHT OFF. I LET IT GO BECAUSE WE WHERE DUE FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND DIDNT THINK ANYTHING OF…"~41,000 mi, complaint #1657323
    • "24 DAYS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND IT WAS EMPTY. I'M WONDERING WHERE 5QTS OF OIL WENT IN 24 DAYS. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE LEAKS ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE."~56,000 mi, complaint #1579647
    • "VEHICLE STARTED BURNING OIL, COMPLETED OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT I HAVE TO GET A NEW ENGINE DUE TO COMBUSTION RINGS PROBLEM."~90,000 mi, complaint #1734614
    • "I CHANGE MY OIL CHANGE IN MY KIA OPTIMA 16 OIL GET LOW BEFORE 3000MILE IT LOSE OIL BEFORE IT REACH 3000 MILES IT LOSE 2 QUART OIL"~96,000 mi, complaint #1537735
    • "I see there is recall on some Kia Optima with the oil being loss and knocking of the engine. I keep up the maintenance on my car and this particular issue is happening with my car. Why is there only some optimas recall for this issue."~149,356 mi, complaint #1964341
  2. #2

    engine internal

    12 stranded, 104 unsafe, 2 broken

    118
    incidents
    Typical range: 70,000–123,500 mi

    Median 100,500 mi, based on 58 reports (70% had no usable mileage)

    • "I BOUGHT MY CAR 6 MONTHS AGO, I HAVE PERFORMED ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE FOR THE VEHICLE AND AT 17,000 MILES THERE WAS A TICKING SOUND WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY ROAD WITH MY HANDICAPPED MOTHER. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND I THOUGHT I BLEW A TIRE, THE ENGINE…"~17,000 mi, complaint #1388969
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST FORWARD MOMENTUM WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RIC…"~69,000 mi, complaint #1633645
    • "PUT GAS IN CAR AND NOW ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING AND MY CAR IS MISFIRING GEARS AND JERKING."~92,500 mi, complaint #1725650
    • "MID SEPTEMBER, 2020, I BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. THEY WOULD CUT OFF FOR NO MORE THAN 15 SECONDS AND TURN BACK ON. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT, UNTIL I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH OTHER COMPONENTS OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA…"~103,000 mi, complaint #1715749
    • "The contact's son owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while his son was driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that his son was able to pull into the driveway. The vehicle failed to restart. T…"~170,000 mi, complaint #1921025
  3. #3

    power windows and locks

    41 unsafe, 25 broken, 3 annoyance

    69
    incidents
    Typical range: 47,000–85,000 mi

    Median 67,500 mi, based on 30 reports (71% had no usable mileage)

    • "THE WINDOWS FALL ON THEIR OWN AND NOT OPERATIVE WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE SO FAR AND TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER. I AM TRYING NOT TO LOWER MY WINDOWS AT ALL FOR NOW. IT IS SERIOUS WHEN IT RAINS & WATER GETS INSIDE THE CAR, I LIVE IN FLORIDA AND IT…"~30,034 mi, complaint #1691870
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated the passenger's side and rear driver's side window became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The co…"~48,000 mi, complaint #1758724
    • "THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW SUDDENLY ROLLED DOWN WHILE DRIVING. CHECKS REVEAL THAT THE MOTOR THAT CONTROLS THE UPWARD/DOWNWARD MOVEMENT WAS INOPERABLE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRM THE MOTOR NEEDED CHANGING. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I AM THE ONLY USER OF…"~56,000 mi, complaint #1728058
    • "The contact's grandmother owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the rear driver’s side window inadvertently fell. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and pulled up the window m…"~83,500 mi, complaint #1786304
    • "FOURTH WINDOW REGULATOR TO STOP WORKING IN THE PAST YEAR. THE WINDOW ROLLED DOWN AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP."~111,440 mi, complaint #1688546
  4. #4

    engine stall or no start

    17 stranded, 51 unsafe

    68
    incidents
    Typical range: 47,500–123,000 mi

    Median 73,500 mi, based on 40 reports (65% had no usable mileage)

    • "WHILE IN DRIVE, RANDOMLY AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE WILL DIE. I WILL HAVE TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, TURN THE KEY COMPLETELY OFF, AND THEN TRY TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON. THIS CAN TAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FINALLY GET THE CAR STARTED. ONLY THE ENGINE DIES, THE…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1456616
    • "I BOUGHT A 2016 KIA OPTIMA FROM AIRPORT KIA IN 12/16. BEGINNING ON 5/24/19, WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON A BUSY ROAD THE SPEED FELL FROM 45 TO 35 IN LESS THAN A MINUTE AND BEGAN TO JERK. I HAD IT TOWED TO GALEANA KIA (G.A.) SERVICE DEPT, DUE TO PREVIOUS ISSUES…"~47,000 mi, complaint #1583446
    • "TAKATA RECALL - MY CAR IS STARTING TO STALL FOR SOME REASON BUT THERE ISN'T A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. MECHANICS CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING IT. THIS HAPPENS AS I DRIVE ON STREETS AND ON HIGHWAYS."~71,000 mi, complaint #1514415
    • "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BLINKING, THERE IS A NOTICEABLE DECREASE IN POWER, AND IT JERKS OUT OF FIRST GEAR. TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR A FREE DIAGNOSTIC WHICH WAS P1326. ALL FLUID ARE IN ORDER. MILAGE IS 123,000. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING HE FR WORK."~123,000 mi, complaint #1599243
    • "UNKNOWN ISSUE: Car shut off while driving and would not crank back up. In fact it didn’t respond to the key turn at all. SENSOR reads the code p0014 which can mean costly repairs."~178,088 mi, complaint #2006881
  5. #5

    lighting exterior

    33 unsafe, 1 broken, 4 annoyance

    38
    incidents
    Typical range: 35,000–94,500 mi

    Median 62,000 mi, based on 25 reports (46% had no usable mileage)

    • "WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF BY THEMSELVES WHILE I HAVE THE SWITCH IN THE AUTO MODE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON BOTH HIGHWAY AND BACK ROADS. I THEN BROUGHT THE CAR TO A KIA DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR BUT THEY FAILED TO FIND THE PROBLEM…"~16,000 mi, complaint #1598429
    • "WHILST THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON ANY ROAD THE HEADLIGHTS WILL SHUT THEMSELVES OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN TURN BACK ON. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE SWITCH SETTING IS SET TO AUTO OR IS IN THE ON POSITION. WHEN I GOOGLE SEARCH THE ISSUE I SEE THAT THERE ARE MANY…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1602323
    • "MY HEAD LIGHTS HAVE TURNED OFF AND ON BY THEMSELVES THREE TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. EACH TIME IT'S HAPPENED HAS BEEN IN DIFFERENT AREAS IN THE CITY I LIVE IN. I ALWAYS KEEP MY CAR'S HEADLIGHTS ON AUTO. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT NIGHT…"~57,400 mi, complaint #1679772
    • "THE HEADLIGHTS RANDOMLY TURN OFF AT NIGHT WHEN I'M DRIVING WITH THE AUTO HEADLIGHT FEATURE ON. TURNING THE SWITCH TO ON MANUALLY AND BACK TO AUTO TURNS THEM BACK ON."~70,000 mi, complaint #1602202
    • "2016 KIA OPTIMA HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS. THEY ARE TURNING OFF BY THEMSELVES WHILE DRIVING. TODAY WAS A CLOSE ONE FOR ME, IT WAS 9:10PM AND I WAS GOING ABOUT 50MPH AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY LIGHTS WENT OUT AND I HAD TO BREAK RAPIDLY, I COULDN'T S…"~111,000 mi, complaint #1737358
  6. #6

    other

    1 stranded, 15 unsafe, 8 annoyance

    24
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 40,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "AS I WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN E. KY I LOST CONTROL OVER THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN. I TRIED TO ADJUST RIGHT AND LEFT WITH NO HOPE. I CROSSED THE MEDIUM TO THE OTHER LANE, HIT A LOG TRUCK AND THEN MY CAR FLIPPED ON ITS BACK ON THE MEDIUM. THE WHOLE THING STA…"~11,500 mi, complaint #1455653
    • "SHARK FIN ANTENNA COVER EASILY COMES LOOSE OR COMPLETELY WHILE HAND WASHING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY WHILE WASHING."~15,000 mi, complaint #1531816
    • "WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR ABOUT 2.5 YEARS. 2 DAYS AGO I TOOK IT THROUGH A TOUCH LESS CAR WASH. TODAY I NOTICED THE ANTENNA COVER/ SHARK FIN IS MISSING. I'M NOT SURE IF IT CAME OFF DURING THE WASH OR WHEN I WAS DRIVING. IT APPEARS THE PLASTIC SCREW HOLES HAVE ALL B…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1558548
    • "MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA BURSTED INTO FLAMES WHILE STATIONARY IN FRONT OF MY HOME."~46,000 mi, complaint #1694031
    • "WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE CAR WASH, AS SOON AS I PULLED IN, I HEARD A SOUND THAT DIDN'T SOUND THE BEST. ONCE I GOT TO THE END OF IT, WHEN THE AIR WAS BLOWING OFF MY CAR, I SAW SOMETHING FLY OFF MY CAR. THIS WAS MY MANUFACTURE FIN SHARK ANTENNA THAT HAD S…"~819,000 mi, complaint #1718050
  7. #7

    airbag system

    19 unsafe

    19
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=16, median 38,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "I WAS INVOLVE IN A BAD ACCIDENT WITH 10K IN FRONT END DAMAGE AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HALF OF THE AIR BAG SENSOR CAME APART IN THE DAMAGE"~800 mi, complaint #1262438
    • "ONE CAR HEAD ON CRASH. PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER HAD MANY INJURIES RIGHT SIDE. HAPPENED IN CONSTRUCTION ZONE ON A HIGHWAY, IN MISSOURI."~8,000 mi, complaint #1460842
    • "TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED OVER A POCKET OF WATER. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED FACIAL INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDIC…"~34,202 mi, complaint #1403409
    • "AS I BEGAN CROSSING THE INTERSECTION (HIGHWAY) I ENDED UP GETTING T- BONED HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BY A PICKUP. HE WAS SPEEDING GOING ROUGHLY 60MPH IN A 45MPH ZONE MY KIA OPTIMA SUSTAINED PASSENGER SIDE/ AND FRONTAL IMPACT DAMAGE. THE IMPACT OF THE A…"~60,000 mi, complaint #1546376
    • "MY AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING NOW IT STAYS ON PERMANENTLY. GOT AN INSPECTION AND FAILED BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAG LIGHT. THEY CAN NOT GET THE SPECIFICS OF WHY THE LIGHT IS ON"~70,000 mi, complaint #1703746
  8. #8

    paint and clearcoat

    6 unsafe, 11 annoyance

    17
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I BOUGHT MY 2016 PEARL WHITE KIA OPTIMA IN MAY OF 2016. RECENTLY, I NOTICED THE PAINT CHIPPING AND PEELING OFF MY HOOD. IT STARTED OUT THE SIZE OF A PEA BUT NOW IS BIGGER THAN A QUARTER AND CONTINUES TO GET BIGGER BY THE DAY. I NOW HAVE ANOTHER SPOT THAT IS C…"complaint #1722761
    • "I have a pearl white vehicle paint is pealing on passenger back seat door"complaint #1798680
    • "I have a 2016 Kia Optima Pearl White and the paint on the hood just started peeling! It looks awful. What should I do to get this problem fixed? "complaint #1799262
    • "The paint is peeling or delaminating from the car. It is happening in many places. The paint is Snow White Pearl. The car now has about 110,000 miles. The paint warranted for only for 36 months. But it is obvious that this is a quality issue and latent defect.…"complaint #1820107
    • "This is a complaint about the paint chipping on my 2016 Kia Optima FE. I drove through some pretty heavy rain in December 2021 and ever since this my front bumper has been chipping away. Every time it rains, the paint chips get even larger. I'm very familiar w…"complaint #1837503
  9. #9

    transmission automatic

    2 stranded, 10 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=24, median 92,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "THE TRANSMISSION HAS A VERY HARSH DOWNSHIFT UPON COMING TO A STOP. SOMETIMES SO BAD THAT IT WILL PUSH ALL PASSENGERS HEADS FORWARD HARSHLY."~13,000 mi, complaint #1506424
    • "INTERMITTENTLY CAR WILL SHUDDER (JERK FORWARD AND SLOW, JERK FORWARD AND SLOW) MANY TIMES WHEN ACCELERATING, EITHER FROM A STOP OR WHILE ACCELERATING FROM LOW SPEEDS (LESS THAN 45MPH) IT SEEMS POSSIBLE GEAR CHANGING IS NOT SMOOTH. AND CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN ATT…"~38,500 mi, complaint #1567555
    • "AFTER THE KIA DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION THE FIRST TIME. DUE TO A MCU FAILURE. 2 WEEKS LATER CAR WAS DUE FOR OIL CHANGE, JIFFY LUBE STATED MY TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING. I TOOK IT BACK TO KIA. AFTER 2 DAYS OF IT BEI N.V G IN THE SHOP. I WENT TO KIA ON…"~54,000 mi, complaint #1602362
    • "I STARTED THE CAR, WHICH APPEARED NORMAL, ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO MY TRIP, THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY WAS FLASHING, " CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, STOP VEHICLE AND TURN OFF ENGINE " A DINGING BELL WAS GOING OFF, I WAS STARTLED BY IT, SO I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND STOPPE…"~56,000 mi, complaint #1594696
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed…"~106,000 mi, complaint #1787661
  10. #10

    wiring harness

    12 unsafe

    12
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 58,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 15 HOURS, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS BELIEVED TO BE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTING…"~10,700 mi, complaint #1346308
    • "I AM STARTING TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE TROUBLE WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW WITH 0 MILES. MY ISSUE STATED ON FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 27TH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. IMMEDIATELY, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP SATURDAY MORN…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1611132
    • "I HAD THE RECALL COMPLETED IN DEC 26, 2018 MARCH 2ND 2019 THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTION PER KIA MOTOR GROUP TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER I WAS TOLD IT WAS A WIRING HARNESS 'KNOCK APRIL 19, 2019 I PICKED UP MY CAR ON…"~55,196 mi, complaint #1615402
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE MADE AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURES OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. ON FOUR OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS T…"~62,000 mi, complaint #1592406
    • "At 95000 car had problem accelerating and then all of a sudden on the side of the road did that 2 had 2 engine rebuilds done no but the problem is still there and the fuses all look burnt and half my lights don't work. "~95,000 mi, complaint #1935142
  11. #11

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    10 unsafe

    10
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=11, median 11,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "FROM A DEAD STOP DRIVING AROUND, RELEASING THE BRAKE PETAL FROM A STOP AND GETTING READY TO GET GOING, THE CAR SHUTTERS A BIT AND/OR BOTH THE ENGINE FEELS LIKE IT'S GONNA STALL. HESITATION TO GET GOING.. DOES IT IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES. DEALERS SAYS NPF.. OF C…"~600 mi, complaint #1360748
    • "WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE SHUDDERS & HESITATES. I MUST ALLOW EXTRA TIME & SPACE FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC, WHEN PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM. KIA SAYS THE VEHICLE IS PERFORMING AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO. I THI…"~5,000 mi, complaint #1480364
    • "MY OPTIMA SEEMS TO HESITATE OR STUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT REMINDS ME OF A GEAR SLIPPING BUT MY CAR ONLY HAS 11,145 MI ON IT SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S POSSIBLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING OBSERVATION FOR MONTHS NOW. I'VE ALSO HAD ONE OF MY MIRRORS N…"~11,145 mi, complaint #1439000
    • "ENGINE RUMBLES LIKE IT IS ABOUT TO DIE INTERMITTENTLY WHEN I LET OFF THE BRAKE AND BEFORE I PRESS THE GAS AFTER BEING STOPPED IN TRAFFIC ON CITY STREETS. I OFTEN HAVE TO PRESS THE GAS PEDAL HALF WAY DOWN TO GET IT TO GAIN SPEED ON CITY STREETS, IT FEELS SLUGGI…"~32,200 mi, complaint #1578529
    • "EVER SINCE I HAD MY CAR SERVICED ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO MY CAR HAS BEEN SLUGGISH AND ACCELERATION HAS WEAKENED, ALSO I'M GETTING POORER GAS MILEAGE. THE RECALL THAT WAS FIXED HAS GREATLY REDUCED THE PERFORMANCE OF MY VEHICLE."~35,555 mi, complaint #1599410
  12. #12

    sunroof

    9 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    10
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 60,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "ON MAY 30, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200HRS EST, WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. COMPLETE INSPECTION WAS NEGATIVE FOR THE ANY EXTERIOR DEBRIS AS CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE U…"~4,300 mi, complaint #1381209
    • "ON WEDNESDAY MORNING DRIVING TO MY WORK THE SUNROOF EXPLODED WAS A BIG SOUND ,THIS EXPLOSION TERRIFIES ME AND THANKS GOD I DIDN'T LOST IT THE CONTROL OF THE CAR. IMMEDIATELY I DROVE TO THE RIGHT SIDE TO STOP THE CAR AND TRYING FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED.I SAW…"~27,900 mi, complaint #1415452
    • "I WAS JUST GETTING ON TO THE HIGHWAY AND MY SUNROOF EXPLODED! IT TOOK ME A SECOND TO REALIZE THATS WHAT HAD HAPPENED IT SOUNDED LIKE A VERY LOUD POP OR GUN SHOT ALMOST I PULLED OVER AND SEEN MY ENTIRE SUNROOF HAD EXPLODED"~65,000 mi, complaint #1718828
    • "THERE WAS A NEW VIBRATION SOUND WHEN WE STARTED DRIVING OUR CAR YESTERDAY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A PANEL WAS A LITTLE LOOSE OR SOMETHING. WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING IT ON THE INTERSTATE WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION AND IT WAS THE SUNROOF BURSTING INTO PIECES. FREAKED…"~68,000 mi, complaint #1631164
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCE, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO CLASSIC KIA CARROLLTON (2920 N INTERSTATE 35E, CARROLLTON, TX 75007), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BECAUSE THE VEH…"~80,500 mi, complaint #1568514
  13. #13

    driveshaft axle cv

    1 stranded, 8 unsafe

    9
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TAKING A LEFT FROM A STOP AT MAYBE 5 MPH , AND THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE BROKE IN HALF. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE ROAD AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE (RECALL #SC139)."~18,000 mi, complaint #1447470
    • "MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED ON NOVENBER 13, 2015 THE SAME DATE FOR THE RECALL NUMBER SC139 FOR THE POWERTRAIN AXLE BUT WASN'T INCLUDED ON THE RECALL. MY AXLE IS STARTING TO MAKE NOISE LIKE IF IT IS FAIL JUST AS THE RECALL STATES I'M TOWING IT TO THE DEALER TO GET…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1554282
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AXLE STARTED TO FAIL AND MADE ABNORMAL NOISES. PERRIS VALLEY KIA ([REDACTED ADDRESS], PERRIS, CA 92570) STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V705000 (POWE…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1554311
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V705000 (POWER TRAIN) AT GREENWAY KIA OF FRANKLIN (5026, [REDACTED ADDRESS], FRANKLIN, TN 37067, [REDACTED PHONE]). THE DRIVESHAFT WAS REPLACE…"~53,323 mi, complaint #1608966
  14. #14

    brake hydraulics

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=10, median 51,500 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "WHEN DECELERATING, THE CAR JERKS AT EXACTLY 35 MPH WHETHER IM ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN THE CITY AND THIS HAPPENS . I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAVE EVEN DROVE MY CAR THEMSELVES AND FELT THE SAME THING THAT I WAS FEELING AND ALL T…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1448876
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm while depressed. The vehicle failed to stop immediately. The contact's daughter drove over a curve to stop the vehicle.…"~40,000 mi, complaint #1834552
    • "MY BREAK SERVICE LIGHT KEEP COMING ON AND IT'S MAKING A NOISE LIKE IT'S A HONDA I TOOK IT BACK TO GANAS SERVICE AND WEEK LATER THE BREAK LIGHT BACK ON "~51,346 mi, complaint #1680983
    • "WHENEVER DECELERATING THE CAR JERKS TERRIBLY HARD ENOUGH THE THROW YOUR HEAD FORWARD. IT FEELS AS IF YOUR HITTING YOUR BREAKS REALLY HARD!"~67,000 mi, complaint #1677753
    • "The contact owned a 2016 KIA OPTIMA. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH occupied with her husband the contact heard a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle and smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle as you looked in the drive side rear view…"~166,834 mi, complaint #2212603
  15. #15

    control module

    8 unsafe

    8
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "AFTER 2ND TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED, 2 DAYS AFTER I RECEIVED A DIAGNOSTIC WARNING OF A POSSIBLE MOTOR CONTROL UNIT ERROR. , I RECEIVED A PROMPT SO IT COULD REPORT IT BACK TO KIA, I THEN RECEIVED AN EMAIL WITH ERROR CODE P0C17 BROUGHT CAR BACK TO KIA, THEY…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1603575
    • "WHILE IN MOTION THE HEADLIGHTS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES AT RANDOM TIMES DURING THE DAY. ABS WARNING LIGHT, BSD WARNING LIGHT, AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ALL CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY ALL WENT OFF. THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE…"~56,000 mi, complaint #1690321
    • "SO I GOT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR THE ENGINE RECALL. ON THE 24TH, ENGINE LIGHT CANE ON. WAITED FOR AN ENGINE REPLACE FOR 2 MONTHS, THEN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE KNOCK SENSOR WIRE HARNESS. THEY REPLACED THAT AND GAVE ME BACK MY CAR. 1 WEEK LATER, SAME ENGINE LIGH…"~59,000 mi, complaint #1565890
    • "ON JULY 26 2019 I TOOK MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA IN THE VALLEY HI KIA FOR A PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN AND PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE TO THE ECU. ON 7/29/19 MY VEHICLE MIL LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK AND THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65MPH. TOOK…"~91,000 mi, complaint #1597761
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the camshaft sensor was faulty and needed to be replace…"~125,000 mi, complaint #1967770
  16. #16

    hv system fault reduced power

    1 stranded, 6 unsafe

    7
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On Sept. 21, 2021, my Kia Optima Hybrid ex shut down and would not start. I took it to King of Hybrid EV Auto Repair where they ran a diagnostic test and found that there was an issue with the Hybrid System affecting the transmission and the High-voltage syste…"complaint #1858273
    • "This will be the second time this has happened to my vehicle my vehicle just randomly stopped while driving and will not start back up. It keeps showing on the dashboard “check hybrid system stop car and turn off engine” this happen 4 years ago and then a safe…"complaint #1906519
    • "My Kia Optima randomly stops working while driving. I get a notice that says, "HEV: Check Hybrid System. Stop Vehicle and Turn Off Engine." Also the gas pedal stops working, leaving me to try to coast to safety. The car essentially stops working in the middle…"complaint #1956259
    • "When I was coming home from work my car lost power and didn’t accelerate anymore when I was on the freeway. I almost didn’t make it to the shoulder when trying to pull over. Every single light I could imagine came on when I was trying to pull over, It said che…"complaint #1970288
    • "Vehicle first went into “limp mode” and dealer said high voltage recall needed to be done. Worked ok for a while then again “limp mode” dealer said knock sensor recall was happening and knock sensor was replaced. Few weeks ago limp mode again, all during car w…"complaint #1986545
  17. #17

    engine cooling

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "OIL IS BURNING TOO HOT CAUSING THE OIL TO BURN OUT FASTER THAN IT SHOULD. OVER TIME THIS ISSUE WILL LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE"~70,416 mi, complaint #1650355
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the engine was overheating. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 60 MPH, with the check engine warning lig…"~102,175 mi, complaint #1999005
  18. #18

    seat mechanism

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "I WAS REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED IN BREAKDOWN LANE OF A SECONDARY HIGHWAY (40 MPH) PROBLEM THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS IS THE INADEQUATE CUSHIONING IN THE HEADRESTS OF THIS CAR AND PROBABLY MANY OTHERS. SUFFERED A CONCUSSION THE EFFECTS OF WHICH ARE STILL ONGOI…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1493543
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS UNINTENTIONALLY MOVED IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT BOTH SEATS BECAME DETACHED FROM THE HINGES. THE CONTACT ALSO…"~50,000 mi, complaint #1503452
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the driver's side seat would inadvertently lower without driver input. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diag…"~50,249 mi, complaint #1806809
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN THE CONTACT PUSHED THE BUTTON BEHIND THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT TO RELEASE THE SEATS, THE HEADREST DETACHED AND STRUCK THE CONTACT ON THE LEFT EYE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED AN EYE INJURY, BUT MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RE…"~53,400 mi, complaint #1517242
  19. #19

    steering electric assist

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=5)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, A CLICKING NOISE WAS DETECTED.…"~2,843 mi, complaint #1507751
    • "STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHILE DRIVING. INITIALLY HAPPENED 1 YEAR AGO WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO USE SEVERE FORCE TO TURN THE WHEEL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP, WHO SAID THEY DID SEE SOMETHING ON DIAGNOSTICS; HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO…"~20,000 mi, complaint #1560520
    • "I HAVE HAD THE STEERING GO OUT MULTIPLE TIMES - REPORTED IT TO KIA WHERE I LEASE FROM AND A LOCAL SHOP. JUST HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY (11/25/19) - IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR - I HAVE HAD IT TOWED TO THE PLACE I LEASED FROM AS WELL. ALSO, T…"~35,000 mi, complaint #1623760
  20. #20

    steering rack mechanical

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR HAS VERY TIGHT STEERING AND CAR DRIFTS ALL OVER LANE. I AM ALWAYS MAKING CORRECTIONS. FEEL LIKE RACK AND PINION IS FAILING. CAR ONLY HAS 31,000 MILES ON IT."~31,000 mi, complaint #1689680
    • "STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNED TO THE RIGHT IS VERY LOOSE TO THE LEFT VERY TIGHT. OCCASSIONALLY IT LOCKS COMPLETELY CAUSING VEHICLE TO EITHER BE UNABLE TO TURN OR MERGE LANES, OR EVEN MORE DANGEROUSLY CAUSES THE CAR TO VEER TO THE RIGHT WITH NO ABILITY TO MOVE IT.…"~89,000 mi, complaint #1606581
    • "STEERING WHEEL LOCKED CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT CURB AND DAMAGE WHEEL WELL. VEH POSSIBLY WILL NEED NEW RIM."~96,000 mi, complaint #1638715
  21. #21

    unintended acceleration

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=7)

    • "VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, STOPPED, IN THE WEST CONSHOHOCKEN MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY BUILDING PARKING LOT, [REDACTED ADDRESS], WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. THE CAR WAS IN PARK WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. I WENT TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WHEN I PRESSED THE IGNITION BUTTON,…"~19,540 mi, complaint #1479948
    • "PULLED INTO NEIGHBORHOOD, PUT FOOT ON PEDAL TO ACCELERATE, AND CAR TOOK OFF. WOULD NOT STOP. WENT B/W 80-100 MPH ON IT'S OWN, BEFORE MY MOTHER DROVE OFF AN EMBANKMENT, AND FLIPPED HER CAR END OVER END. NEARLY KILLING HER, AS WELL AS HER DOG. CURRENTLY HOSPITAL…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1740548
    • "VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, DRIVING STRAIGHT IN LEFT LANE ON A CITY STREET IN EASTBOUND DIRECTION. ON ITS OWN, THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHILE TURNING TOWARDS THE LEFT SIMULTANEOUSLY. DRIVER WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH AND BASED ON AIR BAG MODULE, CAR SPED UP TO 5…"~35,168 mi, complaint #1705838
  22. #22

    battery and charging

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=8)

    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to operate properly. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local Good Year Service Center where it was diagnosed and de…"~48,889 mi, complaint #2071305
    • "ON THE EVENING OF MAY 17, I NEEDED A JUMP AFTER WORK. I WENT HOME, TURNED OFF MY CAR BUT WAS UNABLE TO START IT AGAIN SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY. I THOUGHT I HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING 65MPH ON A LOCAL INTERSTATE WITH MY DAUGHTE…"~66,500 mi, complaint #1571058
    • "IT BEGAN WHEN WE WOULD TRY TO START THE CAR IT SEEMED TO HAVE BATTERY ISSUES AND HAVE TROUBLE STARTING, AND FINALLY THE BATTERY DID DRAIN BUT ISN'T HOLDING CHARGE BUT TOOK IT IN TO GET CHECKED AND BATTERY IS FINE. THE HEADLIGHTS WILL RANDOMLY SHUT OFF WHILE DR…"~88,000 mi, complaint #1698230
  23. #23

    door latch and hinge

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "AS DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR POPPED OPEN (AS NOT FULLY CLOSED) AND THE OPEN DOOR LIGHT APPEARED ON A DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. ONCE DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND ON THE SECOND OCCASION WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE. I ALSO NOTICED WHEN OPENING THE DOOR,…"~34,000 mi, complaint #1675248
    • "THE HOOD IS STUCK. THE CABLE SEEMS TO BE STRETCHED. WHEN I DID GET IT OPENED THE CABLE WAS ATTACHED AND COULD SEE IT WORKING BUT IT'S NOT UNLATCHING HOOD. HOOD IS STILL STUCK."~46,000 mi, complaint #1607320
    • "REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF, LOOKING ON THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THIS 2016 KIA OPTIMA AND VEHICLES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. THE PART IS MADE WITH CHEAP PLASTIC. YOU CAN TELL IT IS MADE TO FAIL. I W…"~52,500 mi, complaint #1705104
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the trunk door locking mechanism had failed and the door would not remain securely closed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failu…"~60,000 mi, complaint #1930519
  24. #24

    engine head gasket

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "In August 2020, my check engine light started blinking which means my engine went into limp mode. I had it towed to the Kia dealership in Birmingham Alabama. They did a reset due to knock sensor detection. In October 2020, the engine light came in again. I too…"complaint #1752779
    • "Car is at Kia dealership waiting from an approved from Kia manufacturer due to car having issues with oil in radiator and reservoir coolant, engine damage, car mileage is 91567 Location kia downtown Car unsafe to drive? I have complained to kia so many times…"complaint #1821741
    • "I purchased a brand new 2016 Kia Optima and have been experiencing a really bad rattling noise that is coming from the motor. I have taken my car back and forth from the Kia dealership and each time they inspect my car, they tell me that they can’t hear any ra…"complaint #1874161
    • "One day I'm driving on route 78 and when I reached 60 mph, my car began to spudder and jerk. This happens quite often as I'm driving on a dangerous road. I brought my car, 2016 Kia optima, to a local dealer where they diagnosed the problem of a blown head gask…"complaint #2014046
  25. #25

    fuel pump

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=17, median 105,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA SINCE I PURCHASED IT ON SEPTEMBER, 5TH 2016. A SHORT TIME AFTER OWNING MY NEW VEHICLE, FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO HESITATE WHEN STARTING AS IF IT WAS STRUGGLING TO START, THE PUSH BUTTON WOULD TURN RED AND…"~2,000 mi, complaint #1420214
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE MOTIVE POWER. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND THE DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUM…"~70,000 mi, complaint #1735513
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he had scheduled a ser…"~77,700 mi, complaint #1929958
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated upon activating the heater while driving, she smelled an abnormally strong gasoline odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to Kia Independent Recall Campaign Number S…"~110,000 mi, complaint #1853928
  26. #26

    fuel tank and lines

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "UPON FILLING UP THE CAR THE GAS NOZZLE NEVER SHUTS OFF UNTIL GAS (A LOT OF GAS) IS POURING OUT OF THE TANK. EVEN TRYING TO FILL IT UP ON YOUR OWN HOLDING THE HANDLE IT POURS OUT WHEN FULL. LEAVES GAS EVERY WHERE DOWN THE CAR SPRAYING THE PERSON PUTTING THE GA…"~36,000 mi, complaint #1482608
    • "SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE . MAYBE A DELIVERY HOSE .CAN SMELL GASOLINE RANDOMLY WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION."~70,000 mi, complaint #1667536
  27. #27

    transmission cvt

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=9)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE ENGINE RPMS DRASTICALLY INCREASED TO 6 OR 7. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A BURNING…"~1,000 mi, complaint #1343275
    • "I'VE BEEN HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE JERKING UPON TAKE OFF AS IF THE TRANSMISSION STRUGGLES TO ENGAGE, IT'S CAUSED ME SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE CAR NOT GOING WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO, HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO.. THIS HAPPENS AT START UP WHEN FIRST SHIFTI…"~8,000 mi, complaint #1564776
  28. #28

    fuel injector

    2 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "2016 Optima with 111K miles: 7/17/19 car received ECU upgrade for the KSDS system. After upgrade, on 5/23/2020 at 90K miles, the car started to shake/knock, engine light came on, car went in to limp mode, car was taken back to the Kia dealer, code was record…"complaint #1769784
    • "The contact's daughter owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the oil level was checked every other day. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and deter…"complaint #1873863
    • "Number 3 Fuel Injector, burning oil and have no idea where its going, gas mileage affected, VCT solenoid "complaint #1874604
  29. #29

    hv battery and range

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The high voltage battery and the ability to drive or turn on completely "complaint #1970988
    • "The Hybrid Battery continues to malfunction and, randomly shuts down at any speed (even after short engine block was "repaired" by Kia Dealership). Also, an odor of burnt oil happens often while driving the car. It is available for inspection, if need be. Safe…"complaint #1985053
    • "In May of 2023, as I entered an intersection, my 2016 Hybrid Kia Optima suddenly did not feel right and gave me a hybrid system warning error. I pulled to the side of the road and shut it down. I restarted the car. The error light remained on, but the car s…"complaint #1999920
  30. #30

    instrument cluster

    1 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 5…"~114,000 mi, complaint #2112294
  31. #31

    glass and windshield

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was loud banging sound coming from the vehicle and there were shards of glass on the right elbow of the contact. No warning light was illuminated. Upon furthe…"~24,500 mi, complaint #2190395
  32. #32

    noise or vibration unspecified

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE MAKES RUMBLING/RATTLING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. IT IS SPORADIC BUT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS COMING FROM SOMETHING RELATED TO THE TIRES. IT IS HARD TO TAKE FOR A DIAGNOSE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING V…"~18,000 mi, complaint #1398401
  33. #33

    power steering hydraulic

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "MULTIABLE OCCASIONS OF POWER STEERING LOSS AT LOW SPEEDS (15MPH OR LESS). THE POWER STEERING UNIT APPEARS TO STOP WORKING WHICH RESULTS IN THE INABILITY TO TURN THE WHEEL. I HAVE DRIVEN CARS WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND THIS CONDITION WITH THE KIA OPTIMA RESUL…"~23,000 mi, complaint #1581476
  34. #34

    software or update

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "We received a recall notice for our KIA Optima to get the software upgrade to restrict operation of the vehicle without a key. We took the car to the dealership on 5/5/2023 for the recall and picked it up on 5/5/2023 from the dealership at 3:30pm. On 5/8/2023…"complaint #1894873
    • "I have requested that this recall be repaired and updated with the NHTSA, however I've made an appointment, taken this vehicle to the dealership, and called Kia corporate, but they have yet to update this repair so that it shows repaired in the system. In addi…"complaint #2067717
  35. #35

    steering column

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The City of memphis has seen a massive spike in motor vehicle thefts. Which i have been one of the Kia vehicles stolen & damage that cant be fixed quick with the steering column. The Memphis Police Department has described the situation as a car theft “epidemi…"complaint #1827091
    • "My steering wheel locked while I was on my way to work early Monday, March 28,2022. I was driving down county road Park Avenue around 30MPH and suddenly, I was unable to move the steering at all. Luckily, I was already in the right lane =; however, it was ve…"complaint #1899533
  36. #36

    throttle and pedal

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "PURCHASED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA EX WITH THE PREMIUM PACKAGE WITH LESS THAN 30 ODOMETER MILES IN APRIL 2017 FROM A KIA DEALER (VIN [XXX]). AT 4200 MILES THE CAR STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. SCREEN FLASHED "ENGINE CO…"~4,226 mi, complaint #1390570
  37. #37

    trunk or liftgate

    1 unsafe, 1 broken

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The trunk latch stopped working won’t lock"complaint #1823888
    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 65 MPH, after driving over a bump in the roadway, the trunk door opened independently, obstructing the rear-view line of sight. No warning lights were illuminated. The ve…"complaint #1932448
  38. #38

    abs module

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • " My ABS warning lamp came on braking seems okay. My blind spot is not working warning light is on. "complaint #1935334
  39. #39

    ac compressor and refrigerant

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "AIR CONDITIONING GOING OUT WITH POSSIBLE BREAKDOWN AT SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES AIR CONDITIONER TURNS ON BUT DON'T BLOW AIR"~76,337 mi, complaint #1688386
  40. #40

    adas adaptive cruise

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "2016 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES WITH CONCERNS MALFUNCTIONS WITH ADVANCED SMART CRUISE CONTROL. *AS *TR"complaint #1504084
  41. #41

    adas collision warning

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "I WAS DRIVING IN THE EVENING AT 25-30MPH ON A CITY STREET. THERE WERE NO PARKED CARS, NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, NO PEDESTRIANS OR BICYCLES FOR THREE BLOCKS AHEAD OF ME. WITHOUT ANY FORWARD COLLISION WARNING OR ROAD HAZARD, MY CAR'S AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB…"~18,500 mi, complaint #1638385
  42. #42

    backup camera

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "IN AUGUST 2018 I NOTICED THAT THE CAMERA ON THE FRONT GRILLE OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA WAS PRODUCING A BLURRY IMAGE. IT DID NOT DO THIS THE NIGHT PRIOR WHEN I USED THE CAMERA TO PARK IN MY GARAGE (WHERE I DID NOT HIT OR BUMP ANYTHING, I WAS NOT EVEN NEAR THE WALL…"~30,000 mi, complaint #1506944
  43. #43

    brake pads and rotors

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I RENTED A VEHICLE FROM FAIR/UBER UNDER A CALIFORNIA PROMOTION. IN THE UNDERSTANDING THE VEHICLE WAS UBER READY. THREE WEEKS INTO USING THE CAR SQUEEZING BRAKES LET ME TO THE AUTHORISED SHOP FOR MAINTANENCE. IT WAS INSPECTED AND WHAT WAS FOUND MADE THIS VEHICL…"complaint #1579554
  44. #44

    catalytic converter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Car is not holding oil it acts like it's gonna cut off while driving and it jerking was diagnosed with colitic converter p0604 "complaint #2191004
  45. #45

    corrosion and rust

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I purchased a vehicle from Banter Auto here in Wichita, Kansas. I reviewed the Carfax beforehand and nothing stood out that scared me so I signed off and purchased the vehicle. I have had nothing but problems since buying which was 7 months ago and have spent…"complaint #2185159
  46. #46

    cruise control conventional

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WHEN THE CAR ENCOUNTERS A HILL AND NEEDS TO DOWNSHIFT, EITHER TO CLIMB OR TO HOLD BACK THE SPEED WHEN IT DESCENDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL REMEMBERS THE DOWNSHIFT AND WILL NOT RETURN TO HIGH GEAR UNTIL A) IT IS MANUALLY OVERRIDDEN, BUT WILL STILL DOWNSHIFT UP TO 2…"complaint #1445627
  47. #47

    emissions aftertreatment

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to jerk and then decelerated while shifting into LIMP Mode. The vehicle was later examined by an inde…"~86,500 mi, complaint #2004366
  48. #48

    engine mounts

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "MOTOR MOUNTS BAD AT 71862 MILES. TOLD BY KIA IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. CAR CLUNKS VERY BADLY AND SHAKES. WAS TOLD IT CAN STILL BE DRIVEN. 2/3 MOTOR MOUNTS I WAS TOLD WERE BAD. DOES NOT MAKE SENSE THAT THEY COULD ALREADY BE BAD AT THAT MILEAGE. DO NOT F…"~71,862 mi, complaint #1593483
  49. #49

    engine turbo supercharger

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the turbo booster sensor and turbo charger.…"~114,000 mi, complaint #1968054
  50. #50

    key fob and immobilizer

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The car starts and drives with other keys in ignition "complaint #2197839
  51. #51

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    1 broken

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My Seat Belt has never been that good but as of recently it won't retract at all"complaint #1826960
  52. #52

    starter

    1 broken

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My vehicle’s engine was previously approved for replacement under the lifetime engine warranty associated with the settlement, confirming that my vehicle falls within the covered class. However, I am now experiencing significant difficulty obtaining assistance…"complaint #2175374
  53. #53

    suspension arms and bushings

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "WHEN FIRST TAKING OFF THE CAR FEELS LIKE THE BACK HAS TO CATCH UP WITH THE FRONT OF THE CAR ,,, TO ME IT SEEMS AS THE UNIVERSE JOINTS."complaint #1621403
  54. #54

    suspension struts shocks

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WHEN CAR COMES TO A STOP IT SHAKES AND IT FEELS LIKE YOUR DRIVING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT.."~50,000 mi, complaint #1700944
  55. #55

    tire failure

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "MY SON HAD A BLOW OUT OF HIS COOPER CS5 ULTRA TOURING TIRE. 2 WEEKS LATER HE FINDS A BUBBLE IN HIS OTHER COOPER CS5 TIRE. BOTH TIRES HAVE ONLY BEEN ON HIS CAR FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS"~81,569 mi, complaint #1711702
  56. #56

    tpms

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Air bag light came on after I also began having issues with blind spot detection warning lights. ABS lights on as well. Took vehicle to Kia Dealer in Gainesville GA and they told me it was the left rear wheel sensor. Wanted $800 to repair ( no longer under war…"complaint #1773818
  57. #57

    transmission manual clutch

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The Car has been to the dealer several times for a transmission judder update under TSB: TRA 083 and Recently TSB TRA 098 - Both Times they have done a Anti-Judder Logic Improvement. The Car still Judders and Its a big safety concern. Many times I will go to p…"complaint #1982706

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for KIA OPTIMA directly.