general problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Optima - part 2

Purchased 2015 kia Optima lx 4 cylinder. Had the car for 7 months. Driving home car stalled driving into our driveway. When restarted the engine there was a loud noise tapping. Oil light came on. Checked oil it was on empty. No oil light has come on ever before the car stalled. Regular oil changes . Researched the over 900 complaints. Same thing that has happened to everyone else. Thankfully this didn't happen on the drive home in traffic.

The vehicle unexpectedly stalled while idling at a complete stop, posing a serious safety concern. Shortly afterward, the check engine light illuminated. These events occurred around 78,000 miles. Prior to the stall, the engine had been making occasional knocking or tapping noises, particularly at idle. The vehicle was immediately taken to a certified kia dealership, where a technician diagnosed the issue as engine failure consistent with a known manufacturer recall affecting this vehicle model and year. A recall claim was submitted to the manufacturer, but the repair has been delayed for over a month with no authorization to proceed. No loaner vehicle has been provided. The engine failure puts the driver and others at risk, especially if the vehicle were to stall during active traffic conditions. The problem has been confirmed by the dealership but has not yet been resolved by the manufacturer. Inspection by the manufacturer is still pending. Warning symptoms included the engine light and knocking sounds, which began shortly before the stall occurred.

Driving towards town on freeway car suddenly die at high rate of speed and lost power at the wheel had to sway to side of road opened up hood of the car and smoke came out had recker pick me up and drove it to the house and started to find the issue and the starter module burn up . The gas line was near started . Replace starter and now the car doesn’t crank so is used wrench to trunk motor and now more seized up remove spark plugs and tried manually turn motor nothing lookup recalls on the matter and it said it was recall on the main bearing of the car are premature and kia won’t honor the recall due to no oil change records I have all items bought and tow truck expense.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate from a stop light, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,000. The VIN was not available.

My car started having electrical issues, started smoking and stopped completely while driving, now it won’t turn on / start.

The component that failed was the engine of my kia vehicle. The vehicle was purchased in 2020. In q4 2022, I received a recall notice by mail regarding the engine. I immediately took the vehicle to kia of mckinney, TX, and requested that the recall repair be performed. I was informed at that time that the engine could not be replaced until it actually failed. This forced me to continue driving a defective vehicle for several years. The engine ultimately failed in the second week of June 2025, when the car would not start. It was towed to southwest kia in texas, where it remains available for inspection. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because I was instructed to continue driving a vehicle with a known defective engine. Kia’s refusal to remedy the recall in advance increased the risk of sudden stalling, engine seizure, or loss of power while driving — all of which pose serious hazards on the roadway. The problem has been confirmed by kia’s own service centers. Southwest kia acknowledged the engine failure but denied coverage, citing a supposed “gap” in maintenance records. However, kia never informed me that there were specific maintenance requirements tied to recall eligibility, and I was never given a clear diagnosis of if the failure aligned with that of the recall. Kia corporate has denied responsibility for replacing the engine despite the active recall. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the engine failure. The car simply failed to start in June 2025. At no earlier point was I warned that the vehicle was unsafe to drive, nor was I given any proactive remedy other than waiting for failure. I am requesting that kia be compelled to honor the recall and replace the engine, as their refusal has left me with a significant financial loss and ongoing safety concerns.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 60 mph, there was a loud clunking sound coming from the engine before the vehicle lost power. The contact exited the vehicle and pushed the vehicle to the right side of the roadway while awaiting roadside assistance. No warning light was illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

My engine went out at 100,000 miles I bought the car with 118,000 mi on it I drove it for 3 years and the engine went out need help.

The car makes a raddled noise when turn on and the car turns off when I press the brakes.

My 2015 kia Optima (VIN [xxx] ) case # [xxx] is covered under kia’s engine recall for potential engine failure/fire. However, kia and ray skillman northeast kia, indianapolis refused to perform the recall repair because I do not have the last two years of oil change records. This is a safety recall, not a warranty claim, and denial of repair violates recall obligations. I am requesting NHTSA’s assistance to ensure kia complies with the law and replaces the defective engine. Thank you. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Car was purchased April 2025, I’ve had it less then 2 months and check engine light came on and then flashing. I had it scanned at auto zone and was told the code is vvt solenoid. I had it replaced 6/12/25. I was told by the mechanic that it didn’t solve the issue and metal shavings were on the old one. The car is still constantly going in to limp mode and there’s a knocking noise now. The auto zone scan listed the mileage as 150,000 yet the car dealership listed and sold it as 101,000. I have a 2015 kia Optima ex. The title does not list it as a rebuilt and appeared to be fairly clean and maintained . The mechanic told me the engine needs replaced.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal ticking sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the failure could be related to the engine. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in an unknown related engine recall; however, the engine repair or replacement was not covered under warranty due to missing service documents. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 55-60 mph, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware of a burning odor around the exterior of the vehicle. The contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

I was driving on the freeway when I noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I immediately exited the freeway, pulled over, popped the hood open, and my engine was on fire. There were no warning lamps on my dash. I don’t know which components were involved and inspection of the components after was not possible, because everything under the hood burned by the time firefighters responded.

I have repeatedly been denied service by kia customer service and kia dealerships regarding my safety recall. This ongoing issue has caused significant stress and inconvenience. I am simply requesting that my recall be completed so I can safely operate my vehicle. Despite my efforts, I continue to receive invoices for repairs while being denied the necessary service. I am frustrated by the lack of support and resolution.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact pulled off the roadway and heard an abnormal grinding sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact turned off the vehicle and the vehicle was unable to be restarted. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was advised that the following dtc were retrieved: p0076; p0079; b2519; b2521. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall on the VIN for the engine. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

While driving my 2015 kia Optima, the engine suddenly failed without warning. I noticed a loss of power, and shortly after, the oil pressure warning light illuminated. Upon pulling over safely, I discovered that the engine had drained all of its oil, despite recent maintenance. There were no prior warning signs or leaks visible. This posed a serious safety risk as the failure occurred in the midst of traffic. The vehicle had approximately 75,885 miles at the time. A mechanic later confirmed catastrophic engine failure due to oil starvation. This issue appears to be consistent with known engine defects in similar kia models.

See attached document for complaint.

My car has less than 50,000 miles on it. I was driving at around 40 miles per hour and my engine suddenly stalled. My car was towed to the nearest repair facility and a diagnostics was completed on it revealing a seized engine. My car has been well maintained and has never been in a repair shop for any type of major repairs. This engine failure came as a complete surprise as the car gave no indication that there was a problem. Kia motor company has recalls on other cars with the same make, model, year and engine size as mine that have had the same exact issue as what mine has presently. However, when I look up my VIN on their website my car only shows 1 recall which is unrelated to the issue I am currently experiencing. I would like to understand why my car is not included in this recall, when my car has had, at this point, the same exact thing happen as these other cars of the same make, model, year and engine size?.

Having issues with my engine, it’s throwing the code saying that my glow relay is stuck on and has something to do with the knock sensor, which is on a recall on 2015 kia Optima, but my VIN number doesn’t seem to be one that’s on the recall list, but my engine is doing the same thing that the other ones are being recalled for.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 75 mph, the vehicle independently decelerated to approximately 60 mph. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was flashing. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that a knock sensor was installed to monitor the engine performance. The manufacturer was not yet contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000. The VIN was not available.

Vehicle experienced sudden loss of power while driving when cylinder 3 completely failed (0 psi compression). Metal particles found in oil and excessive oil consumption (1 pint/100 miles). Kia dealer diagnosed as piston rings but ignored metal in oil that suggests bearing failure covered under recall campaign. Refused proper diagnostic testing. Vehicle now unsafe to drive with failed cylinder that could cause complete engine seizure while driving. Kia had all recommended services and oil changes since acquired in 11/2016. These service records demonstrate the progression of my vehicle's engine issues, from early oil consumption problems documented by york auto care in July 2023 (3 quarts low) to complete cylinder 3 failure with zero compression confirmed by kia's own diagnostic testing in may 2025. Despite this documented history and kia's own test results showing catastrophic engine failure, they have denied warranty coverage under their engine campaign that specifically covers bearing-related failures on my 2015 kia Optima 2. 4l.

As I was driving going at a rate of 40 mph my engine shut off. I was able to pull to the side of the road without an accident thankfully. Cranked the vehicle back up and then the same thing it happened again. No check engine light came on either time. Drove for another 200 miles no issues. Going apx. 75 mph it went into limp mode and check engine light came on and the p1326 code appeared. There is a recall on this vehicle for this code. However the dealership states it’s a knock sensor needing to be replaced and I will have to cover that. The same knock sensor they had me update in 2018 under there advisory. The motor burns apx. 2 quarts of oil every 3000 miles. Requires oil to be added to maintain oil level in between oil changes. Irregular mechanical noise (rattle) during cold start ups. I am scared to drive this vehicle and do not feel I am being treated fairly due to the recalls on this engine.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. However, several days later the failure reoccurred, and the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a nondescript failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v907000 (fuel system, gasoline, engine), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 96,000.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

The engine shut off while on the highway, car was still moving but not power from engine when accelerating the gas, not leaks or lack of maintenance.

Was driving down the highway and all of a sudden the car shut down in the highway lucky cars was not close by. Tried to crank it it would not crank would not take a boost it won’t say anything I had the battery checked at auto zone the battery is really good. The mileage on the kia Optima is 1,900 actual miles it will not crank or move it was very scary I called kia customer service there wanted to charge me over $400. 00 dollars to come get it and take it to the shop so it took me 2 days to find a tow to get it home and it still needs to go to the kia shop.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. After a visual inspection, the contact observed an excessive amount of oil leaking from underneath the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with engine, observing a hole on the side of the engine block. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer however, the diagnosis was not yet confirmed. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 18v907000 (fuel system, gasoline, engine), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 112,000.

The engine started knocking so I started driving to the dealership. The car stalled on the highway and wouldn’t restart. I’m having it towed to the dealership. My daughter has the same engine and it did the same thing. Kia replaced her engine.

We are submitting this claim because the engine on the vehicle is completely locked up at only 50,000 miles, despite the maintenance being fully up to date. This issue appears to be directly related to the well-documented rod bearing failure that kia has previously issued recalls for across various models and years. We have contacted several kia dealerships in our area—including those in anniston, trussville, huntsville, and even across state lines—seeking assistance. Unfortunately, all of them have refused to proceed with an engine replacement due to the vehicle having an older ksds (knock sensor detection system) software update. While we have documentation that the original update was completed within the required timeframe, they are now stating that a newer version of the software is required in order to move forward. However, when we reach out to kia dealerships requesting this updated version, we are told that they cannot perform the update because the engine is already locked—placing us in a frustrating and seemingly impossible situation. We are essentially being told we need the update to fix the issue, but the update cannot be done because of the issue itself. We’ve also contacted kia corporate, and unfortunately, the response has not been helpful. We’ve been told that the recall campaign tied to this issue has closed, and that there is nothing more they are willing to do. Meanwhile, we are left with a vehicle that cannot be driven, despite only having 50k miles, and which we are still making payments on. This feels incredibly unfair and potentially unlawful, considering kia has acknowledged bearing-related failures in similar vehicles. We are simply asking for accountability and support for a problem kia is well aware of. We are at a complete standstill, with no cooperation from dealerships or corporate.

When driving on the highway my car suddenly started to stall with me on the highway. It went from 80 miles per hour to 20 miles per hour and then completely shut off in the lane of the highway. Thankfully I was able to pull over to safety. I attempted to start again, and the engine started with a weird noise coming from it. I had it towed to my local mechanic who told me that my engine is part of a safety recall.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over, stopped on the shoulder lane, and had the vehicle towed to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the knock sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

As I was driving in the fwy I hear noise and exit to check what was wrong. No lights or warning of what the issue might be. Turned off the car open the hood of the car and saw nothing wrong with it I turned it back on and the noise went away. About 2 week after I was exiting the fwy and the engine light turned on. Engine start making noises.