general problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Optima - part 2

My engine is burning lg amounts of oil. There has been a lawsuit regarding the same issues with kia engines (specifically up to 2019 Optimas). The theta 2 engine lawsuit is regarding excessive oil consumption/burning, knock sensor issues, and deeper engine issues. This has been an ongoing issue for me and is ultimately affecting my engine. Kia will not cover the defects or repair expenses despite knowing the concerns with prior kia Optima engines.

Dealing with sudden excessive oil consumption at 130,000 miles. Had an oil change about 2,000 miles ago and oil sensor has been going off after 1,500-2,000 miles driven. Mechanic put 3 more quarts in and a week and a half later oil sensor is going off again indicating low oil. Mechanic confined this has been a frequent problem with this engine and insists piston rings are faulty & will eventually need engine replacement.

Vehicle check engine light started flashing on and off, code thrown is a p1326 and vehicle went into limp mode, shutting down power essentially going down the highway. Oil burning is excessive, and replacement of oil is at 1-2 quarts every 2 weeks. Engine is not running smoothly. No warning signs of oil burn present until oil pressure light flickers on when taking a curve or sitting on a major incline. Kia dealership is aware of an issue with the p1326 codes and bearing wear, however, year of vehicle seems to not be included in the original lawsuit and recall/safety notice from all indications. Engine was manufactured and is the same as the 2019 engine that is included. Engine seizure is potential at highway speeds which could cause major harm or death during travel without warning.

The contact owns a 2020 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, and the vehicle was connected to a diagnostic machine. The dtc indicated a glow relay failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

Same issue as the 2011-2019 recalled vehicles. (p1326).

Code p1326 and oil pressure light keeps flashing.

Oil pan developed stress crack below and along both sides of the oil pan drain plug all components are in place and there are no signs of road damage or damage do to obstacles being hit leak started slowly and progressively became worse returned car to have plug checked but no report back of any problem and it was documented on service order.

I got a cel (code p1326), three different times. Each time has been after a hard rain or a car wash. I have had to pay to have the knock sensor replaced each time, twice by a mechanic and once by a kia dealership. There’s a recall for this issue on model years older than my 2020. I was told that kia is aware but that there aren’t enough people having the issue to warrant them to investigate.

The engine in my 2020 kia Optima s (2. 4l gdi theta ii) has been experiencing excessive oil consumption, engine knocking, and loss of power, consistent with known issues in earlier model years of this engine. This component is still in my vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. The issue puts my safety at risk due to unpredictable power loss while driving and the potential for engine seizure or fire, especially during high-speed travel. I’ve had to top off oil multiple times between regular oil changes, and the vehicle showed signs of low oil without any dashboard warning. No ksds (knock sensor detection system) software was ever installed on the vehicle. I have not yet had a full diagnosis from the dealer, but I have opened a case with kia consumer affairs, who informed me that I do not qualify for recall repair based on the vehicle’s manufacture date — despite the engine matching those in previous lawsuits and recalls. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the dealer, manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. However, I can provide receipts for oil purchases and logs documenting how often I’ve had to refill the oil. I am also filing a claim with my third-party powertrain warranty provider. Symptoms first appeared at approximately 85000 miles engine knocking/ticking noise oil light flashing briefly or low oil found without warning needing to add 1–2 quarts of oil between oil changes rough acceleration or loss of power this issue is widespread, has been previously acknowledged in other model years, and should be formally investigated in the 2020 Optima as well. I am concerned for the long-term safety and reliability of this vehicle.

Oil consumption has rapidly been increasing causing the loss of several quarts of oil. Inspection by service center confirmed this is a known kia issue and recommended a flush to help combat some of the issue. Service center did note that this issue would not fix the problem, but put off needing to replace the engine. Oil light was not flashing on the dash unless coming to a quick stop, but then would disappear. The value of these cars has resulted in quite a bit of negative equity for folks due to the theft issue. Now add on a fear of blowing an engine cause your vehicle is burning through oil like no tomorrow.

I was driving on the high way and the car loose power completely have to do change oil every two weeks and can’t find a solution.

Driving at highway speed of 65 mph, the vehicle abruptly lost power. The check engine light started flashing. I was almost rear ended due to the loss of power, I was able to coast to the emergency shoulder and stop. The car was towed to the nearest kia dealership. Diagnostics show code p1326, the engine has failed and needs to be replaced at a cost of over $10000. This the same engine that was included in a class action lawsuit for model years up to 2019, the 2020 was not included. Kia is offering no assistance to me as the second owner of the vehicle even thought the car only has 98,000 miles, the powertrain warranty is reduced to 60,000 for a second owner. The cost of repairs is more than the value of the vehicle.

The engine is burning through oil. I have already had the car checked for an oil leak. It is the engine. It's a 2020 however it does not have high mileage for the year that it is.

I am filing this complaint due to severe and ongoing safety defects in my 2020 kia Optima ex, which has repeatedly stalled while driving, creating a life-threatening road hazard. Since September 2024, my vehicle has suffered from major failures, including a complete transmission replacement, multiple high-pressure fuel pump replacements, multiple oil flushes due to fuel contamination, and all fuel injectors replaced. Despite all of these “repairs” performed by a kia-authorized dealership, the check engine light continues to return, and the vehicle still stalls unexpectedly, making it dangerous to drive. On March 10, 2025, after kia claimed to have tested the vehicle for 200 miles, I picked up the car from the dealership, only for it to stall and trigger the check engine light within hours before I even reached my destination. This vehicle has been returned to me multiple times in an unsafe condition. Additionally, an independent mechanic discovered an engine oil leak and a torn axle that kia’s dealership never disclosed. This raises major concerns about their lack of proper inspection and repair procedures. This is a serious safety issue that kia refuses to take accountability for. I request an immediate investigation into this matter before this defect leads to an accident.

Was on highway going 65, check engine light started flashing loss power. Couldn't go over 2000 rpms car would struggle to accelerate, car had been using up oil like crazy the week before. Stopped at an autozone car read code p1326.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, and depressing the accelerator pedal, the check engine light was flashing. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was being depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact pulled over, turned off the vehicle, and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic retrieved dtc code: p1326; and notified the contact that the vehicle had experienced engine failure. The contact stated that prior to the engine failure, one quart of engine oil was being added weekly. The contact called a dealer however, the service manager had not returned the call. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

Engine has been burning oil for at least a year now. Cause ignition coil/spark plug failure and have replaced all 4 coils and plugs 3 times now within a year. Engine will randomly start to sputter after about 3-5 months of replacement. Adding a quart of oil every 1-2 weeks. No leaks and no smoke, just money down the drain.

I was driving in the freeway to my girlfriends house and suddenly my check engine light came on and started flashing, I got off the freeway as soon as I could and parked to check what was wrong and while driving to park I noticed I couldn’t accelerate past 2000 rpm and when shifting my car was skipping and it felt like gas wasn’t getting to the engine. I checked my oil levels and they were at normal levels, the battery was fine, and the car was turning on without a problem. I ran a diagnostics code and it came up with the p13-26 code.

Oil leaking at drain pan and won’t come out.

I started having clicking sound in engine around 50k miles . Then my check engine light came on and my engine has been using so much oil. I have to get an additional 3 quarts in between oil changes. The clicking sound is getting louder and my car is now having issues accelerating. . My engine is failing and I bought this car brand new and have regularly maintained it .

June 29th I was driving home and car suddenly went into limp mode. Had this car less than 2 yrs. I'm the second owner so I don't have 100,000 engine warranty. Its at 91 000 miles. Gets maintained regularly. But the cart consumes a lot of oil and after I google and read all about p1326, I find out there is a campaign by kia fixing these engines. Unfortunately my make and model, even tho same engines didn't make the cut. From the list of complaints from people online seems to me that there will be more legal action taken. These are the same crappy engines. I will never nor let anybody I know by a kia/hayandai ever again, if I can help it.

My car is using a lot of oil and I have to change the oil every 2 thousand miles, oil light will come on and I check the oil and it shows the oil stick almost dry within 2,000 miles after having oil changed. The car will loose power and has a ticking noise in the motor. It’s frustrating to have to change the oil every 2,000 miles instead of every 3,000-5,000 miles like most vehicles.

While traveling on the highway at the stated rate of speed between 65-75 mph, my vehicle experienced what I described as a downward surge causing the vehicle to suddenly lose speed immediately followed by a consistent blinking engine light. Fortunately, I was in the slow lane and there wasn't a vehicle behind me, or I could have been rear ended. I tried to accelerate; however, the engine acted as if it was choking. I backed off acceleration and allowed the engine to pick up speed on its own. Fortunately, I was almost home and stopped by the auto zone in my neighborhood and they attached the device that will generate the code. The code generated p1326 which points toward the knock sensor. Kia need to address this issue and be made to correct these dangerous issues before someone is in a major accident where they may find themselves in a lot of traffic. In my research, I have found numerous complaints regarding this issue and consumers not receiving restitution or taking 3-4 months waiting for their vehicle to be repaired. We hope you will be able to assist in getting kia to review these motor issues. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Oil consumption is absurd. 5 quarts in 2k miles.

Every since I bought my car back in 2020 I have to keep getting a oil change because my light keep coming on I was told by a mechanic the my kia have a oil consumption problem.

On April 19 of this year I was driving on the freeway and I noticed my car was losing power and my engine light came on and I quickly had to merge over to the emergency lane while my car was jerking back and fourth and making a knocking sound. I’ve only had the car for about 5 years and I took it to the dealership and explained to them that my oil would burn faster now and I think it was messing up my engine but they didn’t care. They said I need a new engine now and it’s going to cost me $6200 to fix and I’m still financing on this car.

Unknown all I know is my check engine light came on . And was told from o’reillys that my knock sensor was bad. And I have warranty so I reached out to you guys but still haven’t got a call back.

Engine is burning 1-2 quarts of oil per week. I work from home so it only get driven once or twice a week max. I’m still making payments on a car that is unsafe to drive, eating oil, and running potential for the engine to lock up due to it being the exact same engine with the exact same issues as what is in prior years but for some reason to 2020 was not included in the recall. I am a single mother of 4 and can’t afford to put thousands of dollars worth of work into this car, that’s why I bought newer for reliability and I can’t even confidently put my kids in this car and am stuck with it for another 4 years. Kia needs to address this!!.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Optima. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating and there was an excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the piston rings were faulty, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 127,000.

Leased this kia by force from rightway auto here in indianapolis in. Had for about 1 1/2. First notice after filling up my tank gas was depleted within 3 days on driving 12 miles to and from work in town. Then oil start disappearing a week after oil changes. . Around Jan 8,2024. Check engine light start flashing driving the highway to work. Speed jumped down to 45. Engine start shaking if I tried to go faster. Got a engine light scan says needs knock sensor. Had it replaced. 6 months later. Car did the same thing. Same code. Knock sensor. Had it re replaced. 3 hours later car did the same thing. Each time while driving the highway almost got me rear ended. On June 27,2024 took it to ray skillman dealership. Found out knock sensor needed to be replaced again, this time along with plugs n worse apparently knock sensor throwed off spark plugs. Was told it's consuming a lot of oil they don't know why cause there's no leaks. Spent over 800 at the dealership. After paying 320. Replace part. Then another 140. Replace that replaced part. Less than a week after spending 800 at the dealership. [xxx]. On my way to work my car did the same thing driving on the highway where the speed limit I think is 70. Cars flying. And almost got rear ended again. Cause the speed of the car dropped to 45, engine light start flashing. Car started shaking. . So again I'm out of a car cause it has to go back to the dealership. Not enough money for lift to work n home. About to lose my job. Just paid my car note on the 23 of June at 700 plus insurance 175. . 1300 for rent. And a minimum wage paying job at the airport. Apparently the 5 yr warranty on the car is up when I just reached 10000 miles . And I only had this car for less than 2 years I think it had 90 something thousand miles on it when I got it. . I guess the makers of this car knew this trash would only last 5 yrs . Reason why it came with a 5 yr manufacturer warranty can someone please help. We the people are out of money. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information.

The car drives slowly and sputters because oil is burning out quickly. I have to replenish oil continuously.

This is my 3rd or 4th complaint on here with no response, help, or acknowledgement! my 2020 finally got engine put in and car does not drive the same. Steering wheel acts weird, the engine has a sound, the anti collision lights went off twice, but could be due to weather. Kia told me that it's my responsibility since my yr is not on recall. I'm surrendering this car ASAP to give me piece of mind before another engine is due. I met several people at kia that are on their 2nd and 3rd engine and the mechanics told me they know I will be back for another engine! this is wrong and now I'm out of alot of money and surrendering this will add more negative factors. I have my receipts but im not posting publicly.

I purchased my 2020 kia Optima 8/2022. On 10/21/23 I was on the freeway and the engine light started flashing, car made a knocking sound, went limp, speed dropped from 75 to 32 quickly while I was changing lanes, and would not go over 32 mph. I made it home and started researching online and found out about the recalls. My car is not one since it's a 2020. I removed the car from my garage and parked it at end of my driveway and it's still sitting there as of today 11/13/23. I ordered a diagnostic reader and it stated code 1326 for engine. My car has done same things as the other recalled cars, same code, and same 2. 4l theta ll engine. I called kia corporate office on 11/13 (case #15978041) they stated my car is not one of the recalled cars, my warranty expired at 60k, and everything will have to be paid out of my pocket! I asked to speak to a supervisor and was given their voicemail. I called kia here in conway, ark and they stated to bring car in for them to test it. Towing and testing would be at my expense. My insurance might cover towing and since I have extended warranty then they will need that information. I am not involving my insurance since alot of companies will not cover my vehicle due to the recent theft issue defect. They could drop my car to avoid possible liabilities. I should not have to involve my extended warranty since this is a kia problem and I do not have money for a deductible for new engine. They knowingly put those same raggedy engines in the 2020 kia's, settled the recall case and now expect the consumer to come out of pocket for their fraud. Kia needs to come tow this car, provide me a rental, and replace the engine. They need to pay my car note and insurance for the months its not driveable, but thats legal issue I will address.

My 2020 kia Optima had engine failure and engine is being replaced now. I've had this car for 1yr/84k miles. It went limp on the freeway 2 mos ago and I could've caused an accident when it shut down. Would not go over 30 mps, engine light kept blinking and had knocking sound. Diagnostic code as the other recalls, engine is same for the other recalls 2. 4 theta, oil was black and almost empty & just had oil changei called kia corporate and they told me that they are not covering it since its not a recall. I have extended warranty but cna national warranty will only approve a used engine and a new one I would have to pay $3,000! I have made 2 car payments for a car that is immobile, $200+ for deductible, and $600+ for car service, this is not right at all. How can I get kia to correct this. I do not want this car or any other kia! I cannot afford xmas this year all because I chose the wrong car maker!!.

My engine is failing as of right now . It has yet to completely fail , but I was told by kia today that it’s failing and they don’t know how long it has left . I just thought I would try and get a re call on it to get it fixed instead of putting myself or others at danger if/when the engine does fail .