Equipment Problems of Kia Motor Optima - part 1

My car was parked when my kia Optima panoramic sunroof exploded. It was between 8:00-8:30 a. M. Friday xxx. It sounded like an explosion. I was sleeping and the explosion woke me up. The sunroof was closed and the car was parked. We r not aware of anything coming in contact with the sunroof. Actually the sunroof exploded from inside the car. The broken glass was pointed upwards. I’m concerned that this is a serious hazard if it occurs while I was driving it would have caused a serious accident or even a death. I notified kia customer care center. Xxx case # xxx. I also sent them a letter concerning the event with photos. I have found information that other reported kia panoramic sunroof failures and concerned that this may be part of a bigger problem. Customer care rep [xxx] told me to take the car to a dealer. Cannot see me for 3 weeks and charge $209. 99. Called customer care again talked to risha, told me not to take to dealer and not pay anything. Then wait for someone to get back to me. That was xxx. If I haven’t had any contact from kia I’m supposed to call back xxx. Still waiting. I am asking NHTSA to document this incident and review whether there is a safety- related defect or pattern involving panoramic sunroofs on kia vehicles, including the 2019 kia Optima. Car is 7 years olds an 72,400 mi. The warranty is 5yrs -60,000. Please include this complaint in NHTSA’s records concerning the 2019 kia Optima and panoramic sunroof failures. I authorized NHTSA to share my complaint and identifying vehicle information with kia if that is necessary to investigate the issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

My 2015 kia Optima experienced a catastrophic engine fire while I was driving. There was no warning, I just heard a boom in the engine bay the breaks stopped working and all electrical cut out. As I'm coasting, because I'm unable to stop, flames started to come in through under the dash. I couldn't turn the car off, nor put it in park so the doors stayed locked. The driver window was opened just enough for me to grab the top and break it, allowing me to crawl out. The car coasted itself to the shoulder then blew up (I had a full tank of gas. ). All this happened in the manner of 30 to 35 seconds. It's important to note that kia just replaced the engine 2 months prior to this incident.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

I owe a lady made a complete stop in front of me and I hit her. I wasn’t traveling close behind her. Her car was not damaged at all, but my kia was totaled from the front. They had to cut the car off because it was smoking like it was gonna catch a fire. I’ve been had this sign on my car the steering wheel with an! it says that the car is hot before the car accident I had driven to [xxx] back to my house in the car motor was just shaking up under even though the car was off about 1015 minutes a hour late I had to wreck. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

Both front door lock actuators failed within a one month period. It is a safety issue because the actuator is failing in a way that can prevent the door from opening, closing, properly latching and locking. The vehicle is available for inspection. I have taken it to a mechanic to confirm the failure.

See all problems of the 2013 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

Code was on and off for a cylinder 2 misfire was off at this point (intermittent misfire) ecl was off car stalled out at 3rpms while driving, tiny puff of smoke once came from between the air intake and the engine, and also no crank no start but car has power. I’ve kept up with the oil changes every 3000 miles car had fluids in it and nothing looked bad all 4 spark plugs were burnt and I replaced them and still no success.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

2018 kia Optima dealer ed voyles kia smyrna began recall sc340. Vehicle drove in running. Dealer flashed ecm software, discovered non-original engine/ecu. Vehicle now won’t start. Dealer document states 'will not start after recall. ' dealer refuses to restore to running condition citing prior repairs. This violates 49 usc 30120.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

The car returned p1326 and had multiple misfires and audible knocking, the dealers will indeed fight the already existing class action warranties. Was sent home and told to “drive the fuck out of it”, to which the car did not make it home and blew gasoline into my cabin while driving on the highway. Almost passed out, and am still fighting kia to actually address the defective rod bearings. I personally would fight tooth and nail over a 5 dollar problem, but this is something they do nationwide and can cause serious injury or death. If it weren’t a 200 lb man driving the gasoline shooting into the cabin would absolutely cause a knockout. To the time of this report they are still trying to disregard the rod bearing issue and send me home with fixes to problems caused consequentially.

About six months ago, I lost the heated steering wheel functionality in my steering wheel, then from there, I slowly lost functionality like cruise control, and the most recent now my airbag and horn do not work. If you press on the horn, it is silent, and the airbag light has been illuminated consistently for the last couple of months. I had this issue diagnosed and it came up with the codes of b1346. And b1481. After some research, these issues are the result of a bad clock, spring and cause the airbag and horn not to work. Additionally, this issue is known to this model the 2011 kia Optima, and has been recalled in most production cases of this vehicle, but my vehicle is not included. I received a quote for $876 from a dealership to get this corrected, but it should be included in the recall.

See all problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

While accelerating onto the highway in my 2016 kia Optima 2. 4l, the vehicle suddenly lost all engine power without warning. The vehicle would no longer accelerate and I was forced to coast and brake to safety. Immediately after the engine shut off, the check engine light, oil light, and battery light illuminated on the dashboard. After the incident, the vehicle would not restart or crank at all. The electrical systems, dashboard lights, and chimes still function normally, and the battery is new. The vehicle had proper oil level at the time of failure. No warning signs were present prior to the sudden loss of power. This failure created a serious safety hazard because it occurred during highway acceleration and left the vehicle unable to maintain speed or move out of traffic safely. Based on the symptoms and sudden engine shutdown, I am concerned this may be related to the known theta ii engine issues associated with kia Optima vehicles.

Car is consuming oil every three weeks. Engine is going to burn if it does not stop. It’s not in a class action but probably should be. It’s been 4 months and over 1,000 spent.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

Unknown the airbags didn't deploy when the car hit other driver from behind.

I was driving on the freeway and a system warning came up “check hybrid system” and the car went limp. Thankfully I was able to get off safely from the momentum this time, but it has stopped in the middle of the street before. This is the second time it’s shut down this year. I took it in last year for the same problem. I took it to the kia dealership and they stated there’s nothing no wrong with it.

Blind spot forward collision detection lane departure warning rear cross traffic warning.

Unknown was just driving to go to my husband to work and it came on when I was coming back home and when I went to pick my husband up from work and was stopped at a stop sign the lights came back on.

Issue 1: high oil consumption in the engine due to poor engine design, according to the auto repair center. 5 quarts of oil are added to the engine once every 2-3 weeks. All oil leaks were previously repaired, but oil is still burning off. Issue 2: the engine has misfired more than once, with a puff of smoke coming out of the exhaust. Issue 3: twice in the past 1. 5-2 years, multiple spark plugs have failed, causing a breakdown. This is a theta ii engine, but it is not in the class action settlement.

I had just stopped at stop sign and I turned right. My speed was approximately 40 mph and there was a loud pop. I immediately hit the brakes and had no brakes. I got car off road and smoke was already coming from under hood. It caught fire immediately and burned up. Total loss . About 6 months prior to it burning I had a good bit of front end work done on it with bearing issues. Also put a new set of tires at same time . The coils and plugs were changed often because it would misfire. I purchased car July 2025. All my documents were burnt also .

While driving my kia Optima on the interstate the rear subframe suffered catastrophic structural failure, resulting in the steering wheel going out of alignment, the rear passenger side wheel tilting with the bottom of the tire being far out compared to the top. This resulted in the rear of the vehicle swaying side to side and being difficult to maintain in a straight path. This vehicle was previously serviced under kia campaign sc141 (internal subframe corrosion) at griffin kia on April 27, 2017. Despite this safety remedy being performed the subframe rotted through and snapped. This is a remedy failure. The anti-corrosion was applied by the manufacturer failed to prevent the exact structural failure it was designed to mitigate. I have physical evidence (repair order #92144) proving the remedy was performed and photographic/video evidence of the subsequent structural break. The manufacturer (kia) has denied assistance, claiming the failure is "unrelated" to the corrosion campaign despite the part being the exact component covered by the campaign. " sc141 involved the inject of wax into the metal components of the subframe of the vehicle and was kia's response to the nhsta's concerns about the metal components of their vehicles being unable to withstand salt in the rust belt states. The campaign only was for the vehicles in the rust belt states. Kia was very aware this was a safety issue and attempted to avoid a recall by issuing this campaign. The campaign failed and as a result my life was put at risk. I asked kia for a good will repair of the rusted subframe but they refuse indicating the believe the part that clearly broke due to rust is unrelated to the safety campaign. Several of their employees stated it was very clear the part broke due to rust with one indicating he had a list of rusted parts needing replaced. I'd like the NHTSA to review this failed campaign and ensure the safety of all vehicles relying on this failed safety measure.

I am submitting this complaint regarding ongoing and persistent mechanical issues with my vehicle since the time of purchase. The vehicle has repeatedly shut off unexpectedly, creating a serious safety concern. Initially, I suspected the issue might be related to the battery, and I have replaced the battery twice within the past 4 years. However, the problem has continued. In January, the vehicle began shaking and shutting down again. I took it to a mechanic, who diagnosed the issue as faulty spark plugs and an ignition coil. The diagnostic codes provided were p0303 and p0456, and the recommended repairs were completed. Approximately one month later, the vehicle began shutting off again. I then took it to the dealership, where I was advised that the valve cover gasket needed to be replaced, along with the belts, and that a fuel system cleaning was required. I subsequently had these repairs completed by my mechanic. Less than a week after completing those repairs, the vehicle once again began shutting down. A diagnostic scan then produced code p123300. In addition to these repeated shutdowns, the vehicle consumes an excessive amount of oil, has poor acceleration, and continues to stall unexpectedly both while driving on the road and while idling, such as in a drive thru. These recurring issues have made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe. I am concerned about the risk of the vehicle shutting off while in motion, which could lead to a dangerous situation. I am requesting that this matter be reviewed for potential defects or safety-related concerns.

It either has issues shifting gears like its stuck or the transmission may be slipping, it's had this issue since I bought the car. However I wasn't aware until my uncle drove the car and said something might be wrong. . I have no idea what's causing it. It shudders when I make turn or speed up to pass. Not all of the time but at least twice per my normal trip.

My car started shutting down while driving. After the engine started seizing the key wouldn't turn in my ignition. Took car to dealership immediately on 10, 2026. Took again in 2024 for recall and other repairs. Found out after requesting previous service incidents they failed to do recall repairs and never notified me of it, or to come back. I've requested current diagnostic report several times in writing and verbally with codes for this current service, with non compliance. My car is still at the dealership needing work and I need current diagnostic report before I pay for repairs. I am attaching a dealership diagnostic e-report for my 2013 kia Optima from 2024. While the report lists “no current dtc” for several systems, it also documents multiple “communication fail” errors across critical modules, including Smart key, head lamp, air conditioner, brake, and other systems. These communication failures indicate a broader electrical or network issue within the vehicle, not simply a failed battery. The report also shows that certain diagnostic scans were not properly performed. Additionally, there are historical fault codes related to tpms and weight classification systems, further supporting that the vehicle has experienced ongoing electrical issues. Despite these findings, the dealership attributed the vehicle failure solely to a bad battery and did not provide a current battery diagnostic test. They also failed to address an open recall related to electrical/fuse issues prior to this failure. Based on this past diagnostic report, I believe the root cause of my vehicle’s failure is an unresolved electrical defect, potentially related to the outstanding recall, rather than normal battery wear. This has resulted in my vehicle becoming inoperable and poses a serious safety concern.

Our car paint started peeling out of no where and very bad. I just found out that it is a manufacturing issue with the bonding of the paint.

Even after regular oil changes car requires an additional 4 bottles of oil every 2 weeks. Now the car is jumping and having a misfire.

Snow white pearl exterior paint is peeling off hood and sides of our 2020 kia Optima. We paid an extra $495 for this paint.

The kias have been recalled for a failure to adhere the shark fin antenna. This has been recalled in some models. My 2016 has fallen off and is not on the recall list. Please include.

Issue: my 2014 kia Optima has repeatedly experienced overheating, flashing check?engine light, and loss of coolant. The dealership has misdiagnosed the issue multiple times and returned the vehicle to me in unsafe condition. Safety concern: the vehicle overheats while driving, the check?engine light flashes, and the engine loses power. This creates a serious risk of engine failure while on the road. I am concerned about potential engine damage, stalling, or fire risk due to overheating.

Nothing.

In order to repair the recalled equipment on the vehicle the dealerships and kia want us to pay for them to open the trunk ($280/hour service fee to remove the back seat to gain access to the trunk and then return the back seat once completed). If the trunk latch was not broken to begin with they would not have to remove and replace the back seat of the car at $280/hour you would be able to push the button and open it. I don’t feel it is the car owner responsibility to pay for that access to the trunk.

•I’m not sure what failed, the car was parked. And yes it’s available for inspection. •I had just parked the car coming from work and at the time. If I was in the car any longer than 5 more minutes it possibly could’ve been catastrophic. • all I know as of right now is that 5 days ago, it was escalated and I received a case number and a case manager 3 days ago. •the car has not been inspected •not that I’ve noticed, the engine light was on a week before the accident occurred, after getting off of work and the car system said to check my breaks. I had someone take me home since my car was undrivable. And the next morning I was going to have it towed but everything was working properly. The engine light was gone.

See all problems of the 2012 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a “t” cross road.

For a second time, the window goes off the runner and will not operate. This happened to the drivers side window and the rear drivers side window. The only option is to return to the dealership and have the part replaced to allow the window to move up and down, this is a safety hazard and fails state inspection if the windows will not move up and down. This is a safety recall.

I had a engine replacement under pi1803 they gave me the vechile back w active abs light exuast leak and damaged click spring refused ti look at till I paid dx fee this all appeared the day I went to pick uo vechicle.

I had a engine replaced 1600 miles ago delarsship advised it was ok to drive gave me a vechicle back with abs light tracation control light on along with a exuast leak.

The paint is bubbling and falling off in spots. This is ruining our trade-in value. The dealer says it always happens to white vehicles.

My 2016 kia Optima equipped with the 2. 4l dohc i4 gdi engine began to experience progressive and severe oil consumption during the latter part of my ownership. The oil warning light began activating repeatedly, even after shortly getting the oil changed. Several certified mechanics and oil change service stations told me this was an ongoing issue with this car and engine and that there was nothing I could do but monitor it and keep it filled. At their instruction, I monitored and had it changed more frequently, often topping it off at the oil change station and at home when needed. Approximately 2 weeks after an oil change upon putting the car in reverse it started to shake uncontrollably. The car was towed to a mechanic who stated I needed an engine. I then towed it to an authorized kia franchise dealership where the technician documented the oil consumption complaint, confirmed a cylinder 2 misfire code, performed a borescope inspection, and found the cylinder 2 exhaust valve burnt with a chunk missing. Engine replacement was recommended by the kia dealership technician. Prior to my purchase, the engine had already been replaced at approximately 80,000 miles under recall-related circumstances. The replacement engine installed by a kia dealership subsequently failed, exhibiting symptoms consistent with the documented widespread defect affecting the 2. 4l dohc i4 gdi engine in 2016 kia Optima vehicles, including severe oil consumption, cylinder misfire, and catastrophic internal engine damage confirmed via borescope at a kia franchise dealership. Kia America denied the claim based solely on mileage despite the damage being confirmed by their franchise technician. My vehicle became unsafe to drive due to this engine instability shortly after starting before becoming fully inoperable. My vehicle has been non-operational for approximately 5 months. Kia has not provided a substantive written determination despite a formal written demand submitted in March 2026.

I was sold an unsafe vehicle at j and j auto house 6446 wilshire bl la,CA 90022. Dealer withheld condition of car . Had car three months and was stranded on highway. Car was towed to kia dealer and diagnosed with complete engine failure. Dealer will not honor limited warranty, shady sales practices withheld recall info during sale, won’t allow his mechanic to look at car, dodged calls, denied request to return car for refund.