Kia Optima Recalls & Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA lists 22 safety recalls and 7,512 owner complaints across 20 model years of the Kia Optima (2001–2020). The most-complained-about year is 2013.
Pick your Kia Optima model year
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Kia Optima | 0 | 148 |
| 2019 Kia Optima | 1 | 210 |
| 2018 Kia Optima | 2 | 232 |
| 2017 Kia Optima | 3 | 256 |
| 2016 Kia Optima | 5 | 756 |
| 2015 Kia Optima | 4 | 1,009 |
| 2014 Kia Optima | 7 | 589 |
| 2013 Kia Optima | 9 | 1,383 |
| 2012 Kia Optima | 5 | 919 |
| 2011 Kia Optima | 5 | 593 |
| 2010 Kia Optima | 1 | 75 |
| 2009 Kia Optima | 1 | 116 |
| 2008 Kia Optima | 3 | 144 |
| 2007 Kia Optima | 2 | 167 |
| 2006 Kia Optima | 2 | 155 |
| 2005 Kia Optima | 0 | 144 |
| 2004 Kia Optima | 1 | 225 |
| 2003 Kia Optima | 2 | 141 |
| 2002 Kia Optima | 3 | 107 |
| 2001 Kia Optima | 3 | 143 |
What Kia Optima owners complain about
Across all model years, owners have filed 7,512 complaints with NHTSA. The 2013 model year has the most, with 1,383.
All Kia Optima recalls (22)
Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Kia Optima, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module Park outside
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which…
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk,…
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Latch (latches/locks/linkages)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is…
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Roof and pillars (structure)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Optima vehicles. The right and left headliner plates may not be secured properly, which can result in the plates detaching in the event of a side curtain air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will secure the headliner plates, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 26, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC245.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 20V-100. The low pressure fuel hose may be damaged, or missing heat-protective tape, which can result in a fuel leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel hose, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 2, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-33-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC228.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module Park outside
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if…
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Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module Park outside
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until…
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles equipped with 2.4L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) or 2.0L GDI Turbo engines. The low pressure fuel hose may deteriorate and crack over time due to heat generated within the engine compartment.
Remedy: Kia will notify Owners, and Dealers will inspect the low pressure fuel hose for damage or leaking, replacing it as necessary. If no damage or leaking is found, a heat-protective tape will be installed. Repairs will be…
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Automatic emergency braking (forward collision avoidance)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Optima vehicles equipped with Gamma 1.6L Turbo-GDI or Theta II 2.0L Turbo-GDI engines. A software error in the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) system may cause the braking assist function to not engage when a stationary vehicle is detected.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the FCA software, free of charge. The recall began August 27, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC179.
Model years: 2019
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Engine and hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump…
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for…
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Air bag/restraint control module (air bags)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle…
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Hybrid propulsion system
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Optima hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install two newly designed Battery Management Systems (BMS) that contain Overvoltage Protection Devices (OPDs), free of charge. The recall is expected…
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Engine (engine and engine cooling)
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Kia Motors America (Kia) has recalled one 2016 Optima vehicle. In this vehicle, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
Remedy: The affected vehicle was remedied on January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC143.
Model years: 2016
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Axle shaft (power train)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 13, 2015, to April 23, 2016 and equipped with a 2.4l engine. The right front axle driveshaft may crack and fail.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is…
Model years: 2016
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Air bags: frontal
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. In these vehicles, a chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's frontal air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating…
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this…
Model years: 2016
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Switch (exterior lighting)
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year…
Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at…
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Air bags: frontal
KIA motors america, inc. (KIA) is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 KIA optima vehicles manufactured from september 29, 2005, through january 29, 2008, and model year 2007 and 2008 KIA rondo vehicles manufactured from september 13, 2006, through march 21, 2008. The clock spring contact assembly for the driver's side air bag…
Remedy: KIA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vehicle's air bag clock spring contact assembly, free of charge. The safety recall began on july 11, 2012. Owners may contact KIA customer assistance center at…
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Column shift (power train)
KIA is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 optima vehicles manufactured from september 29, 2005, through june 13, 2007. There is a possibility that the shift cable may have been installed incorrectly, causing tension in the cable. If present, this condition could cause the cable to detach from the shifter assembly's dowel pin…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the shift cable and reinstall if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on march 23, 2011. Owner may contact KIA at 1-800-333-4542.
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Suspension: front
KIA motors corporation (kmc) is recalling 36,538 model year 2001-2004 optima vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont,…
Remedy: Kmc will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on june 15, 2009. Owners may contact KIA's consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.
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Tank assembly (fuel system)
Some passenger vehicles may contain a fuel tank assembly valve that may not close properly. If a vehicle with a fuel tank assembly valve that is not properly closed were to roll over, fuel spillage may occur.
Remedy: Dealers will install an additional fuel tank assembly valve. Owner notification began june 25, 2004. Owners should contact KIA at 1-800-333-4542.
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Starter assembly (electrical system)
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.5 and 2.7 liter v6 engines, the crankshaft position sensor (ckp) cases did not meet dimensional specifications.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ckp. Owner notification began march 28, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time…
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Air bags: side/window
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The side air bag wire harness for the driver position could be mis-routed, which could result in it being pinched or cut by the seat cushion tilt mechanism.
Remedy: Dealers will check for proper routing of the side air bag wire harness and secure it in place with a plastic tie-wrap. If the wire harness is damaged, it will be replaced. Owner notification is expected to begin during…
Model years: 2001
Other Kia models
- Sorento10,183 complaints
- Soul5,553 complaints
- Sportage4,699 complaints
- Forte2,553 complaints
- Sedona2,410 complaints
- Telluride2,026 complaints
- Sephia1,705 complaints
- Rio1,291 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.