2020 Kia Optima Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2020 Kia Optima, and owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2020 Kia Optima. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
148 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2020 Kia Optima have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA; 6 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 69,725 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 50 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“purchased this vehicle on June 18, 2024, as a second owner with 125,019 miles on the odometer. Within months of purchase, the engine began exhibiting symptoms consistent with connecting rod bearing fa”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 1, 2026 · Engine
“The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving 32 MPH, there was smoke coming from under the hood and underneath the driver's side of the vehicle, and a bystander informed t”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 30, 2026 · Firerelated
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2020 Kia Optima (Optima FE, Optima Hybrid, Optima Plug-in Hybrid). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 24–42 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 21–40 / 30–45 |
| Fuel | Regular, Regular Gas and Electricity |
| EPA class | Large Cars, Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6/2/2.4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM6); Automatic (AM7); Automatic (S6) |
Compare Kia Optima model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kia Optima model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 Kia Optima | 3 | 143 |
| 2002 Kia Optima | 3 | 107 |
| 2003 Kia Optima | 2 | 141 |
| 2004 Kia Optima | 1 | 225 |
| 2005 Kia Optima | 0 | 144 |
| 2006 Kia Optima | 2 | 155 |
| 2007 Kia Optima | 2 | 167 |
| 2008 Kia Optima | 3 | 144 |
| 2009 Kia Optima | 1 | 116 |
| 2010 Kia Optima | 1 | 75 |
| 2011 Kia Optima | 5 | 593 |
| 2012 Kia Optima | 5 | 919 |
| 2013 Kia Optima | 9 | 1,383 |
| 2014 Kia Optima | 7 | 589 |
| 2015 Kia Optima | 4 | 1,009 |
| 2016 Kia Optima | 5 | 756 |
| 2017 Kia Optima | 3 | 256 |
| 2018 Kia Optima | 2 | 232 |
| 2019 Kia Optima | 1 | 210 |
| 2020 Kia Optima | 0 | 148 |
Checking a specific 2020 Kia Optima
How do I know if my 2020 Kia Optima has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
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.