2017 KIA OPTIMA

What owners reported to NHTSA, ranked by how often and how seriously.

This is complaint data, not a random sample.

It only includes owners who chose to file a federal complaint, so it over-represents dramatic and safety-related problems and under-represents minor issues an owner just had fixed without reporting. Read this as what NHTSA complainants report most, not as this vehicle's true failure rate. Full methodology.

Component ranking

  1. #1

    engine internal

    7 stranded, 60 unsafe

    67
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=24, median 70,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "I JUST PURCHASED MY 2017 KIA OPTIMA TWO MONTHS AGO. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK TODAY IN THE CENTER LANE ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR. OUT OF NOWHERE WITHOUT WARNING MY CAR SHUTTERS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. MY VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOST ACCELE…"~17,500 mi, complaint #1688034
    • "WHILE MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OUR CAR BEGAN SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THEN SMOKE BEGAN COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS INSIDE THE CAR; WITHIN SECONDS WE SEEN FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED THE V…"~44,000 mi, complaint #1586918
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated while stationary at a traffic light, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to her residence…"~68,000 mi, complaint #1762119
    • "MY 2017 KIA OPTIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE ON OCTOBER 15, 2020. I WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE AND HEARD A TICKING SOUND AND SOME NOISES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I PULLED OVER IN THE LEFT TURNING LANE ON THE HIGHWAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. I HEARD A POPPING SOUND…"~96,500 mi, complaint #1700848
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the oil warning light was frequently illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that oil had leaked into an engine cylinder. The mech…"~122,000 mi, complaint #1935387
  2. #2

    engine oil consumption

    51 unsafe, 4 annoyance

    55
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=20, median 76,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "ENGINE IS USING 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1100 MILES"~29,000 mi, complaint #1653080
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED ONE PINT OF OIL EVERY ONE THOUSAND MILES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO WALMART FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE OIL ON THE DIPSTICK. THE VEHICL…"~54,000 mi, complaint #1614316
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made knocking sounds with the check engine, ABS, and traction control warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the engine was consuming an excessive…"~72,000 mi, complaint #1844706
    • "Oil from engine does not cycle through the engine and instead it foams up and comes out of the top of the engine and I need to put oil in my car every week. "~104,156 mi, complaint #1939099
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V594000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and determined that the next avai…"~126,000 mi, complaint #1938674
  3. #3

    engine stall or no start

    2 stranded, 25 unsafe

    27
    incidents

    Commonly reported, insufficient mileage data - n=22, median 40,000 mi, no reliable range below 25 reports.

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER A COMPLETE STOP AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE A TURN, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, B…"~3,300 mi, complaint #1378834
    • "I PURCHASED A NEW 2017 KIA OPTIMA IN FEB OF 2017 AND ON JULY 17 2018 I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET WHEN I SLOWED DOWN TO A STOP SO A CAR CAN BACK OUT WHEN THE CAR VIOLENTLY SHOOK THEN SHUT OFF. I TRIED MULTIPLE TIMES TO RESTART IT BUT JUST SHOOK AGAIN AND TURNED…"~12,750 mi, complaint #1491172
    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE BY ALM KIA SOUTH ([REDACTED ADDRESS], UNION CITY, GA 30291). AFTER THE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED, STALLED, AND THE CHECK…"~40,000 mi, complaint #1564166
    • "MY 2017 KIA OPTIMA, THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AT NUMEROUS TIMES AND WHEN IT DOES IT STARTS TO RIDE ROUGH LIKE IT IS IN THE WRONG GEAR, SEEMS LIKE IT IS READY TO DIE OUT WHEN SLOWING DOWN. ALSO FEELS LIKE IT WON'T PICK UP SPEED. I WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY MOST…"~68,000 mi, complaint #1647152
    • "The contact’s sister-in-law owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine failed to turn over. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed and the mechanic dete…"~100,000 mi, complaint #1867670
  4. #4

    lighting exterior

    9 unsafe, 2 annoyance

    11
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "TAKATA RECALL BREAK LIGHTS NOT COMING ON. I NOTICED I HAD A NOTIFICATION COME ON MY DASHBOARD THAT READ ''CHECK BRAKE LIGHTS' AND BOTH OF MY BREAK LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON THE IMAGE OF THE CAR ON THE DASH. IT WOULD COME OFF AND ON RANDOMLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I…"~12,000 mi, complaint #1470663
    • "WHEN ON AUTOMATIC MODE, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES THEY COME BACK ON AFTER A MOMENT, BUT SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT COME BACK ON UNTIL YOU TURN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH FROM AUTOMATIC TO ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. IT HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE…"~55,000 mi, complaint #1597649
    • "WHEN CAR IS DRIVING, OR SITTING THE HEAD LIGHTS WILL GO ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. LIKE WHEN ITS DARK THEY WILL SHUT OFF. THEN COME BACK ON, SWITCH IS ON AUTOMATIC MODE. THEN WHEN YOU SWITCH TO TURN LIGHTS ON IT WILL DO ON AND OFF. BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL MO…"~73,200 mi, complaint #1679795
    • "THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF NO MATTER IF THE SWITCH IS ON AUTO OR NORMAL ON. THE LIGHTS CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, IT HAPPENS ON THE STREET, HIGHWAY, AND EVEN IF THE CAR ISN'T MOVING. IT STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO. THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DAMAGE OR WRECKS TO MY CAR."~100,000 mi, complaint #1731187
  5. #5

    steering electric assist

    6 unsafe

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "This has happened several times to me! While driving the steering wheel locks up and I have to coast to a stop to turn off the engine to reset the wheel. It has happened going 60mph down the hwy with my 3 young kids in the backseat. Going 30mph and I have alm…"complaint #1942171
    • " I am writing to bring a critical safety concern to your attention regarding my 2017 Kia Optima LX. The steering wheel of my vehicle frequently loses power, necessitating a restart of the engine for it to function properly again. This issue occurs randomly, b…"complaint #1971872
    • "Car engine stuttered when turned on, then after a moment smoothed out . I noticed some looseness in response in the steering wheel while driving forward, after a short period of time driving the antiskid symbol and the EPS symbol came on and I lost power steer…"complaint #2020877
    • "Failure of Flexible Steering Coupler, part of the Motor Driven Power Steering. This flexible coupler deteriorated noticeably over about 6 months time. Currently steering is very erratic with crunching sounds when turning wheel. This is a serious safety concer…"complaint #2085487
    • "I was driving and as I was going to make a left turn, the steering wheel forced itself to the right and locked. And the whole car completely shut down. So I had to slam on my brakes as they were also locking on me. "complaint #2088594
  6. #6

    wiring harness

    5 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    6
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEN STOPPED. THE ABS, AIR BAG, AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE D…"~7,000 mi, complaint #1395703
    • "THE WIRING IN THESE CARS ARE COATED WITH SOMETHING THAT SMALL RODENTS LIKE TO EAT THEY CHEW THROUGH THE TAPE THEN THEN WIRING. CAUSING HYBRID ENGINE NOT TO WORK LITES COME. LUCKLY NO FIRE YET. DEALER SAY SORRY THAT WILL BE $…"~24,000 mi, complaint #1725340
  7. #7

    battery and charging

    1 stranded, 4 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WE LEASE A 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID WITH TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE. IT HAS 1986 MILES AND IS THREE MONTHS OLD. LAST WEEK THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR ROADWAY WITH NO WARNING. MY WIFE WAS ABLE GET OFF THE ROAD BY CONSTANTLY R…"~1,980 mi, complaint #1369141
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled. The oil change warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an oil change was needed almost every two weeks. The vehicle was taken to an indepen…"~80,000 mi, complaint #2065714
    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the low battery warning light was illuminated, and the message stating an electrical failure was occurring was displayed on the infotainment center. The battery was tested and found to be non-defectiv…"~120,000 mi, complaint #2103722
  8. #8

    other

    3 unsafe, 2 broken

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "THE SHARK FIN ANTENNA SNAPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING. I HIT NOTHING, JUST DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY."~8,800 mi, complaint #1566682
    • "THE SHARK FIN ANTENNA COVER JUST BROKE OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING"~75,000 mi, complaint #1656348
  9. #9

    transmission automatic

    5 unsafe

    5
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "KIA OPTIMA 2017 HYBRID. 26K MILEAGE AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BECOME VERY CLUNKY, CAR JERKS WHEN SHIFTING ON ANY GEAR. NOT STABLE DRIVING, STRANGE NOISES UNDER THE HOOD ESPECIALLY WHEN VEHICLE GOES UPHILL AND EVEN ON STRAIGHT ROAD CAR TWITCHES. NO OIL LEAKS F…"~23,000 mi, complaint #1741745
    • "I BELIEVE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR. IT IS AN LX WITH THE 2.4L ENGINE GDI. IT'S THE STANDARD ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED "OFF" AFTER A FIRMWARE UPDATE. PRIOR TO THIS, THE CAR REALLY PERFORMED AND ROLLED NICELY. BY THAT I MEAN, TH…"~36,500 mi, complaint #1730523
    • "POWER TRAIN; SHIFT LOCK SPECIFICALLY: HAD TO USE THE RELEASE CONTROL MORE THAN ONCE. WHILE DRIVING WHEN IT HAPPENS, I FEEL A SURGE/ DECLINE IN ACCELERATION(SOMETHING I REQUESTED BE CHECKED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, BUT KIA SAID THEY COULD NOT RECREATE MY DESCRIPT…"~45,000 mi, complaint #1677883
  10. #10

    acceleration loss or hesitation

    4 unsafe

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=4)

    • "DRIVING TO WORK AT ABOUT 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY CAR LOST POWER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED OFF THE FREEWAY. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP &' THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AFTER HAVING MY CAR FOR A WEEK GAVE IT BACK &' SAID NOTHING WAS WR…"~10,500 mi, complaint #1660265
    • "THE CAR STALLS AND HESITATES AT TIMES WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED"~86,000 mi, complaint #1696854
  11. #11

    seatbelt and pretensioner

    1 unsafe, 2 broken, 1 annoyance

    4
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "SEAT BELT WILL NOT SNAP CORRECTLY IT KEEPS UNSNAPPING UNTIL YOU PUSH DOWN ON RELEASE BUTTON AND THEN IT STAYS SNAPPED."~15,000 mi, complaint #1531030
    • "SEAT BEAT SOUNDS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND SEAT BELT IS FASTEN. IT DINGS AS IF THE SEAT BELT IS NOT ON. SECONDLY, RADIO PLAYS BUT NO LIGHTS NO CAMERA WORKS FROM TIME TO."~32,000 mi, complaint #1602541
  12. #12

    abs module

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=3)

    • "WITHIN A WEEK BOTH FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER WHEEL SPEED SENSORS FAILED. RESULTING IN A PROMPT ON DASH AT START UP AND CONSISTENTLY DISPLAYED FOR AEB SYSTEM SERVICE AFTER VEHICLES AUTOMATIC SYSTEM SCAN AN SEE DIFFERENCE IN MILEAGE IN ATTACHED PICTURES. KIA TECH…"~20,526 mi, complaint #1701739
  13. #13

    adas collision warning

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was driving with an SUV in front of me at 18-wheeler in front of them. This is on a road where the speed limit is 65 however there's a section on 301 where there's a traffic light. All three vehicles came to a slow normal stop and the adaptive cruise contro…"complaint #1843077
    • "Forward collision avoidance system activated with no vehicle stopped in front. Brakes locked up multiple times and then unlocked."complaint #1853461
    • "Twice while driving in rain my front end collision warning has taken control from me and slammed on the brakes bringing my car to a full stop. There was no vehicle or object in front of me either time. The second time I narrowly missed being rear ended. "complaint #1931396
  14. #14

    airbag system

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "WHEN DRIVING THE 2017 KIA OPTIMA LX THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL START FLASHING INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAGS ARE ENGAGED ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO ONE SITTING IN THE SEAT. THE INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE M…"~24,989 mi, complaint #1489816
    • "The contact owned a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, another vehicle crashed on the front passenger side tire of the vehicle. Due to the impact, the vehicle was sent over four lanes of traffic and jumped over a curb. The contac…"~110,000 mi, complaint #1982836
  15. #15

    key fob and immobilizer

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "There is a viral trend spreading throughout the country that shows how easy it is to steal a key-start Kia or Hyundai. The perpetrators bashed my back rear window, dislodged the undercarriage of the steering wheel, and used something as simple as a USB cable t…"complaint #1825306
    • "Car can be easily stolen due to not having an engine immobilizer"complaint #1838603
    • "KIA states they are unable to provide the vehicle with the anti theft software update due to the vehicle having a remote start. I asked if they can remove the remote start. KIAs are not safe with only using the Club steering wheel lock. Theives are drilling a…"complaint #1912262
  16. #16

    sunroof

    3 unsafe

    3
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT IMPACT WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN THE HOUSE SHE HEARD AN ABNORMALLY LOUD BOOMING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN…"~37,300 mi, complaint #1708231
  17. #17

    hv system fault reduced power

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Car went into limp mode (three times since July 2022) and slowed down on the freeway from 70mph to 20mph without prior warning, putting my life at risk. Dash reads “check hybrid system”. Kia’s had my car for a week without allowing me a loaner or answers. "complaint #1881697
    • "Got a bsd and check hybrid system while driving. "complaint #1967373
  18. #18

    mirror

    2 unsafe

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "THE REAR VIEW MIRROR IS SITUATED TOO LOW, CREATING A LARGE BLIND SPOT IN THE CENTER OF THE WINDSHIELD. OFTEN, AT A 4-WAY STOP, THE CAR APPROACHING FROM THE RIGHT IS COMPLETELY BLOCKED OUT. DRIVER IS FORCED TO CROUCH DOWN SO AS TO LOOK UNDER THE MIRROR IN MANY…"complaint #1611569
    • "I CAN NOT SEE THE CAR ON THE RIGHT IF I WANT TO SWITCH LANES ON A HIGH WAY. IN TRAFFIC I GET NOT ZOOM IN AND OUT OF LANES, EITHER I (THE DRIVER) OR THE PASSENGER NEEDS TO TURN THEIR HEAD IN ORDER FOR THE DRIVER TO TURN RIGHT. I TRIED THE LITTLE MIRRORS THAT Y…"complaint #1656999
  19. #19

    software or update

    1 unsafe, 1 annoyance

    2
    incidents

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=6)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, the speed decelerated independently while the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the acceler…"~70,000 mi, complaint #1781858
  20. #20

    adas adaptive cruise

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On 6 June 2022 I was driving Eastbound Interstate 80 passing Fairfield, CA. Traffic was moderate, average traffic speed 65. The Kia’s Adaptive Cruise was enabled and set to the maximum amount of safe distance. I recall the car directly in front of me changed l…"complaint #1912711
  21. #21

    adas blind spot

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "WHILE ON AN HOUR'S DRIVE THE BSD (BLING SPOT DETECTION SYSTEM) CEASED TO OPERATE. THE ACTUATOR SWITCH WAS ILLUMINATED, BUT AN ERROR EXCLAMATION POINT APPEARED ON THE DASH NOTING THE BSD FAILURE. I DROVE ON FURTHER UNTIL I CAME TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THIS…"~11,000 mi, complaint #1489630
  22. #22

    backup camera

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=2)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the "Check High beam Assist System" and "Check Lane Departure System" messages were displayed. The Forward Collision Avoidance warning light and an unknown warning light were illumina…"~39,715 mi, complaint #1922201
  23. #23

    cruise control conventional

    1 annoyance

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Cruise control does not maintain a steady speed and constantly fluctuates 10+- miles an hour! The dealer refuses to fix and says they cannot reproduce the symptom. I used a tracker and saw the dealer drive it around the block, never attempting to put it on the…"complaint #1880203
  24. #24

    door latch and hinge

    1 broken

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On 11/02/2023 I mailed in the KIA request for Reimbursement form. I included a reciept from KIA of Fargo, ND for the Trunk latch assembly. My trunk latch failed in August of 2022, I had to leave Fargo so I cancelled my service appointment. Then purchased the t…"complaint #2000872
  25. #25

    engine turbo supercharger

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "My car does not accelerate easily and struggles with basic speed. I took it to a mechanic and am being told that my turbocharger has failed and must be replaced because there is fuel in my oil and there may be damage to my engine as a result that would require…"complaint #1931397
  26. #26

    ev drive unit or inverter

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I purchased the 2017 Optima Hybrid from Huntington Beach Hyundai on [XXX]. I made sure to double check with the dealer if the engine and hybrid battery were in good condition, in which the salesman reassured me everything is good. The car was driving okay fo…"complaint #2139913
  27. #27

    fluid leak unspecified

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "For years there has been a problem with my vehicle after it rains. On the drivers side when turning the steering wheel there is a scraping noise. The dealership service always said they can’t hear anything or duplicate the problem. Now the issue has extended…"complaint #2100897
  28. #28

    fuel pump

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after driving, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the fuel pu…"~46,000 mi, complaint #1919265
  29. #29

    fuel tank and lines

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Kia fuel rail spurting gas out. Kia dealer said it’s not under warranty and no recalls. Gas leak is so bad car can’t be driven. "complaint #1934578
  30. #30

    glass and windshield

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "WAS DRIVING THROUGH A TUNNEL WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP, AND THEN THE SOUNDS OF GLASS SHATTERING AND WIND. THE SUN ROOF OF MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY CRACKED. THE INTERIOR SUN SHADE WAS THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTED ME FROM HAVING A GLASS SHOWER."~12,000 mi, complaint #1494533
  31. #31

    hv battery and range

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I was driving at 65MPH on the highway when the warning lights went flashing on my dashboard with "Check Hybrid system", "!HEV", and check engine light. I pulled over to the side of the highway and had a tow truck took it to the dealership to check out. Kia dea…"complaint #1967427
  32. #32

    power steering hydraulic

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "The power steering stopped working and the car became hard to turn because of it. The power steering light (red color with steering wheel and exclamation point to the right of it) came on also."complaint #2093228
  33. #33

    steering column

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Randomly when turning, my steering will jolt in the opposite direction and lose power steering. The red power steering light does come on at this moment where I have to pull over, turn the car off, and restart and the symptoms clear itself up. In addition, t…"complaint #2097072
  34. #34

    steering rack mechanical

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "I WAS DRIVING TODAY AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE I WAS MOVING."complaint #1617709
  35. #35

    throttle and pedal

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=1)

    • "TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO BE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE…"~500 mi, complaint #1443195
  36. #36

    transmission cvt

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "On Friday 6/23/[REDACTED ADDRESS] home from work, one of the clutches went out on my DCT Transmission without any warning. I was at a stop light in front of all of the cars in a busy section and wasn’t able to go. I was able to get it to a safer location, but…"complaint #1907712
  37. #37

    trunk or liftgate

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "Several weeks ago, we had trouble opening and closing the trunk of our 2017 KIA Optima. Then a few weeks ago, the trunk of our KIA Optima closed and would not open at all. Because of the pandemic, we didn't contact KIA. But today, 16 Dec. 2021, as my wife w…"complaint #1783606
  38. #38

    wheel bearing

    1 unsafe

    1
    incident

    Mileage: suppressed (fewer than 10 mileage-bearing reports; n=0)

    • "ABS LIGHT AND TRAC LIGHT ON. RIGHT REAR HUB BEARING NEEDS REPLACING. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES."complaint #1687470

NHTSA investigations

Search NHTSA's own recall and complaint database for KIA OPTIMA directly.