10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 9 / 41
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 9 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 48,533 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The car has been making a sputtering/ticking noise since purchase. I have had it checked at Kia twice and they say no issues found. The noise is definitely not normal, but nobody will do anything about it.
- Ozark, AL, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. While driving 20 mph, the engine seized. The contact pulled the vehicle over, but it would not restart. The vehicle was towed to the contact's home. The vehicle was taken to arapahoe Kia (9701 E arapahoe rd, centennial, co 80112, (720) 262-9111) where it was diagnosed that a computer update was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
- Denver, CO, USA
Engine froze due to lack of oil being pumped
- San Antonio, TX, USA
Normal driving operation until knocking heard during low speed. Engine knocking grew louder under acceleration. Vehicle immediately taken to mechanic who stated an engine rod may be bend. Told Kia has recall for this issue. Kia stated the vehicle VIN is not a part of the recall. No heavy acceleration or use of the vehicle in the past. No indication of rod or engine failure.
- Katy, TX, USA
Sounds like pieces of metal was left in the engine during the time of manufacturing and was never taken out, the vehicle was still running, I decided to take it to get checked, the device at Kia of essington of philadelphia said it was a grinding sound on the bottom end of the engine
- Philadelphia, PA, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. Within a short period of owning the vehicle, the engine hesitated and suddenly seized while driving 60 mph. The vehicle was unable to be driven safely. The vehicle was excluded from NHTSA campaign number: 17V224000 (engine and engine cooling), although the vehicle exhibited the same failure as the recall campaign. The manufacturer had not issued any engine recalls for the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000.
- Apopka, FL, USA
Engine quit operating at 98375 would not go past 60 would sputter rpms would not go past 2 rpms had towed to dealer ship complete engine fairer replaced with new engine 4 day with new engine engine light is on again
- Gaylord, MI, USA
On March 7th 2019, I was driving down the highway at approximately 60 miles an hour I felt a click, & my engine light my oil light and my battery light illuminated. My car did not shut off but gas was not able to flow into the engine therefore I was coasting down the highway. I was able to get off on to the exit ramp I pulled over to the side, then I was able to shut my car off. I then began to restart the car, & it did restart I proceeded to put it in drive move forward, but the three lights illuminated once again. This was in the middle of the intersection. I shut the car off again, then, proceeded to restart the car, it restarted and I was able to drive the rest of the way to work, which was a very short distance. Later that day I downloaded the uvo app it did a diagnostic test and found nothing wrong with the vehicle., this test was wrong, something went wrong & is wrong. According to past recalls, the engine has seized and similar reports have been made. I found this extremely scary because of the fact I was driving down the highway in medium traffic, my engine stopped the lights came on and I did not know what was going to happen. Luckily I was still able to move the steering wheel enough to get off on the exit ramp and to pull to the side. I recently bought this vehicle and I've only had it for 6 months. I have had the oil changed only at the dealership, and any other services have done by the dealer ship. I am afraid to drive the car because of what happened, and what I have read from the past experiences of Kia Optima owners this has happened to.
- Atlanta, GA, USA
Driving the vehicle no warning signs or lights. Engine shuts off. Take to a mechanic the motor needs replaced. Replace the motor. Drive the car for 1 month motor needs replaced again. Both times like was empty when routine oil changes were done at 3,000 miles. A car does not burn oil over a 30 day period causing engine failure. A faulty product does. Kia should recall the engines in this year as well. The problem obviously is extended past 2014.
- New Haven, MO, USA
Took my car into the dealership ( atlanta West Kia, douglasville, ga) for an oil change, tire rotation, etc. I was notified when I checked in that there was a computer recall for an upgrade of the computer/electronic system. They informed me that they would do that while performing the other service work. 3 weeks after the oil change I was driving on the interstate the car sudddenly lost power after a big puff of white smoke and loud noise. I worked my way over to the nest exit and proceeded to turn around to go back home. No warning/engine/oil lights came on during this time. I called the dealership and never returned my call, with no results. We checked the oil the car was 3 quarts low. Continue to notify the dealer to no avail. The car needed 3 quarts of oil everytime I checked it weekly. Let me reinterate that the car was running fine before I took it in for service in Nov 2018. I called Kia Corp. They infomed me that my car was not under recall and that there's nothing they can do becasue I had 68K on the car. They asked me to have it towed in for diagnostic test. Now they want me to provide all the service records. The service records was in the Kia dealership system as I have used that dealer (prior owner) for most of my work. I am not sure what happened to the service records. At this point they refuse to replace the engine. Kia has recalled every year but 2015 - apparently they think they got it right in 2015 since the motor was built in a different location. The engine I S pracically gone and I have had the car less than 4 years. I purchased band new off the lot 9/2015. I feel like they should be made to add the 2015 Kia Optima to the engine recall list before someone get seriously hurt either by the car stopping in highway traffic or catching on fire. Door handle on the driver's side contiues to stick and the dorr will not open from outside or inside.
- Villa Rica, GA, USA
Shortly after crossing over train tracks I noticed the car would not accelerate anymore. I looked at the dashboard and observed several lights on and the RPM was at 0. I rolled to a stop and tried to restart the engine several times with no luck. I had the car towed to a local Kia dealership and they later told me that the engine failed. They said they are filing a claim with Kia to see what they are going to do. I previously got a letter from Kia that instructed me to have a dealership update the ECU so that the car goes into "limp home" mode if there is a problem. I have never experienced anything limp. The car was at 101000 miles when the breakdown occurred. Hopefully Kia replaces the engine.
- Villa Park, IL, USA
Driving the car, car just stalled out while driving in traffic. I was literally stalled on a busy road during morning rush hour. Had car towed to the local aaa repair center and they said there was no oil in the engine although I get regular oil changes. The car was working fine, no engine or oil lights to alert that the oil pressure was low.
- Charlotte, NC, USA
My car is using oil but its not leaking oil but everytime I get a oil change its olny a quart in my car maybe. I have to get my oil changed every month to make sure I have oil in my car cause it stopped on me and I had to get it towed home they put oil in it a lil later and it started working again. But no warning lights or oil indicators come on I need to know why and why is this oil burning off my engine am I in any danger if my car catching fire"? please I need to know cause this has become expensive to get my oil changed every month it just burbs the oil up I dont know why?" please if U could help me understand this would be helpful and what should I do about it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.
- Orange, TX, USA
While driving vehicle caught on fire brakes did not work car shut off had to jump out of the car in never came to a complete stop fire department had to come and put the fire out total loss
- Glenside, PA, USA
I was driving the road when out of the sudden the engine stops and sometimes turns on on itself, its seems like the engine locks and the cars stops suddenly.it also happens and I turn on intersections, when I accelerate to gain speed it turns off and I have to put the car on neutral and turn it on. On all of these occasions my family traveling with me.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
Vehicle caught fire unerneath the hood while driving on highway interstate 70. The fire department had to put out the fire. The windshield shattered due to the fire. You can see the burned square shape on the hood which shows the destruction underneath the hood.
- St. Louis, MO, USA
On January 15, 2019 my 2015 Kia Optima caught on fire while my 16 year old daughter was driving down the highway. She smelled a strong fuel smell first then tired to stop the car. The brakes wouldn't work so she had to use the emergency brakes. Pulled to the side of the road popped the hood and the engine was on fire.
- Smithfield, NC, USA
Takata recall my son and I was riding down the highway and we heard a loud boom! and the car started smoking we immediately pulled over and jumped out of the car we checked under the hood only to see fire! we immediately started running down the highway scared for our life's. since that day I have not been able to drive or ride inside of any vehicle.
- Marion, AR, USA
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. While driving 70 mph, the contact detected a loud, abnormal noise coming from the vehicle. As a result, the contact noticed smoke under the hood. A police report was filed. When the hood was lifted up, the fire extinguished itself and only smoke remained. The fire department was present and stated that the exhaust had burst and oil leaked out, which caused the fire. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not provided. The failure mileage was 80,000.
- Marion, AR, USA
- Yigo, GU, USA