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

2015 Kia Optima with approx 68,000 miles. Going up hill up a ramp to merge onto highway around 40 mph when the check engine light illuminated and would no longer accelerate. Shortly after, the oil and battery lights illuminated and car coasted as far as possible into shoulder as I could. Car would not restart. Sat on the on-ramp for quite a while partially blocking traffic and almost had some near miss accidents from other drivers passing and honking at me. Towed to Kia dealership same morning. Tech believes my engine has seized but no official diagnosis. They provided me with a loaner car at no charge. I am original owner and hope Kia will replace my engine at no cost and buy my car back. I am scared of the vehicle fires that are happening with these engines for other people. My car gave me no failure warning until it was too late.

- St. Peters, MO, USA

I was traveling at 65 mph on a straight and level highway in my Kia Optima (which has less than 60,000 miles), the check engine light came on and I lost all power. I could have lost my life. Car was towed to local repair shop who determined that vehicle needed to be brought to a dealer. Barry henderson, the repair shop manager, said there is a possible wiring issue and if the wiring is okay, the engine needs to be replaced. He told me they couldn't repair so the car was towed to hyman brothers Kia in midlothian, va. All required maintenance has been done on this car and hard copies of all of the service records have been place on the front passenger seat as proof.

- Midlothian, VA, USA

Car used to commute 50 miles each day to work and back. Engine started consuming a lot of oil (a quart each week). Kia dealer said engine is blown.

- Waverly, IA, USA

Around 55,000 miles I started having low oil and having to add oil, shortly I heard some rattling under the hood. At this time I also started to notice white smoke from the tailpipe when I would accelerate. I took it in to the dealership and they refused to cover it under warranty saying I did not maintain the proper oil changes. I offered proof of all my oil change receipts and they still denied to fix it. I could not afford the fix they say needed to be done so I just decided I would just add the extra oil to the engine every week however around 63,000 the engine blew. Now currently the car is at the dealership and I am awaiting to see what they will do about it. I have read so many complaints on this exact issue on this car and I expect them to fix my car.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

Had oil changed and a month later noticed the car making a knocking noise and skipping while driving on city street and highway. Had the oil rechecked and the car was out of oil. First thought that the oil place forgot to put oil in. However, it was later determined by a mechanic that the valve was gone in the engine and I would need a new engine at 130,000 miles in a 2015 Kia Optima LX. The car stopped on the highway at 70 but I was able to move to the side.

- Brunswick, GA, USA

Vehicle started to make a knocking noise going down the hey at 60 mph. Car was taken to the dealer and catastrophic engine failure was diognosed. Kia commissionsers was notified.

- Woodleaf, NC, USA

I was driving about 40 mph and the engine and electrical systems just shut off. This is after an oil change, and with no warning signs. Luckily I wasn't on the freeway and was able to safely pull over. Still have no luck getting it restarted after being towed to my residence

- Clovis, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. While driving 40 mph, the engine stalled. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the road shoulder, but it would not restart. The vehicle was towed to a friend's home. The contact called dutch miller Kia of charleston (335 maccorkle ave sw, South charleston, wv 25303, (855) 739-5369) and was informed to provide them with the VIN since this would be the second engine that had to be replaced in less than one year. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Bancroft, WV, USA

At approximately 4:30 a.M. on November 12, 2018, the engine became fully engulfed in flames while the car was parked on the street in front of our house and turned off. No one had driven the car for several hours. The fire destroyed the entire front end of the car, melted the tires and filled the interior of the car with smoke. Fortunately, the fire department arrived and put out the fire before it spread to the gas tank.

- Albany, NY, USA

Vehicle smoking from exhaust and stalling, (26,630 miles ) taken to dealer ( rusty wallace Kia ) on 05/15/18. Cleaned oil from intake. Vehicle smoking and stalling, taken back to dealer on 05/28/18. Vehicle was at dealer for 30 days. Dealer says no problems found. Vehicle still smoking and now very low on oil, vehicle taken to dealer on 11/12/18.

- Powell, TN, USA

Vehicle cuts off while driving. This has happened twice in the past week. Once on the highway. Once on the city streets.

- Grovetown, GA, USA

Engine failure and replacement around 86,000 miles. Now has 95,000 miles. Has shaking, burning smells, and suspected power surging. Dealer states can not replicate smell or surging. Although a resistor was burnt up. They say the shake in the car is normal due to engine design. Engine did not start shaking until 40,000 miles. Kia corporate refuses to send a tech out.

- Lowell, OH, USA

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact coasted to the shoulder. No warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. An independent mechanic determined that the engine seized and needed replacement. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnosis. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 64,500.

- Chicago, IL, USA

I noticed that while driving my car it would first make a noise and then right after it would stall and sputter/ jerking like it wants to cut off. I took my car to a Kia dealership first in alexandria, va where they only did my oil change and nothing else because they said that it would take a while for them to look at my car and they didn't have a loaner for me, so I then took my car to the falls church, va location and I explained to them what was happening with my car and for about six months I was bringing my car back and forth there for oil changes because they wanted to see if it would still have the same issues and no matter how many oil changes they done my car would still do the same thing. My car was close to the maximum miles for where it would still be covered under my warranty to get fixed and I told them that I wanted to get the issue fixed before my warrant runs out. So finally they keep my car sitting in the shop for 1 month without anyone looking at it and come to find out the guy that was going to be working on my car no longer works there, I would call them to check on the status of my car and most times I could never reach anyone and they didn't call me to keep me up to date on the progress, so after about 1 1/2 month they call me and tell me that they can not fix my car due to lack of maintenance and up keep by me and even though it's covered under warranty, my car only had 57,000 miles on it and it will cost me $5000 + to get my car fixed. I'm still driving my car and still having the same issues, I'm very upset because it's like Kia doesn't even care and seems like the people at the dealership wanted me to keep coming back and forth so that I can get close to the miles to where it wouldn't be under warranty so they wouldn't have to fix it. My car isn't fixed and I don't have the money to get it fixed, I'm hoping for a miracle.

- Woodbridge, VA, USA

Relocating to las vegas and my engine went out. The car just stop moving. I bought this car 13 months ago at paul blanco stockton and it went out after only having 84,000 miles

- Stockton, CA, USA

Engine ( and electrical systems ) shut down (3 times) completely and unexpectedly, while car was in motion at highway speeds( twice) and once while at tolls. Also noticed that when you turn key occasionally, its like battery is dead. I believe that first and second times I was flashing hi beams at highway speeds. After these events happen, the mileage guage resets, and clock is wrong. Also notice that the radio flickers, , and or turns off on its own. Also, not able to reset trip mileage, and noticed that shifter button intermittently will not depress.

- West Haven, CT, USA

2015 Optima sxl with 130K miles regularly maintained with all highway miles. While traveling on the highway at 70 mph, car began to make a mild klanking sound. Slowed the vehicle down and shortly thereafter, a loud bang occurred under the hood and engine lost all power. Pulled off the on the shoulder and engine compartment was on fire. The engine and a few other lights were on. Luckily, I was able to get out of the vehicle which continued to burn. The car is a total loss. No prior sounds or noises suggesting a problem. All Kia updates or maintenance notices were handled by a Kia dealer. The vehicle was purchased new and has been well maintained with all oil changes and maintenance done by a shop. Have had no major problems with this vehicle and this is not only a surprise but a concern as this is my second Kia (prior one is still owned).

- Portage, IN, USA