10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
10,475 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.

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #19

May 112023

Optima

  • miles
I was driving on the highway and my car started smoking. I got off at the next exit and black smoke started billowing out from under the hood. As soon as I opened the car door flames started coming out from under the hood. Entire engine was on fire

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #18

Aug 292023

Optima

  • miles
The engine is malfunctioning, ! and is available for inspection. Within one month of owning(leasing) the vehicle, While driving on the highway, the engine light started flashing, and the car immediately decelerated. Gas pedal was to the floor, and couldn-??t get over 40mph. Safely got it to my mechanic who put it on the computer, and read knock sensor. The car was 2 quarts short, and we had 800 miles to go until next oil change was due. The vehicle is BURNING oil. Not one zero leak! We are subjected to continually checking and replenishing the oil to prevent the engine to go back into safe mode. I have 3 small children. Car still under warranty, dealership can-??t get car in for months and no shop can get their hands on a motor. Please help!!!

- Cleves, OH, USA

problem #17

Sep 112023

Optima

  • miles
Smart choice auto financial in Indiana sold me a vehicle with a defaulted engine. Purchased car 9/20/2022 I have been consistently changing an add oil, to up keep the vehicle til I receive help. Vehicle have been attempted to be fix 6times, 3 by dealership I purchased from, an three different kia dealership. Not yet acknowledged the so call life time warranty, I was told engine had to go out. At this point 9/14/ 2023 the engining knocking, smoking, engine light on. So I took it to another kia dealership am it's there as we speak. Waiting I fro

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #16

Aug 212023

Optima

  • miles
Just had oil changed on June 30th, 2023. However, for the second time now after about 1.5 month after the oil change the oil light is flashing on and off at either takeoff or breaking. Checked oil stick and it say it-??s full then check again it-??s spotty as if there-??s no oil in the engine. Took cap off engine and it was smoking and smelling burnt. Oil on the stick was definitely darker than normal as well. What is the cause of this?

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #15

Aug 192023

Optima

  • miles
I been having problems with the oil I do the regular maintenance on vehicle I have all the repair paperwork from Dealer and Montebello Lube I put synthetic oil so that 5000 miles at 2500 oil is empty I already replaced the head gasket oil is being consumed fast constantly filling with oil every time I Drive engine light came on 2 times for no oil in engine I need something done

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #14

Aug 142022

Optima

  • miles
Oil consumption issues, did an oil consumption test in august of 22 at Web Chevy, which is the dealership the car was bought from.

- Plainfield , IL, USA

problem #13

May 272023

Optima

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact's husband replaced the battery; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the starter was replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle needed an oil change; however, the contact stated that the vehicle had recently had an oil change performed. The contact stated that while driving from the dealer, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to an auto parts store, where a technician inspected the engine and confirmed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the dealer advised the contact to check the engine oil level after every fill up. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

- Bradenton, FL, USA

problem #12

Oct 032022

Optima

  • miles
Good Afternoon, I have a recall on my 2019 Kia Engine but since I-??m over my mileage Kia does not want to help with it but i read that there is a lifetime warranty on the cars with this type of engine I got a disgusted test done and they are still not wanting to fix the problem

- Smyrna , TN, USA

problem #11

Nov 012022

Optima

  • miles
My 2019 Kia Optim is starting to consume oil every 15 miles this is a problem that Kia have with thousands of 2019, 2020 and 2021 they have bad engines in them and Kia knows about the problem and refusing to do anything with the custom, you all need to make them have a recall and fix the problem with all those engines some vehicles only have 20,000 miles on them and have the same problem.

- Snellville, GA, USA

problem #10

Mar 212023

Optima

  • miles
Engine failure

- Nipomo, CA, USA

problem #9

Feb 092023

Optima

  • miles
Engine Oil light come on / Low on Engine Oil

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #8

Sep 212022

Optima

  • miles
This car was equipped with the theta ll engine and I believe that-??s what caused it because it was an electrical smoldering. The car has been signed over to the insurance company, it was totaled. If this had happened 30 minutes sooner, I would have been burned. Me and my daughter had luckily just got out of the car. No the problem has not been confirmed by a dealer. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, but has been inspected by police and insurance. There was not any warning lamps or messages prior to the incident.

- Stockton , MD, USA

problem #7

May 272022

Optima

  • miles
Car ran perfectly. No indications on the dash cluster until the check engine light started flashing and car went into limp mode. Got to safety off freeway to a gas station lot. Parked car. Took video of the car running while recording the dashboard. Pushed the gas while in park to hear Rod knock. It was 10pm. Had car towed home. 2 days later towed to dealer. Between time it broke down and I had towed to them. I found out about the knock sensor. I also joined a group on Facebook with hundreds of people getting screwed over. There I learned about class action and oil consumption issues. Not on any oil change was I made aware of low oil. I check my oil levels and have a high class mechanic change my oil. So first the dealer calls me and says. Technician states no oil in engine. I ask. Well why was there no oil light on? I said if there was. I-??d had had my car checked. I said only thing in was flashing check engine light at the moment of failure. He advised. No the engine lights not on but oil light is. I emailed him my dash cluster video. He calls me and says. Oh you-??re right. Sorry miscommunication with technician. I also sent picture of oil dipstick that showed there was oil filled to The top indicator. Advisors Response was basically a shrug. They asked for most recent 6 oil change receipts. I furnished 8. They said sludge in engine. I asked for pics. After 6 requests I received 2 pics that do not match up with pics I took of same part. So at this point per at least 200 people and myself. Kia and Hyundai are voiding warranties and not backing up their crappy engines. WE NEED HELP URGENTLY. I have not paid car payment since breakdown. I am $3700 in the hole paying for rental that I was told would be reimbursed once engine replacement was approved. Well they SUCK. Many more in my position or worse now. This is criminal and fraudulent

- Costa Mesa , CA, USA

problem #6

Mar 182022

Optima 4-cyl

  • miles
We own 2 2019 Kia optimas, one my 20yr old daughter drives. On her way to school she smelled a burning smell. On her way home at a dangerous intersection she smelled a strong burning smell & the car just stopped. I told her to get out of the car quickly, she had to climb to the right side as it was too unsafe to exit from the left. Thankfully she wasn-??t on a 55 mile/hr road bc it just stopped abruptly & surely would have been hit as brake lights would not have warned. The car was towed to the dealership where it was purchased & under warranty on Friday 3/18/22. Saturday 3/19/22 I went to inquire what happened & was told by the service advisor that it started once, there was a burning smell coming from the engine & the engine was only running on 2 cylinders & stopped. He said they created a ticket, which I came to know that they were conferring with Kia engineers by Kia consumer affairs & I also created a case with. We did research & found a class action suit that was settled describing the exact problem that we experienced, however bc it was settled, Kia was never had to issue a broad recall, so if your 2019 optima experienced this very serious problem of engine failure & fires after 11/30/2021, they say Kia will be handling the cases on a rolling basis, however we just got the run around & the car remains there today 3/26/22 unfixed & the dealership is trying to say it-??s just a fuel pump & if that was the case, they wouldn-??t need 8 days waiting for Kia engineers to be fixed. In the settlement, Kia was also noted to be denying proper fixes for this serious issue with cars still under warranty. We were denied a rental car & they will not call us. This is my daughter-??s life, please help us. The other 2019 Kia Optima that I drive was brought to the same dealership under warranty complaining of the engine sputtering & jumping, they did nothing & said it should be fine however it-??s still doing it & my daughter is now driving this potentially dangerous car to school. This vehicle has been there since 03/18/22 & it-??s 0

- Moorseville , NC, USA

problem #5

Jan 062020

Optima

  • 30,000 miles
I've had this car going on three years sometimes not all the time I will go to start it and it will barely start so I took it to the dealership three times when I got my oil change and they checked the battery but they're saying the battery is good and the starting system the car will just be sitting in my garage and I try to start it it just sounds like it's barely starting and then the next time I started it's fine

- Brownsburg, IN, USA

problem #4

Jul 082019

Optima

  • 100 miles
I purchased on my 2019 Kia Optima on 6/19. And since then off and on the car has experience intermittent starting issues. Now I have taken the car to two different dealers and neither one can find the problem. When pressing the stop/start button the car would hesitate to start no lights or codes are stored in the computer. I have contacted Kia about the issue all I was ever told was take it to the dealer and let them inspect it. The dealer would reset and update firmware. That would last for a minute but eventually the car would go back into the same thing of hesitating. The car has been into the dealership multiple times for the same issue Kia has opened case after case but no solution. The car is considered a lemon by state statues. Not one time has Kia offered to take the vehicle the only thing I'm told that if it happens again bring it back. I would spend more and miles taking the car to the dealership. There is also an issue with the wheel alignment the left rear wheel always need to be aligned I'm not sure why but when I take the car for an alignment that wheel is always out of specs.

- Clarksdale, MS, USA

problem #3

Feb 272020

Optima

  • 74,800 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph and merging onto the highway, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact pumped the accelerator pedal several times and the vehicle responded. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,800.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #2

Feb 042020

Optima

  • 8,801 miles
2019 Kia Optima, in July of 2019.1st instance, 2/4/2020 (late afternoon) I drove back from new albany in and as soon as I got off the freeway on keystone, I tried to turn a corner and the cel light came on flashing and the car would barely accelerate (heavy hesitation). They said do not drive, get a tow.I did, they hooked it up. An error to contact Kia eng. They indicated its 1 of 2 things, rock sensor harness/rock sensor. 1st they said they would replace the sensor but they only replaced the harness.mileage on this date 2/7/2020 8,801 miles. Picked up my car on February 7, 2020. 2nd instance 2/24/2020 @3pm(ish)- return trip to indianapolis from lafayette (round trip) apx 2:59P on the way back to work, I got off in zionsville to run to the store. I stopped at the light and tried to turn right, the exact same scenario as the 1st instance. Cel light, major hesitation and very little acceleration. Called service at Kia to get my rental ready and I was on my way in to the shop. The rental was ready and it was late Monday. He contacted who is the GM called me 2/24/2020 @6:16pm to say that he will look into this asap in the morning. He also indicated that he is part owner of lia dealer.on Monday evening I contracted Kia Corp office to file a case # same evening, I text my salesman but the gmcalled 8:07A explained its on the rack and the engineers have been contacted for the resolution and he will call me when they know more. Tues GM and GM of all local service depts) called and explained the issue, attempt at a resolution change the sensor and driving 10 miles to make sure it fixes it. How is 10 miles going to 'test' he agreed 30 mile test. He said if this sensor fails they (Kia Corp) will replace the engine! well the sensor is working 2 days so far. (last time it took 11 days and 1,177 miles to fail) I picked up car on 2/26/20. L

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #1

Jun 262019

Optima

  • 2,000 miles
I bought my 2019 Optima brand new back in November. It is now June and I have had it back to the dealership 3 times for randomly not starting on me. I get the same answer every time. They don't know what it is, nothing comes up on the computer when they plug it in. They say, "if it happens again, call us and well take it in". buying this car brand new and my payments being that of a range rover, I am extremely upset. To top it off, the back windshield is slipping down. I am over this car and I will never buy another Kia again. But, my fight is not over, something will have to be done. It also hesitates at times, feels as though it is struggling to go. Also, two times while I was driving the car, the dash lit up with almost everything like, I was in a crash, the exclamation point, etc.

- Villas, NJ, USA