10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
69,434 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.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2015 Kia Optima Hybrid:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #5

Oct 182017

Optima Hybrid

  • 62,000 miles
* October 2017 while driving in the freeway car slowed down. Got off freeway and turned off car. Car would not start anymore. Kia replaced high voltage fuse, hybrid battery, power relay. * March 2018 car was taken in due to hev and engine light on while driving. Car did not accelerate. Kia replaced the transmission. * March 2018 car was returned after transmission change and 2 days later while driving car gave hev and engine light on. Kia said it was a "loose wire" from transmission. * March 2018 car gave hev and check engine light on while driving and Kia replaced the transmission again (2nd time in 1 month). * April 2018 check engine and hev code came out while driving and Kia replaced the computer from engine. *March 2019 hev and check engine light while driving on Kia replaced the main harness.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #4

Dec 182018

Optima Hybrid

  • 87,770 miles
Improper sealing of coolant reservoir that has slowly leaked onto the hecu unit and has fried the hybrid battery

- Lewisville, TX, USA

problem #3

Dec 052018

Optima Hybrid

  • 50,000 miles
On December 5, 2018 my car suddenly stalled while driving in an intersection. I immediately tried to restart it but was unsuccessful I had battery power, all of the ga restart it but was unsuccessful I had battery power, all of the gauges would a cycle back-and-forth whenever pushing the start button, however it was just like the gas motor would not fire. It is still under warranty, so I had it towed to a dealership. The next morning I was called and told that it showed a lot of codes, and they would need some time to decipher them and would notify me with results later. After about five hours I was called back and told her that the battery on the car was dead and it would not take a charge. Play then informed me that the battery on the car was the only thing not under warranty and the new replacement was $400. Unable to pay that much for a 12 V battery I tried unsuccessfully for a week to argue the fact that the battery was not dead when it went out and getting nowhere I finally bought a $200 battery, and installed it myself. I am mediately tried to start the car.... it did the same thing it did after it died a week prior. I am form them after giving them the key to the car back and I need new battery and it still would not start. A nother week went by and finally I was told that they was taking the battery I purchased out to put a Kia battery in the car to see if it will start (which they said that allowed the car to start). Then stated to me that after it started they were able to pull codes on it and it had a bed safety fuse. I was five minutes from the dealership whenever I was notified of this so I'll stop by nearly as I hung up the phone. When I walked in I walked straight to the car which was in the garage and look at my battery that I purchased was still in the car, had not been removed and I started the car. Successfully. I was still told couldn't take car.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #2

Oct 182018

Optima Hybrid 4-cyl

  • 60,400 miles
The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima hybrid. The contact stated that ten minutes after parking the vehicle, it burst into flames without warning. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was totaled and towed away by the insurance company. The dealer was not called. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and planned to investigate the matter. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was approximately 60,400. Consumer stated fire started at the hybrid battery.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #1

Jun 012018

Optima Hybrid

  • 87,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia optima. While driving 65 mph, the vehicle stalled and the message "hybrid battery issue, please shut car off immediately" displayed. The vehicle was taken to dch Kia of temecula (26799 ynez rd, temecula, ca 92591, (951) 268-9198) where it was diagnosed that the pra replay battery and the safety plug needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

- Hemet, CA, USA