Kia Optima Complaints (2016)

764 consumer complaints on file.

#11537440August 9, 2023
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated to 5 MPH. The contact depressed the accelerator and the vehicle started to vibrate but failed to respond as needed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her residence at 5 MPH. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred several times and the vehicle was towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer replaced the spark plugs and the battery. The vehicle was repaired; however, the dealer informed the contact that any repairs related to the recall would only be performed if the engine failed. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11537307August 8, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Headlights will randomly turn off when driving. I then have to quickly turn the headlight switch from auto to off to on to get them to come back on. There are numerous complaints online regarding this very same problem with Kia Optimas and other Kia vehicles. This is extremely dangerous.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11536979August 7, 2023
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light started flashing. The contact stated that smoke was coming from underneath the hood and an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that he pulled over, stopped, and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact had previously had a software upgrade for the knock sensor performed; however, the dealer stated that the engine had already suffered engine block damage and the vehicle did not qualify for an engine replacement. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,769.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11537034August 7, 2023
ENGINE
Excessive oil consumption, 1.5 quarts or more per ever 1,000 miles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11536627August 5, 2023
AIR BAGS
A straight line crack about 4 inches long appeared suddenly on my dash. The crack is directly over the dash mounted airbag. The car has been parked in my garage since I bought it new in 2016. In addition, my work location has an employee garage so it is hardly parked out in direct sun. It is in mint condition. I took the vehicle to the local KIA dealer and they said it was not covered by the warranty. My concern is that the crack may impede the deployment of the airbag in a critical situation. I feel it should be investigated because there are a lot of exact same complains on the internet concerning a crack at the same location.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11535631July 31, 2023
STRUCTURE:BODY
Window regulator replacement
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11535276July 29, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
The headlights failed and yes it can be inspected . The headlights while my 16 year old daughter was driving at night. She could not see the road there were no streetlights. She had to hit her brakes turn the car off and restart and the lights came back on . This put her life in danger I cannot believe there are no recalls . We have called numerous mechanics to fix and they have not heard of the problem. I do not trust Kia to fix this . She could have died . Before this happened the dash showed the lights changing themselves from auto to on to off . This also happened to me while driving at night . We now do not drive this car at night out of fear .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11534154July 24, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
I was driving and the car’s electrical completely cut out and locked my steering wheel up and ran us off the road and we hit a big rock on the driver side and then the power kicked back on and the steering yanked super hard to the right about 4 times and caught a fallen tree on the right side then completely died with me and my young kids . Took it to Kia to be serviced and got it back and it started to do it again
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533497July 20, 2023
ENGINE
2016 Kia Optima engine failed on freeway, ECU triggered limp mode had to get towed into dealer. Now dealer verifies engine failure issues but insists on having us drive it 1000 miles then come in to have engine oil consumption measured and do the same again for a total of 3000 miles before they honor engine replacement. Or engine completely fails within the 3000 miles. Car already shows heavy oil consumption, very dirty oil before mileage due to be changed, loss of MPG at least 5 miles per gallon after ECU upgraded. Car is sluggish and hesitates on acceleration, engine knocking noise. Bearing clearance test passes at this time. I feel I am driving a ticking time bomb getting ready to leave me somewhere stranded.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533276July 19, 2023
VISIBILITY/WIPER
3 of the 4 windows have had failures in the window regulators and the windows do not work.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11533044July 18, 2023
ENGINE
The car was diagnosed with a knock sensor problem in the engine. At that time I was told it was a recall regarding that matter. 2 months ago I took it to Kia Mall of Georgia in Buford, GA. At that time they said they fixed the sensor within 3 hours. The car wasn’t accelerating past 50 mph, the engine light was on and in struggled going up hills. After I got the car back, the next 3 days the engine light came back on and the car starting doing the exact same thing again! I called and told them and they told me to bring it back to them. So I took it back to them. After my car being there for 2 1/2 almost 3 weeks they told me they would have to replace the engine with a new one. At this time no one offered to get me some type of loaner car. On the third week they claim they were still working on it but the mechanic didn’t show up for 2 days. He left on Friday June 30th, 2023 and didn’t come back until Monday July 3rd! When he left on Friday I was told by Andrew Aycock that the car would be ready that Saturday, July 1st 2023. No one called so I ended up calling them Saturday and I was told the mechanic didn’t come to work so the car would be finished on Monday July 3rd. Of course that was a lie as well. I asked about a loaner they said they would get me one, that they had to call Hertz rental. They called me back and told me they couldn’t provide me with a loaner. So I still NEVER got a loaner and they had my car right at a month!! They called me Friday July 7th and told me the car was ready. I picked the car up on Friday. They said they put a new engine in it. Today is July 18th and it’s been a little over a week and the engine light came back on today!!. The same problem again. I have been so inconvenienced throughout this entire ordeal. It’s very hard to get in touch with anybody up there regarding my vehicle. Now I have to take it back up there, but something needs to be done asap! If it’s not the engine maybe it’s the car itself also I need a loaner Immediately!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532488July 15, 2023
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
In April, 2022, while driving on a major highway enroute to work, my 2016 Kia Optima started knocking and completely shutdown in the middle of high-speed traffic. I had the vehicle towed and was told that the recall for the engine knock sensor replacement hadn't ever been done which resulted in the engine to shutdown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11532407July 14, 2023
ENGINE
I have had zero, I mean zero issues with my Optima before today. I’ve maintained the vehicle since I purchased new in 2016 from Auffenberg Kia in Illinois. I had made it about halfway home when the vehicle started making a shuttering noise and began hard to drive. The first part of my drive was highway, no issues. The second part of my drive was country roads so a little slower speed when this began. The hard drive feeling went away briefly but was then followed by a flashing check engine light, still feeling okay to drive & maintaining a consistent speed. After I had slowed to go around corners is when it began again. I accelerated and the car accelerated as well but the rpms weren’t going over a thousand. Kept driving fine with no shuttering. Once I stopped at the stop sign and accelerated I couldn’t get over 30mph without the front end rattling and a faint squealing sound. I putted home and there it sits. A friend of mine is a mechanic and came with his diagnostic reader. Long story short, engine failure. I’m frustrated all over again because this seems to be an ongoing issue with the Optima’s with no resolution. I just hit 111k miles, which is not high miles for this to happen considering the vehicle is in good condition. Next is to get towed to the junk yard because it’s not worth putting a new engine in it & hopefully for a resolution from Kia.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11531366July 10, 2023
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Unknown. My oil light started to turn on while I was still 1200 miles before my next oil change. I check the level of my oil and it was completely empty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11531416July 10, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The window regulator in all four windows gave out back to back with little use of windows to begin with. Apparently Kia knows of issue but won’t recall part.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11531041July 8, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On July 4th, my vehicle lost engine power and flashed a quick prompt of "engine warning" before turning off completely, smoke from under the hood which resulted in a fire. I was able to extinguish it fortunately. I have since discovered there are three open recalls, which I received no notification about. I frequently check for recalls and all sites say there are none.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11530954July 7, 2023
ENGINE
I have to put 4 quarts of motor oil in every 2 weeks (approximately 600 miles) no black spots at all on the concrete drive at all. So it’s definitely burning it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11530179July 3, 2023
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the sunroof fractured without impact. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the sunroof needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact learned of a lawsuit regarding the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 70,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11529991July 2, 2023
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
This will be the second time this has happened to my vehicle my vehicle just randomly stopped while driving and will not start back up. It keeps showing on the dashboard “check hybrid system stop car and turn off engine” this happen 4 years ago and then a safety recall came out for it to get fixed this should have been fixed from the safety recall and never happened again unfortunately it happened again. The dealership is booked with appointments so my car will not get fixed for about a month or two. It is very dangerous for the car to just caught off in the middle of the road.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11528092June 21, 2023
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an abnormal oil consumption. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was diagnosed as an engine combustion failure. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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