Kia Optima Complaints (2019)

213 consumer complaints on file.

#11728158March 31, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Even after regular oil changes car requires an additional 4 bottles of oil every 2 weeks. Now the car is jumping and having a misfire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727986March 30, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The engine of vehicle repeatedly failed, causing the vehicle to stall while driving, which posed a serious risk to my safety and others on the road. The vehicle had approximately 65,000 miles and was maintained routinely and on schedule. The failure first occurred before November 18, 2025, when I reported stalling issues to Kia authorized service & parts. The vehicle was returned as “fixed” on December 12, 2025, but the engine stalled again during normal operation. The vehicle was returned to Kia authorized service & parts multiple times (December 12, December 18, December 23, January 9, January 12, 2026, and March 4, 2026), with repeated assurances that it had been repaired. Each time, the car continued to stall, including during a test drive at Subaru, demonstrating that the failure persisted despite repeated dealer intervention. The stalling created a significant hazard, as the car could lose power while on public roads, including highways, potentially leading to accidents. There were no consistent warning lights or messages prior to the engine stalling; the first symptom was intermittent loss of power while driving. The failure has been reproduced and observed by multiple service personnel at Kia authorized service & parts and by Subaru during the trade-in test drive. The component(s) causing the failure were inspected by Kia authorized service & parts staff, but no effective repair was made. Documentation of repair orders and dealer inspections is available for review.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725400March 18, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Our car paint started peeling out of no where and very bad. I just found out that it is a manufacturing issue with the bonding of the paint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725102March 17, 2026
ENGINE
The car had a complete engine failure at 92,000 miles. I was the second owner so this was not covered by any warranties. Well serviced and maintained vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714319January 29, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The vehicle experienced a sudden engine failure one day after undergoing a manufacturer emissions/service campaign at an authorized dealership. Prior to service, the vehicle operated normally with no warning lights, knocking, or drivability issues. After the failure, the dealership denied coverage and declined to inspect the engine oil. The vehicle was towed for an independent inspection, which found metal shavings in the engine oil, indicating internal mechanical engine failure. The sudden failure created a safety risk due to unexpected loss of engine function. The issue has been confirmed by an independent service center and the vehicle remains available for inspection. No warning lamps or symptoms were present prior to the failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713252January 25, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The paint is bubbling and falling off in spots. This is ruining our trade-in value. The dealer says it always happens to white vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712167January 20, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, there was sputtering sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was running rough. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a cylinder misfire and burned spark plug, and that there was oil inside the cylinder and on the spark plug. The contact was informed that the parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred months later. The vehicle was taken back to the same independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with oil consumption, oil intrusion into the firing chamber, and that another spark plug needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710748January 13, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I purchased this vehicle on [XXX], with approximately 170,150 miles. On [XXX], during a routine oil change at approximately 172,636 miles, it was discovered that the engine had no oil present. Shortly afterward, the oil warning light began flickering intermittently while driving. On November 4, 2025, at approximately 175,495 miles, a certified mechanic again confirmed that there was no oil present in the engine. At no point were there visible external oil leaks, indicating excessive internal oil consumption. This condition creates a serious safety risk, as sudden engine failure while driving could lead to loss of power, stalling, or accidents. Based on my experience and publicly known issues involving Kia engines, this appears to be a systemic defect rather than normal wear. I am requesting that NHTSA document and review this issue as a potential safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708483January 3, 2026
AIR BAGS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car was affected by emergency theft system locked car down when moving and caused airbags to deploy in which fractured my spine vertebra causing spinal fusion
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11707354December 28, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Paint peeling off hood.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704658December 12, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
Brought vehicle in for Recall-SC340 Theta II 2.4L GDI ECM S/W Upgrade. After service was performed I took my vehicle back home and noticed that my down shifting was different, jolty and clunky. Prior to the upgrade my vehicle shifted flawlessly. Took my vehicle back in to have them check it out and they told me that they couldn't feel it and that the upgrade wouldn't cause that. Called Kia Corporate and filed a complaint.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704565December 11, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the catalytic converter was previously replaced. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, two weeks later, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started misfiring. The contact drove to the residence. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The mechanic related the failure to an unknown engine recall, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the nearby dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine damage. The dealer acknowledged the unknown engine recall, but the engine was not replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part of the engine that was damaged was not covered. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 179,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704472December 11, 2025
ENGINE
I purchased a used 2019 Kia Optima from a dealership in January 2025 with 103,000 miles. 11 months later it's burning oil. Every 2 weeks I have to add a quart of oil. I took it to my mechanic and they found cylinder 4 has been burning oil. They also found a technical service bulletin related to engine oil consumption. They recommended replacing long block assembly. They referred me to a Kia dealership. Currently, my vehicle is at a Kia dealership. They performed a "leak down test" and found cylinder 4 has been burning oil and recommend a long block assembly. I have a 3rd party warranty on my car. They are currently reviewing this claim. If they decide to replace the long block assembly, there will be additional uncovered costs that I feel Kia should be responsible for. I have only put 7,000 miles on this car since I bought it 11 months ago. The car currently has 110,500 miles on it. I understand this is a used vehicle but engines should last 200,000+ miles. I'm trying to figure out my rights. By law isn't the dealership responsible for this oil consumption loss and long block assembly replacement?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703873December 9, 2025
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, POWER TRAIN
Unknown needing help with new purchased car. Bought this car October/2025 with 93k on engine. Already been to dealership i Bought it from to have current issues im dealing with checked out and they only listen to it and said it was injector ticking clatter. Since then ive seen white smoke and the car burning excessive oil. I am adding oil to the car every 2-3 days. Still noticeable smoke and smell of burning oil. No recall on this vin. It seems as if this is a huge problem with this engine. Please help
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703133December 5, 2025
ENGINE, STRUCTURE:BODY
Engine burners oil at about 1qt per 1000 miles. There is no leak, and no repair to stop the oil from burning quickly. I have to refill my engine with oil several times in between oil changes. Paint is peeling in various spots on my hood and bumper. I first noticed a small area along the border of the hood nearest the windshield (mostly visible from the driers seat). Then 3 more spots on the opposite side of the hood and eventually all over the bumper.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702944December 4, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
After routine maintenance replacing the valve cover gasket, the low pressure GDI fuel line developed a leak in an area away from where the maintenance had occurred. After a 10 minute drive, the car developed a fire in the engine compartment. Upon investigation by an independent auto mechanic, it was determined that the fuel line had become brittle and developed a crack that had sprayed fuel into the hot surfaces of the engine compartment. This appears similar to the scenario affecting earlier Kia Optima models with the 2.0L Turbo engines. The heat from the fire caused the brakes to start to fail and the amber check engine light to come on within about 5 seconds before smoke was observed coming from the engine compartment. Fortunately, the fire occurred as the vehicle was pulling into the owner's driveway and a fire extinguisher was nearby and used to put out the fire. The vehicle's occupants were able to exit the vehicle with no injuries.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11702596December 2, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
My vehicle is consuming oil excessively. I have to put a whole quart of oil in my vehicle every 2 weeks. I am adamant about getting regular maintenance oil changes as well. My car had to be towed to a local auto shop due to the engine stalling and accelerator not working. They had to replace all 4 coil packs and 4 spark plugs due to dark, tarry oil covering the parts. The repairman told me my engine was at risk of failing, and that the repairs he did would not last without a new engine. I am worried about the car stalling or failing while driving, which puts an accident occurring at greater risk. My complaints resemble symptoms tied to previous Hyundai/Kia engine recalls. I am requesting investigation and manufacturer action related to this issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11701144November 24, 2025
ENGINE
The motor burn oil even after the oil change is done. Also, the car shaking and is not damage to be found.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700463November 19, 2025
ENGINE
Red oil light came on along with check engine light took to shop got oil change and they test pressure all is good but oil light and engine light still on replaced oil pressure sensor switch and variable valve solenoid lights still on took to kia dealership they said say thing as first shop replaced oil pressure sensor switch again because they said the aftermarket one doesn't work on my car so bought part from dealer changed it light still on.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11699647November 16, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
I just recently purchased my 2019 Kia optima sx turbo. After purchase, I immediately began experiencing issues with the braking system and the forward collision warning light coming on. The cruise control stopped working as well. I googled and saw that there was a recall on the forward collision warning system but the local Kia dealership to me says there is not one. I almost had a head on collision in this car with my granddaughter coming from daycare as I completely lost brakes. I have put so much money into purchasing this car believing it to be a good car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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