Kia
Kia Optima years to avoid
Years to avoid: 2014, 2015 and 2016. Best years: 2020.
The 2014, 2015 and 2016 Kia Optima draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2014 has 546 complaints (42 for each year on the road), 2015 has 1,006 complaints (84 for each year on the road) and 2016 has 756 complaints (69 for each year on the road), against a median of 26 a year across the 7 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2015 is engine failure (319 reports).
- 3,151complaints
- 13recall campaigns
- 7model years with a page
Newest report Sep 29, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Pick your model year
Owner complaints on file for each year.
Years to avoid
2014
Most reported: engine failure (129 reports, median 100,000 miles) and stalling (113 reports, median 95,000 miles).
2015
Most reported: engine failure (319 reports, median 88,000 miles) and stalling (256 reports, median 82,000 miles).
2016
Most reported: engine failure (201 reports, median 80,000 miles) and stalling (125 reports, median 80,000 miles).
Best years
2020
Most reported: engine failure (44 reports, median 84,000 miles) and oil consumption (33 reports, median 60,000 miles).
Complaints for each year on the road
Each model year's NHTSA complaints divided by the calendar years it has been on sale, counting this one (a 2018 model has had 9). Older cars have had longer to collect complaints, so raw totals flatter the new ones. Blue bars are the years to avoid.
Within one model, sales change less from year to year than they do between models, so a jump here is mostly a jump in problems. The call: the years to avoid are the (up to three) highest at 1.5 times the model's median rate or more, and the best are the (up to three) lowest at two thirds of it or less, from 2016 on.
Guide How much should a years-to-avoid list decide? What these lists get wrong
At a glance
- Where the complaints sit
- The 2015 has the most complaints of any Kia Optima year here: 1,006 of 3,151 (32%).
- Problem across the years
- Engine failure is the top problem in every model year with a page, 850 reports in all. Pooled across the years, half of the 477 owners who gave a mileage for engine failure were under about 84,000 miles.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 9% of Kia Optima complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The highest share is on the 2019, 26 of its 209 complaints.
- Recalls on the top problem
- 1 of the 7 model years where owners report engine failure have a recall on the same system: 2014. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2023 at 536 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 420. So far in 2026, 218 more have come in. Filings on record start in 2015.
Photo: SsmIntrigue, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: SsmIntrigue, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Fourth generation (JF)
| Year | Complaints | A year | Recalls | Most reported | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 avoid | 756 | 69 | 5 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (201) | 65,000 |
| 2017 | 256 | 26 | 3 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (72) | 57,000 |
| 2018 | 232 | 26 | 2 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (52) | 38,000 |
| 2019 | 209 | 26 | 1 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (33) | 47,800 |
| 2020 best | 146 | 21 | 0 | Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (44) | 60,000 |
Year by year
2020 Kia Optima best
146 owner complaints, 21 for each year on the road (0.8 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (44 reports, median 84,000 miles), oil consumption (33 reports, median 60,000 miles) and misfire (31 reports, median 100,000 miles). 6 reports involved a crash and 4 people were hurt. No recalls.
2019 Kia Optima
209 owner complaints, 26 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (33 reports, median 92,000 miles), oil consumption (31 reports, median 65,000 miles) and false collision warning (30 reports). 20 reports involved a crash and 16 people were hurt. 1 recall: 19V-539 on collision avoidance.
2018 Kia Optima
232 owner complaints, 26 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (52 reports, median 64,000 miles), oil consumption (48 reports, median 45,000 miles) and misfire (37 reports, median 99,000 miles). 10 reports involved a crash and 9 people were hurt. 2 recalls, including 23V-594 on the latches and locks and 18V-161 on the hybrid system.
2017 Kia Optima
256 owner complaints, 26 for each year on the road (1.0 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (72 reports, median 68,000 miles), misfire (49 reports, median 90,000 miles) and stalling (47 reports, median 40,000 miles). 4 reports involved a crash and 7 people were hurt. 3 recalls, including 23V-594 on the latches and locks and 18V-907 on the fuel system.
2016 Kia Optima avoid
756 owner complaints, 69 for each year on the road (2.6 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (201 reports, median 80,000 miles), stalling (125 reports, median 80,000 miles) and misfire (124 reports, median 92,000 miles). 27 reports involved a crash and 21 people were hurt. 5 recalls, including 23V-594 on the latches and locks and 18V-907 on the fuel system.
2015 Kia Optima avoid
1,006 owner complaints, 84 for each year on the road (3.2 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (319 reports, median 88,000 miles), stalling (256 reports, median 82,000 miles) and misfire (108 reports, median 100,000 miles). 31 reports involved a crash and 23 people were hurt. 4 recalls, including 23V-652 on the brakes and 21V-331 on the brakes.
2014 Kia Optima avoid
546 owner complaints, 42 for each year on the road (1.6 times the model median). Most reported: engine failure (129 reports, median 100,000 miles), stalling (113 reports, median 95,000 miles) and misfire (53 reports, median 100,000 miles). 19 reports involved a crash and 22 people were hurt. 7 recalls, including 17V-224 on the engine and 23V-652 on the brakes.
Recalls that cover several model years
The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
Questions
What Kia Optima years should you avoid?
The 2014, 2015 and 2016 Kia Optima draw the most owner complaints for their age: 2014 has 546 complaints (42 for each year on the road), 2015 has 1,006 complaints (84 for each year on the road) and 2016 has 756 complaints (69 for each year on the road), against a median of 26 a year across the 7 model years old enough to judge. The most reported problem on the 2015 is engine failure (319 reports).
What are the best years for the Kia Optima?
The 2020 draws the fewest complaints for its age: 146, or 21 for each year on the road. Model years before 2016 aren't called best, because complaints filed before 2015 aren't in the files this site reads and their counts run short.
What is the most common problem on the Kia Optima?
Engine failure, with 850 reports across the 7 model years that have a page here. It's the single most reported problem on the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
How many recalls does the Kia Optima have?
13 recall campaigns cover the Kia Optima model years 2014 to 2020 on this site. The widest, 18V-907 on the fuel system, covers 4 model years.
How many Kia Optima complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
9% of them, against 6% for the typical vehicle on this site. The 2019 has the highest share.
Is there a recall for engine failure on the Kia Optima?
On 1 of the 7 model years where owners report it: 2014.