Diagsheet

2015 Kia Optima · symptom sheet

Airbag warning light or recall

  • 26owner reports
  • 66,000median miles
  • 12involved a crash

Newest report Mar 25, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

26 of the 1,005 complaints on this car describe airbag.

Tick what matches of 26 reports

16
5
6
1
1

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the occupant sensor (12 reports) and the clock spring (3 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the airbags covers the 2015 model year as of Sep 9, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the airbags on the Optima

EA19-001opened Apr 19, 2019
Airbags · model years 2013 to 2019

Electrical overstress. Closed sep 19, 2024, led to recall 20V-024.

NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (ACU) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) manufactured by ZF-TRW. The ECU receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with manufacturer design specifications. The ECU in the subject vehicles contains a model DS84 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) which controls the communication of the crash sensor signal, firing commands (i.e., when to deploy the airbag(s) and/or pretensioners), and fault information (e.g., diagnostic trouble codes). In September 2016, FCA announced recall 16V-668 for certain model year (MY) 2010 to 2014 Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep products manufactured with the subject ZF-TRW ACU. In this recall, FCA discussed an EOS condition that resulted in a failure of the subject DS84 ASIC, which caused air bag non-deployment. FCA noted that the defect condition had only been observed in vehicles equipped with sensor harnessing routed across the front of the vehicle. Other FCA vehicles

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 40,000 and 90,000 miles, from the 11 reports that gave a mileage.

116
117
419
120
321
422
223
324
625
126

What owners wrote

“Possible clock spring failure. Symptoms - Air bag light remains on and lost functionality on left side of steering wheel. Not covered under recall, but 2016 year is covered. My vehicle appears to have a mix of 2015 & 2016 parts (specifically front brakes). No aftermarket changes to brakes or steering clock spring.”

Filed Sep 6, 2024

“I BEEN REPORTED THE RECALL ABOUT MY CAR ENGINE AND OTHER PROBLEMS THATS GOING ON WITH IT BUT THE MANUFACTURER WON’T FIX IT SO WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO HAVE ALL THESE RECALLS FIXED”

Filed Aug 18, 2022

“My car had turned off and everything else in the car turns on but i called the safety recall and they told me i had to 2 recalls on the car and i just got the car didnt know nothing about the recalls until somebody told me they said the air bag control unit and my engine control unit and kia told me my ecu isnt update so they couldnt repair anything and that my motor was locked and they told me i had to pay $6,000”

Filed May 16, 2022

“No incident occurred. My airbag light has been on for the past 2 months but no impact occurred to my vehicle”

Filed Aug 24, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 12 of 26 reports involved a crash and 8 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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