2015 Kia Optima · symptom sheet
Airbag warning light or recall
- 26owner reports
- 66,000median miles
- 12involved a crash
Newest report Mar 25, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
26 of the 1,006 complaints on this car describe airbag.
Tick what matches of 26 reports
Airbag on other Optima years
No other Optima model year has enough reports of airbag for a sheet of its own. See every Optima year.
What this problem usually is
Airbag complaints split into a few kinds. The most common is an airbag warning light that won't go out. Others involve the passenger seat sensor switching the passenger bag off with an adult sitting there, an airbag that didn't deploy in a crash, or one that went off without a crash at all. A large share also come from owners waiting on a recall part.
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 Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the airbags on the Optima
Electrical overstress. Closed sep 19, 2024, led to recall 20V-024.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 40,000 and 90,000 miles, from the 11 reports that gave a mileage.
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 WONâT 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. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 319 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 256 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 108 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 89 reports
- Vehicle fire 70 reports
- Paint peels or body rusts 56 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 49 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 37 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 30 reports