2015 Kia Optima · symptom sheet
Engine rattles or ticks
- 49owner reports
- 78,000median miles
- $6,000median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Aug 13, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
647 of the 1,006 complaints on this car are about the engine. 49 of those describe engine rattle.
Tick what matches of 49 reports
Engine rattle on other Optima years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.
What this problem usually is
Owners in this group hear something before anything breaks. Most describe a ticking or tapping at idle, a rattle that's worse on a cold start and fades as the engine warms, or a noise that comes and goes over weeks. Some report the check engine light following a while later. It's the early-warning end of the engine complaints, and the reports that end in a named part are useful to anyone hearing the same sound.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the engine (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Optima
Loss of motive power. Closed dec 12, 2023.
Engine fires. Closed feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V-877.
Scope and timeliness. Closed dec 22, 2021, led to recall 17V-224.
What owners paid
6 of the 49 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $3,000 to $7,200.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 47,000 and 116,000 miles, from the 33 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“This owner has a 2015 Kia Optima. Car started tapping without warning. Checked the oil level and it was out of oil. No warning at all. Had maintenance on car when due. Motor is completely gone. I have had this car 3 years and it only has a little over 60,000 miles on it. This vehicle needs to be repaired @ no expense to me because the 10 year or 100,00-mile factory warranty still remains.”
Filed Mar 9, 2024 · 60,000 miles
“Iâve had my 2015 Kia optima since 7/11/23. My dipstick showed oil full. I drove it 977 miles from 7/11/23 until August 23 2023. My oil went from full mark on dip stick to low. My vehicle I purchased had 66,892. I should think it shouldnât be losing a quart oil in a little over a month. I had to add a quart of oil. This is unacceptable.”
Filed Aug 28, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 49 reports involved a crash. 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
- Burns oil or oil level rises 37 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 30 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 26 reports