2015 Kia Optima · symptom sheet
Vehicle fire
- 70owner reports
- 92,000median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Aug 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
70 of the 1,006 complaints on this car describe fire.
Tick what matches of 70 reports
Fire 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: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020.
What this problem usually is
Fire reports are the most serious complaints on the site. Owners describe fires while driving, while parked and switched off, and for plug-in cars, while charging. Many say it started under the hood. Some already had a recall notice for the cause, and some got one afterward.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (3 reports) and the fuel line or pump (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on this problem covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 60,000 and 123,000 miles, from the 47 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“My car caught on fire just sitting under the carport. The investigator said that it was electrical. Our neighbor seen it and told us to get out the house and started popping. I tried to get in for the brake line but no one would call me back to see about it. When I go thru water and get on the brake it jerk like.”
Filed Jun 28, 2025
“I was driving on the freeway when I noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I immediately exited the freeway, pulled over, popped the hood open, and my engine was on fire. There were no warning lamps on my dash. I donât know which components were involved and inspection of the components after was not possible, because everything under the hood burned by the time firefighters responded.”
Filed Jun 2, 2025
“I was driving to a new job , it was about 5:45am when I noticed my car wouldnât go faster or stop. I seen fire , tried to stop car, I was going about 15-20 mph when i decided to just get out of the car and run , care went into complete flames”
Filed Feb 14, 2025
“Vehicle lots brakes while driving, smell of gas and caught fire under hood. Engine had been completely replaced due to recall in January 2022 Vehicle was a complete loss, luckily son was able to get out.”
Filed Feb 19, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 70 reports involved a crash and 5 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
- 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
- Airbag warning light or recall 26 reports