Diagsheet

2017 Kia Optima · symptom sheet

Engine knocking or ticking

  • 40owner reports
  • 70,000median miles
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Aug 24, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026

40 of the 72 reports of engine failure on the 2017 Optima describe engine knock.

Part of Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (72 reports)

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026
No crash reportedin 40 reports
1 firein 40 reports
NHTSA investigations2 covering the 2017

Tick what matches of 40 reports

40
1
9
2
3

Engine knock on other Optima years

201451 reports2015118 reports201684 reports201740 reports

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: 2018, 2019, 2020.

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the knock sensor (22 reports), the rod bearing (6 reports) and the engine (3 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the engine covers the 2017 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Optima

DP22-003opened Sep 12, 2022
Engine · model years 2005 to 2020

Loss of motive power. Closed dec 12, 2023.

EA21-003opened Dec 22, 2021
Engine · model years 2011 to 2017

Engine fires. Closed feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V-877.

RQ17-003opened May 18, 2017
Engine · model years 2011 to 2014

Scope and timeliness. Closed dec 22, 2021, led to recall 17V-224.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 30,000 and 98,000 miles, from the 18 reports that gave a mileage.

Complaints by the year NHTSA received them: 2020: 4, 2021: 3, 2022: 4, 2023: 14, 2024: 3, 2025: 9, 2026: 34'203'214'2214'233'249'253'26

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 13 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Kia Optima that deal with this problem. Newest first.

Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.

9 more on the 2017 Kia Optima page.

What owners wrote

“The motor seems to have a knocking noise accompanied by constantly burning oil and sparks plugs. Constant misfires and check engine light appearing during the year after replacing spark plugs and ignition coils.”

Filed Aug 25, 2022

“This has happened 3 times driving car almost comes to a complete stop. Acceleration dropped down to 20 MPH. Was told it was a knock sensor replace in March in May did it again . Replaced it against the very next day it did it again. Went online and said it was a recall but nothing is showing up here . I will contact Kia in the morning we could have been killed this happened in the expressway”

Filed Jun 5, 2022

“I was driving on the highway when my check engine light came on flashing the car jersey almost to a stop and I had to pull over. I cut the car off and sat then turned it back on. The check engine light was still flashing and I put my flashers on and was unable to go over 60 mph. I drove slowly to an autozone and a code was pulled p1326. I looked it up and it undeliverable due to the knock sensor issue.”

Filed Jun 2, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 40 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