Kia Optima: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Kia Optima problems by model year, from 6,167 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2020 (84%, 116 drivetrain complaints), 2017 (78%, 182 drivetrain complaints) and 2018 (76%, 159 drivetrain complaints). 11 of the 11 Kia Optima years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 6 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
No Kia Optima year we score is clear of an elevated signal. The lowest is the 2019 (54%).
By raw volume, the 2013 drew the most drivetrain complaints (722 of 3,563 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Kia Optima year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Optima | very high | 63% | 36 | 75 | 6/11 | 1 |
| 2011 Optima | high | 59% | 287 | 593 | 7/11 | 5 |
| 2012 Optima | high | 55% | 471 | 919 | 10/11 | 5 |
| 2013 Optima | high | 56% | 722 | 1,383 | 9/11 | 9 |
| 2014 Optima | high | 59% | 327 | 586 | 8/11 | 7 |
| 2015 Optima | very high | 69% | 668 | 1,009 | 5/11 | 4 |
| 2016 Optima | very high | 70% | 490 | 756 | 4/11 | 5 |
| 2017 Optima | very high | 78% | 182 | 256 | 2/11 | 3 |
| 2018 Optima | very high | 76% | 159 | 232 | 3/11 | 2 |
| 2019 Optima | high | 54% | 105 | 210 | 11/11 | 1 |
| 2020 Optima | very high | 84% | 116 | 148 | 1/11 | 0 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Kia Optima years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Kia Optima engine recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the Kia Optima involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 16 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2016 | 16V705000 | power train: axle assembly: axle shaft | 2016 |
| Mar 2017 | 17V224000 | engine and engine cooling: engine | 2011–2014 |
| Dec 2018 | 18V907000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2011–2017 |
| Feb 2020 | 20V100000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2013–2014 |
| Feb 2022 | 22V093000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings | 2013–2014 |
11 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2013 | 13V114000 | exterior lighting: brake lights: switch | 2010–2011 |
| Apr 2016 | 16V231000 | air bags: frontal | 2016 |
| Jan 2017 | 17V007000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2016 |
| Mar 2018 | 18V161000 | hybrid propulsion system | 2017–2018 |
| Jun 2018 | 18V363000 | air bags: air bag/restraint control module | 2011–2013 |
| Jul 2019 | 19V539000 | forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking | 2019 |
| Aug 2020 | 20V519000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2013–2015 |
| May 2021 | 21V331000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2013–2015 |
| Aug 2022 | 22V560000 | structure: body: roof and pillars | 2012–2013 |
| Aug 2023 | 23V594000 | latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: latch | 2016–2018 |
| Sep 2023 | 23V652000 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module | 2011–2015 |
What the free pages leave out on the Kia Optima
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Kia Optima
What are the worst years for the Kia Optima?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Kia Optima years are the 2020 (84% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2017 (78% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2018 (76% of relevant complaints, very high). 11 of 11 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Kia Optima?
No Kia Optima year we score is below the 33% line. The lowest share is the 2019 (54%).
Does the Kia Optima have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 11 scored years, 3,563 of 5,687 relevant NHTSA complaints (63%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Is the Kia Optima reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 11 of 11 Kia Optima years we score have an elevated complaint share and 0 do not. Pooled across those years, 63% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Kia Optima?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Kia Optima years we track, out of 16 in total: 18V907000 (Dec 2018, 2011–2017), 20V100000 (Feb 2020, 2013–2014), 22V093000 (Feb 2022, 2013–2014), and earlier ones. Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.