2015 Kia OPTIMA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Kia OPTIMA has 1387 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 17.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (46% of all complaints), specifically: tl*the contact owns a 2015 kia optima. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, the vehicle made an abnormal noise without warning. the contact mentioned that the noise was emitting from the engine. the failure recurred several times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician was unab. ⚠️ 110 fire reports filed.

110 fire reports 35 crash reports 26 injuries

1387

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

17.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

644 complaints

46%

• TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE NOISE WAS EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNAB
• I PURCHASED MY CAR IN THE GREATER SAN DIEGO AREA BACK IN JUNE 31. 2015. HAVE APPROXIMATELY 8K MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND NOTICE AROUND 3K MY CAR WOULD JERK WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES APPROXIMATELY 3-4 TIME (AVERAGE ONCE A MONTH).AND TODAY 10-27-2015, MY CAR ONCE AGAIN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MIL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 50 fire reports💥 11 crashes

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE NOISE WAS EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNAB”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

140 complaints

10%

• PAINT ON HOOD ROOF TRUNK HAD SPOTS IN PAINT ORANGE PEEL IN PAINT ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR
• COMING OFF AN OFF RAMP ON GREENBRIAR SOUTH IN CHESAPEAK VIRGINIA, I HEARD A CRACKING NOISE FROM UNDER THE CAR. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ROAD NOR WAS THERE ANY POT HOLES. THE VEHICLE THEN STARTED PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND WHEN I STARTED PULLING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT I CONTINUED TO DRIFT RIGHT
• WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAY, ON THE HIGHWAY, I HEARD A LOUD BOOM, SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW BLACK STUFF FLYING OFF THE BACK END OF THE CAR INTO THE STREET. THEN HEARD WIND AND FELT WET, SO OPENED THE INTERIOR SHADE TO MY SUNROOF AND THERE ARE A HUGE OPEN HOLE IN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“PAINT ON HOOD ROOF TRUNK HAD SPOTS IN PAINT ORANGE PEEL IN PAINT ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

134 complaints

10%

• THE BLUE TOOTH FOR THE PHONE IF ALLOWED TO RING CAN CAUSE ONE TO LOOSE CONTROL. THE RING CAN GO WELL PAST 100 DB. IF WE FORGET TO TURN OUR BLUE TOOTH OFF IT ACTUALLY HURTS.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED
• I HAVE TWO KIA, ONE 2013KIA SOUL, AND KIA OPTIMA 2015, FIRST THE KIA SOUL WON'T START, LOOKS LIKE NO BATTERY AT ALL, DEALER SAY IT WAS A BAD BATTERY, BUT THE PROBLEM START AGAIN, JUST THIS TIME LOOSE ALL POWER WHEN RUNNING, THEY TOWING BACK TO THE DEALER THIS TIME, THEY SAY THIS TIME WAS CRANK PISTO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 24 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“THE BLUE TOOTH FOR THE PHONE IF ALLOWED TO RING CAN CAUSE ONE TO LOOSE CONTROL. THE RING CAN GO WELL PAST 100 DB. IF WE FORGET TO TURN OUR BLUE TOOTH OFF IT ACTUALLY HURTS.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

88 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN DRIVING ON THE SIDEWALK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRES EXPLODED AND DESTROYED THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DI
• I PURCHASED MY CAR IN THE GREATER SAN DIEGO AREA BACK IN JUNE 31. 2015. HAVE APPROXIMATELY 8K MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND NOTICE AROUND 3K MY CAR WOULD JERK WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES APPROXIMATELY 3-4 TIME (AVERAGE ONCE A MONTH).AND TODAY 10-27-2015, MY CAR ONCE AGAIN
• BOTH ESC AND AUTO HOLD LIGHTS OCCASIONALLY GO YELLOW AT THE SAME TIME. USUALLY GOES BACK TO NORMAL AFTER SOME PERIOD OF TIME. THIS STARTED MAYBE COUPLE MONTHS AGO. BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULDN'T DETECT ANY ERROR CODES.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 12 fire reports💥 5 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN DRIVING ON THE SIDEWALK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRES EXPLODED AND DESTROYED THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

75 complaints

• WAS AT LIGHT THEN PROCEEDED ONCE LIGHT TURNED GREEN TRAVELING ON LEFT LANE ON A 2 LANE CITY ROAD. USED TURNING SIGNAL TO MOVE TO RIGHT LANE WHEN ANOTHER CAR THAT HAD TURNED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ON TO THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING ON. I DID NOT SEE THE CAR AFTER TURNING TO LOOK DUE TO THE BLIND SPOT IN
• FRONT GLASS PANEL OF SUNROOF SPONTANEOUSLY SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING.
• SHARK FIN ANTENNA COVER FELL OFF. THIS IS REPORTED TO HAPPEN TO MANY 2015 KIA OPTIMAS. THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT FIN AND TO FIX THE ISSUE A WHOLE ANTENNA KIT HAS TO BE INSTALLED. APPARENTLY THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE ANTENNA FIN DOWN RUST OVERTIME AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE THE FIN TO POP OFF. THIS PRESENTS A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“WAS AT LIGHT THEN PROCEEDED ONCE LIGHT TURNED GREEN TRAVELING ON LEFT LANE ON A 2 LANE CITY ROAD. USED TURNING SIGNAL TO MOVE TO RIGHT LANE WHEN ANOTHER CAR THAT HAD TURNED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ON TO THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING ON. I DID NOT SEE THE CAR AFTER TURNING TO LOOK DUE TO THE BLIND SPOT IN ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1387 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE NOISE WAS EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNAB
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: PAINT ON HOOD ROOF TRUNK HAD SPOTS IN PAINT ORANGE PEEL IN PAINT ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE BLUE TOOTH FOR THE PHONE IF ALLOWED TO RING CAN CAUSE ONE TO LOOSE CONTROL. THE RING CAN GO WELL PAST 100 DB. IF WE FORGET TO TURN OUR BLUE TOOTH OFF IT ACTUALLY HURTS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN DRIVING ON THE SIDEWALK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRES EXPLODED AND DESTROYED THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)