2020 Kia OPTIMA
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2020 Kia OPTIMA has 199 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (50% of all complaints), specifically: owner's manual states the 1.6turbo requires 4.75 qrts of oil with filter change. the car reads full after adding 4 qrts. still reading full after double checking after 250 miles. .owner's manual typo? . incorrect dipstick during final assembly? .following the manual could lead to overfill. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.
199
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
2.5x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
99 complaints- • Owner's manual states the 1.6Turbo requires 4.75 qrts of oil with filter change. The car reads full after adding 4 qrts. Still reading full after double checking after 250 miles. .Owner's manual typo? . Incorrect dipstick during final assembly? .Following the manual could lead to overfill
- • I was driving in the freeway nearby San Jose, CA with my family in the car. I was doing 67mph. It was high elevation curvy road. I experienced engine stalling. The car suddenly stop accelarating and speed drop to 35mph despite pressing on gas.
- • The Kia optima 2020 2.4 every 3000 to 4000 miles oil change is metal shavings in the old oil. The clicking noise stared it around the 10000 miles mark and now is getting worse with 60000 miles ,everytime I hit the gas and goes over 30 miles loose a lot of power and a clicking noise come out ,now is
“Owner's manual states the 1.6Turbo requires 4.75 qrts of oil with filter change. The car reads full after adding 4 qrts. Still reading full after double checking after 250 miles. .Owner's manual typo? . Incorrect dipstick during final assembly? .Following the manual could lead to overfill”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
25 complaints- • On Thursday, I was leaving to drive my son 5 miles up the road and my check engine light started flashing with no warning. My car slowed down and started jerking. I took it to auto zone (on limp mode) to receive a code and it came back with p1326. My car only has 64,216 miles and I also just recentl
- • On July 4th 2023, I was driving with my son in car, when unexpectedly the check engine light came on and car lost power. We were on a highway with a 65mph speed limit. I was able to pull over to side of road. Car did Start back up, however was missing and misfiring. Shaking especially under accelera
- • The vehicles 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT), is horribly jerky at very low speeds and on take off. It has become dangerous to drive as my wife almost caused an accident from the vehicle not reacting to acceleration pedal, or from it reacting completely unexpectedly. The transmission is very
“On Thursday, I was leaving to drive my son 5 miles up the road and my check engine light started flashing with no warning. My car slowed down and started jerking. I took it to auto zone (on limp mode) to receive a code and it came back with p1326. My car only has 64,216 miles and I also just recentl”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
16 complaints- • When I accelerate the car jerks as if is going to cut off. I have taken it to the dealer, and they can not find any thing wrong. After searching the internet, I find I am not the only one with this issue. I just want my car fixed so that I feel safe driving it.
- • The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the automatic braking system engaged without warning to stop the vehicle. Additionally, the cruise control failed to operate as needed and the vehicle intermittently failed to turn on while using the "
- • The driver side seat It goes off whenever sometimes for a few seconds other times a few minutes and this is when I'm driving
“When I accelerate the car jerks as if is going to cut off. I have taken it to the dealer, and they can not find any thing wrong. After searching the internet, I find I am not the only one with this issue. I just want my car fixed so that I feel safe driving it.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRICAL
12 complaints- • After changing the bulbs and fuses . The lights flicker and sometimes don’t come on at all .
- • The vehicle is incredibly easy to steal. A simple flat head screw driver in the hands of a child will steal this vehicle. My car was stolen from Daytona Beach Florida on July 8 2022 by 2 14 year and one 15 year old kids. No key, no fob needed, who knew it'd be so easy to steal? They learned it on
- • April 30, 2023 my 2020 Kia Optima was stolen. The thief or thieves broke my backside passenger window to get inside. Once inside they started my car using a USB cord/ charger block. I purchased the car in Feb 2023. I wasn't aware of made aware the car's antitheft software needed to be upgraded which
“After changing the bulbs and fuses . The lights flicker and sometimes don’t come on at all .”
— NHTSA complaint filing
FUEL SYSTEM
9 complaints- • Fuel line had a quick detachment have to be replaced
- • Vehicle was tampered before purchasing, transmission mounts broken, evap hose gas tank and engine.. car was claimed as a lemon vehicle, dealership sold me a vehicle that’s unsafe to operate. Dealership refuses to fix…
- • Dealers claim pistons are bad and engine is stalking eating through 2 quart every thousand miles or less. Properly maintained and everything not sure why the pistons would be bad already, also replaced a pcv sensor to fix problem but did not change anything.
“Fuel line had a quick detachment have to be replaced”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 199 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: Owner's manual states the 1.6Turbo requires 4.75 qrts of oil with filter change. The car reads full after adding 4 qrts. Still reading full after double checking after 250 miles. .Owner's manual typo? . Incorrect dipstick during final assembly? .Following the manual could lead to overfill
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐TRANSMISSION: On Thursday, I was leaving to drive my son 5 miles up the road and my check engine light started flashing with no warning. My car slowed down and started jerking. I took it to auto zone (on limp mode) to receive a code and it came back with p1326. My car only has 64,216 miles and I also just recentl
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: When I accelerate the car jerks as if is going to cut off. I have taken it to the dealer, and they can not find any thing wrong. After searching the internet, I find I am not the only one with this issue. I just want my car fixed so that I feel safe driving it.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRICAL: After changing the bulbs and fuses . The lights flicker and sometimes don’t come on at all .
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Kia OPTIMA — Year Comparison
How does 2020 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 199
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 5
- Crash reports
- 7
- Injury reports
- 6
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2020 Kia OPTIMA