2014 Kia Optima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 586 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 20 Optima model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 20 involved a crash and 42 involved a fire. 22 people were injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 25, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Campaign 23V652000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsFeb 17, 2022
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 20V-100. The low pressure fuel hose may be damaged, or missing heat-protective tape, which can result in a fuel leak.
A fuel leak can increase the risk of a fire.
Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel hose, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 2, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-33-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC228.
Campaign 22V093000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideMay 10, 2021
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
An electrical short in the HECU increases the risk of a fire while parked or driving.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
Campaign 21V331000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideAug 27, 2020
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
Campaign 20V519000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsFeb 21, 2020
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles equipped with 2.4L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) or 2.0L GDI Turbo engines. The low pressure fuel hose may deteriorate and crack over time due to heat generated within the engine compartment.
If the fuel hose cracks, a fuel leak can occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
Kia will notify Owners, and Dealers will inspect the low pressure fuel hose for damage or leaking, replacing it as necessary. If no damage or leaking is found, a heat-protective tape will be installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began June 12, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC187.
Campaign 20V100000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsDec 19, 2018
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Campaign 18V907000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineMar 31, 2017
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Campaign 17V224000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
586 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway and observed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the engine had seized, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Steering, Jul 18, 2024
driving down the road went over a speed bump and all the sudden the steering wheel started making a clanking noise it seem to steer fine but the steering column makes some kind of noise. i was told they have a recall on this item a bushing or something like that
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 16, 2024
I bought this from a dealer ship and it is having some issues when it is gearing down dont know if its the fuel injectors or what but its got some issue with it getting proper fuel
Steering, Jul 10, 2024
Kia 2014 Optima LX-There are noises in the steering column when turning the wheel or going over bumps. It sounds like metal rubbing together. Took it to a mechanic and it was determined there was a coupler problem and it was recalled. The mechanic said we should take it to Kia to be fixed. I am anticipating having trouble getting them to fix it because my car year and model does not fit the total criteria. I am in New Jersey and live on the coast near long beach island. It is humid here even though NJ is not listed. [XXX] Kia recalled some 2011–2014 Optima vehicles to replace the flexible coupling in the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS). The recall was for vehicles produced between August 12, 2010 and December 18, 2013 that were sold or registered in areas with high humidity and warm ocean waters. The flexible coupling can wear out over time, causing noise when turning the steering wheel, especially when the car is stopped. Kia dealers replaced the coupling at no cost to customers. Please let me know how I should proceed. I will be visiting my local Kia to see if they will accomodate us. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Jun 29, 2024
Engine died after knocking and shutting off in the middle of tragic. Engine will not even make a sound now. Spoke to the dealership ans they refused to repair my car bc 1) I stopped going to the dealership for maintenance back in 2016 and 2) I have not completed any of the recalls.
Structure, Jun 11, 2024
White paint is peeling all over the car, in spots as large as 6 inches by 4 inches.
Engine and engine cooling, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 231,054.
Structure, May 8, 2024
Pearl white paint is chipping and falling off all over the car. The paint isn't sticking to the factory primer, causing paint chips to fly off while driving. This issue also exposes the unprotected steel to the elements, causing rust and weakening the car body.
Engine, May 7, 2024
My son and his pregnant fiancé were traveling on [XXX] West bound Thursday [XXX]. They just got out of a construction zone near Rolla MO. At mile marker [XXX] the engine shut down with no warning at 60 mph and all the lights on the dash came on. He had a hard time controlling the car due to the steering being very tight and the brakes were manual. They got a tow to a safe place. I drove 5 hours to meet them and used a scanner to see what codes the car had. Zero codes showed up on my scanner. The engine immobilizer was engaged. We could not get the car started so I rented a U-Haul and car dolly and brought the car back to Indiana to the Avon IN Andy Mohr Kia dealer where we bought it. It was scheduled to be seen Tues [XXX] at [XXX]. I did not hear from them, so I called at 2:30. They informed me an engine was ordered for the vehicle. The Knock sensor detected a bearing knock and shut the car down at high speed on an interstate. The car has no outstanding recalls. I asked about the Knock sensor recall for Kia and ask why the car did not go into limp mod so they could make it safely off the interstate. No response from the dealer. This is a terrible design to have the car shut down at high speeds on an interstate. This could be deadly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, May 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Zone where the vehicle was scanned and diagnosed with a failure with the knock sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to a local independent mechanic where the knock sensor was replaced. The contact stated that the failure had recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle started losing motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. However, while replacing the battery and starting the vehicle, there was white smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.
Structure, Apr 28, 2024
My paint is delaminating all over my vehicle and is flying off in large sheets. My car now has metal exposed which is susceptible to rust which poses a risk to the structure of my vehicle and the potential of my windshield flying off as a result. This first started occurring less than 2 years after purchasing my vehicle in 2019. KIA fails to recognize this manufacturer defect and it continues to delaminate at an alarming rate.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Apr 27, 2024, fire
Car caught fire, parked in driveway, partially damaged the house.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Apr 20, 2024
My Kia motor was ordered Kia gave me a hard time to rent me a car. I went 2 months with NO Transportation. Finally I got my car back and every 3 weeks different lights are coming on. Seat belt is now own O2 sensors had to be changed Now Cadillac Converter Light is on. I didn't know that getting a new motor I would have to keep spending money that I don't have. Kia should be responsible for this it shouldn't be my fault that I'm being punished for a Bad MOTOR.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The contact was informed that an unknown recall repair for the ABS had been completed; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed ABS due to an internal leak. The contact was informed that the ABS system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and requested that the vehicle be taken to another dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine, Apr 3, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle began to make abnormally loud sounds prior to pulling over to the side of the roadway, where the vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Other or unspecified, Mar 30, 2024
Car had a smell of gas fumes. I have not gotten it inspected but I haven’t driven it after. There could be a gas leak. Not sure what the issue is but it caused an issue
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Mar 21, 2024, fire
The contact owned a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage, the vehicle had begun to burn. The fire department was called and the vehicle fire was controlled using water to extinguish the flames. The contact stated that the fire department filed a report. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an impound lot and had not been examined by a dealer or insurance adjuster. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact was aware of one recall associated with the VIN, NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), however there were a total of three recalls - NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine), and NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V100000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that she was not aware of the other two recalls. The failure mileage was unknown.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Mar 20, 2024
Pearl white paint has been chippong through the years. I have had paint retouched in certain places. I continuously complained and demanded it get fixed. Eventually they would repaint. But when it gets painted over a new part of the car starts chipping away. It’s nonsense. I bought this car new and my parents have cars older than me that have no problems with the paint. My car started chipping with it warranty we paid for but they always found loopholes. Fast forward more years and my car is an embarrassment to drive around
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 10, 2024
Car started to leak out the fuel pumps pressure system started to leak gas
Engine, Jan 27, 2024
The car is available for inspection upon request, but I plan to finally get rid of it soon. I worry greatly about the next driver that ends up with this car. While driving, a message pops up on the dashboard that says "Check Hybrid system. Stop vehicle and turn off engine". I've learned that I have about 15 to 30 seconds to find a safe place to pull over or the car will shut off on it's own. This has happened on the freeway at 70mph and it's happened at 20mph while driving through my neighborhood. I bought the car used in 2017 and this would happen once every six months or so. In the past couple of years it's gotten more frequent. This car is going to get me or someone else seriously injured or killed. I'm always on edge that this will happen while I'm on the freeway in an area without a shoulder. Then I'll just be sitting immobile on the highway, trying to get the car to start back up and I'll get rear-ended by an unobservant driver at 65mph. I've taken the car to a Kia service department twice. The first time they couldn't reproduce the issue and told me to bring it back when it happens again. I took it in for a second time a couple years later and they told me it was the high voltage fuse. They kept my car for a month, gave me the runaround and never replaced the high voltage fuse. After doing some research online, I read that other Optima Hybrid drivers were told to change their high voltage fuse from 125A to 150A. I performed this replacement myself and I still experience the issue. There were no other warnings prior, just the "Check Hybrid system" message before the car shuts off.
Steering, Air bags, Jan 26, 2024
Clock spring broke causing airbag light to turn on. Clicking when turning steering wheel. Airbag will not deploy due to this issue. $800 cost of repairs
Engine, Jan 25, 2024, fire
The contact owned a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a burning fume in the interior of the vehicle. The contact parked the vehicle and the flames were coming from under the hood. The contact safely exited the vehicle. The fire department and the police were on the scene. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. No police report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled to be towed to a local tow yard. The contact stated that the vehicle had been serviced for an oil change one week before the failure occurred The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Jan 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle decelerated to 60 MPH, and was unable to accelerate as needed. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the knock sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V093000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.
Structure, Jan 8, 2024
Pearl White Paint is peeling off the car in multiple locations. Several areas are beginning to rust and damage the body The problem is well known online through multiple Kia/Sorrento Owners. We've taken the vehicle to several car painting companies who confirmed the defect. The problem began about 2020.