2015 Kia Optima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,008 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 20 Optima model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 31 involved a crash and 74 involved a fire. 23 people were injured and 1 person 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
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 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
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
139 reports, newest first. Show all
Structure, Other or unspecified, Sep 21, 2018
BODY PAINT IS PEELING ON HOOD AND REAR BUMPER ; KIA DEALER SAID KIA ONLY WARRANTS THE PAINT JOB FOR ONLY 3 YEARS. I AM CONTENDING KIA KNOWS THIS AND IS DECEIVING ITS CUSTOMERS FROM DAY 1; UNACCEPTABLE !
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 12, 2018
ENGINE ( AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ) SHUT DOWN (3 TIMES) COMPLETELY AND UNEXPECTEDLY , WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS( TWICE) AND ONCE WHILE AT TOLLS. ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN YOU TURN KEY OCCASIONALLY , ITS LIKE BATTERY IS DEAD. I BELIEVE THAT FIRST AND SECOND TIMES I WAS FLASHING HI BEAMS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFTER THESE EVENTS HAPPEN , THE MILEAGE GUAGE RESETS, AND CLOCK IS WRONG. ALSO NOTICE THAT THE RADIO FLICKERS,, AND OR TURNS OFF ON ITS OWN. ALSO, NOT ABLE TO RESET TRIP MILEAGE, AND NOTICED THAT SHIFTER BUTTON INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT DEPRESS.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 24, 2018, fire
KIA OPTIMA 2015 WITH 20K MILES CAUGHT FIRE. ENGINE STOPPED WHILE AT RED LIGHT, IN DRIVE. STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. CALLED 911. VEHICLE BEHIND ME CALLED REPORTING SEEING FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. KIA REPLACED ENTIRE ENGINE WITH NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS HAPPENED.
Other or unspecified, Jul 19, 2018
THE ISSUE I AM HAVING, IS MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAPPENED FOR THE FORTH TIME SINCE LEASING THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2015. AFTER THE FIRST TWO OCCURRENCES WHICH TOOK PLACE A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, I TOOK INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WHILE SITTING AT STOP LIGHT IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THIS MORNING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. IT RUNS FINE OTHERWISE. I AM ALWAYS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE RIGHT BACK UP. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2011 - 2014 OPTIMA ENGINE FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE. I AM TAKING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP THIS AFTERNOON. I AM DEFINITELY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE.
Other or unspecified, Mar 17, 2018
TAKATA RECALL ,GEAR SHIFT STUCK IN PARK
Other or unspecified, Jan 31, 2018
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD TODAY, GOING NO FASTER THAN 70 MPH. SUDDENLY I HEARD SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED LIKE GUN SHOTS. IT WAS MY SUNROOF, IT HAD EXPLODED!
Other or unspecified, Dec 8, 2017
ON 11/29/17 AT AROUND 1:30PM WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ON INTERSTATE 80 WEST BOUND I HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE IT CAME FROM ABOVE. THE BANG WAS SO LOUD THAT IT STARTLED ME. I THEN FELT AIR RUSHING IN FROM ABOVE MY HEAD. IT WAS THEN THAT I KNEW THE SOUND WAS THE EXPLOSION OF MY SUNROOF. I THEN EXITED THE FREEWAY AND TOOK PHOTOS OF MY CAR. MY SUNROOF WAS CLOSED WHEN IT EXPLODED, SO FORTUNATELY THE BROKEN GLASS DID NOT FALL INTO THE CAR. THE GLASS BROKE DIRECTLY ABOVE MY HEAD. WHEN I WAS DRIVING IT WAS AT SPEED LIMIT (65MPH) IN THE CITY OF PINOLE, CA BETWEEN EXITS APPIAN WAY AND RICHMOND PARKWAY. AT THE TIME OF THE SUNROOF EXPLOSION, I WAS NOT UNDER AN UNDERPASS, THE FREEWAY WAS NOT UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND I WAS NOT BY TRUCKS. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON A CLEAR SKY DAY AND IT THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE WAS IN THE 60S. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 40,000 MILES AND WAS LEASED FROM THE KIA OAKLAND LOCATION. TODAY IS 12/8/17 AND IT HAS NOW BEEN OVER A WEEK, AND KIA STILL HAS YET TO ASSIGN SOMEONE TO LOOK AT MY CAR AFTER SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO INVESTIGATE THE CLAIM. MY CAR HAS STILL NOT FIXED AS OF TODAY.
Other or unspecified, Nov 21, 2017
SUNROOF EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY.
Other or unspecified, Aug 15, 2017
WHEN TURNING ON THE A/C SYSTEM I GET A REALLY STRONG MILDEW/HORRIBLE SMELL FROM THE VENTS. I BELIEVE IT RESULTS IN WATER ACCUMULATING IN IT, PROMOTING THE GROWTH OF THE MOLD, AND WHENEVER YOU TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER, THE FIRST THING YOU DO IS GET HIT WITH A BLAST OF MOLDY AIR ALSO, WHEN A/C IS OFF IT HAS A VERY STRONG SMELL AS WELL WHICH I NEED TO OPEN THE WINDOWS BECAUSE IT GETS ME DIZZY AND NAUSEOUS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS SAFE AND IT'S A HEALTH HAZARD. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEMS WITH KIA CARS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. MANY HAVE COMPLAINED TO KIA, BUT KIA HAS NOT TAKEN AN APPROACH TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND I WAS TOLD IT CAN BE FIXED FOR $150.00, BUT I WAS TOLD IT'S NOT GUARANTEE THE PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED. I'VE MADE A COMPLAINT TO KIA MOTORS AMERICA COOPERATE, BUT HAS ADVISED THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND IS NOT VERY HELPFUL. I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 14, 2017
TAKATA RECALL: DRIVING THE CAR DOWN A CITY STREET WHEN IT SUDDENLY CEASED TO ACCELERATE. THE POWER STEERING STOPPED AS IT COASTED INTO A SIDE STREET TO GET OFF THE BUSY ROAD. I COULD SMELL WIRES BURNING AS A ELECTRICAL FIRE.I IMMEDIATELY GOT MYSELF AND FAMILY OUT OF THE CAR AFRAID IT WAS ON FIRE. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR FILLED WITH ELECTRICAL SMELL AND SMOKE. I CALLED THE 360 KIA TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE I BOUGHT A "GOLD" WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THEY LITERALLY LOST MY CAR FOR SIX DAYS AND THEN CALLED ME WANTING MY SERVICE RECORDS STATING THE CAR HAD NO OIL IN THE MOTOR. THIS IS A OUTLANDISH LIE! MY CAR HAD PLENTY OF OIL IN IT ...I NEVER SAW A ENGINE LIGHT COME ON INDICATING THAT I HAD MOTOR PROBLEMS NOR DID I SMELL OIL . THIS WAS A "SUDDEN " MALFUNCTION. MY CAR NEVER RAN HOT NOR DID MY GAUGES EVER INDICATE A PROBLEM. I HAD THE CAR FOR RIGHT AT 40K MILES AND HAD A OIL CHANGE DUE AGAIN AT THE END OF APRIL.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Apr 8, 2017
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 PISTON SENSOR, NO COST AT THIS TIME, THIS HAPPEN ON 08/01/2016, NOW THE KIA OPTIMA, SAME, I DRIVE ALL MORNING, THE DAY WAS HOT, AND I STOP AT THE STOREFOR WATER, DON'T TAKE MORE THEN 5MIN. WHEN I GET BACK TO MY CAR, CARS UNLOCK THE DOOR, BUT HAVE NO POWER AT ALL, I CHECK THE BATTERY WITH A FLUKE MULTIMETER, READS 12 VOLTS WHEN I DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE POST, AND 6 VOLTS WHEN I CONNECTED BACK TO THE BATTERY, THEN MY FRIEND STOP BY, AND JUMPSTART MY CAR, SAME THING, I DISCONNECT THE NEGATIVE POST AND I TAKE CHASSIS GROUND FOR THE JUMPSTART, SAME THING, THEN I TOOK OF THE BATTERY FROM A CHEVY 2002 SILVERADO, MY FRIENDS TRUCK, AND I CONNECTED DIRECT TO MY CAR, SAME THING, I ENDED TO CALL ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE FOR KIA MOTOR, TO TAKE IT TO THE KIA DEALER, THE TOWING TRUCK DRIVER SAY, THEY PICKUP A LOT OF KIA'S CARS FOR THE SAME REASON, THIS TIME HAPPEN ON 04/05/2017, I DID CLAIM TO KIA MOTOR, THEY SAY WAS THE BATTERY, AND I JUST THINK THEY WANT SALE A 300 AND SOMETHING BATTERY, AND A HAVE TO BUY A NEW BATTERY EVERY TWO YEARS, WITH THE NEW KIA AND HYUNDAI RECALLS I THINK THEY SHOULD RECALL THIS TWO CARS!!
Other or unspecified, Mar 14, 2017
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 THE MIDDLE OF MY SUNROOF.. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY, NO OTHER CARS AROUND ME. IT WAS RAINING, BUT A LIGHT MIST TYPE RAIN. THE SOUND THAT I HEARD SOUNDED LIKE A EXPLOSION OR GUNSHOT AND THE ROOF'S GLASS WAS MISSING AND SOME CAME INTO THE CAR WHEN I OPENED THE SHADE. THE GLASS LOOKS AS IF IT BLEW OUT FROM INSIDE.. IT WAS MUSHROOMED NOT CAVED IN.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Nov 30, 2016, crash
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. I THEN LANDED INTO A GUARD RAIL AT APPROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS A WITNESS BEHIND ME THAT CAN ATTEST TO THIS INCIDENT. THE TIE ROD END HAD BROKEN CLEAN IN HALF AS IF IT WAS CUT WITH A PAIR OF SICCORS WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSE ALL STEERING CAPABILITY THEN ULTIMATELY CAUSED ME TO COLLIDE WITH THE GUARD RAIL. BASICALLY DESTROYING MY FRONT END AND THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WAS DEPLOYED. I WAS MAKING A SLIGHT RIGHT HAND CURVED TURN ON AN OFF RAMP. OFF HIGHWAY 64.
Other or unspecified, Jan 6, 2015
PAINT ON HOOD ROOF TRUNK HAD SPOTS IN PAINT ORANGE PEEL IN PAINT ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR