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
1,008 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Aug 18, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, an abnormal knocking noise was coming from the engine. The vehicle then lost motive power and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where she was given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle would not be covered under warranty or recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000.
Electrical system, Air bags, Engine, Aug 18, 2022
I BEEN REPORTED THE RECALL ABOUT MY CAR ENGINE AND OTHER PROBLEMS THATS GOING ON WITH IT BUT THE MANUFACTURER WON’T FIX IT SO WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO HAVE ALL THESE RECALLS FIXED
Electrical system, Service brakes, Aug 17, 2022, fire
Brake Failure, Having to pump brakes in order to stop vehicle, driver rear tail light burning, causing short in wiring
Power train, Electrical system, Service brakes, Aug 16, 2022
For one my car is very sluggish when taking off and shifting gears Jerks badly. MY electrical is messing up on my radio and camera. Sometimes I smell rubber burning. When I have my cruise on it will speed up on its on and jerk when it does and when i press my brakesbto slow down it doesn'twant to slow down unless iash really hard. When taking off from a hill or a dead stop it doesn't want to shift and slags and rattles when it shifts. Bluetooth works sometimes and sometimes it doest it depends on when my backup camera works or not. I bought this car used in June of 2021 with a little over 92000 miles. I know when something doesn't sound right and when something is messed up, there is something wrong with my car. So far I haven't been in an accident but I don't want to be either.
Engine, Aug 11, 2022
While driving at 65 mph check engine light turned on and I lost all power. Very dangerous. This is the second time this has happened and the second time I have reported this emergency situation has occurred. The last time this happened in 2019, Kia replaced engine then wiring harness. Your assistance is needed to prevent this doesn’t happen to other drivers.
Engine, Aug 9, 2022
As the car was running on the intersection, all the emergency lights came on from the vehicle. The car completely stopped but I was able to move it to a safe space. When I attempted to turn on the car again smoke came out of the engine.
Other or unspecified, Aug 7, 2022
Clear coat or paint is peeling on the back passenger panel over the tire and on the trunk lid under the kia medallion.
Other or unspecified, Aug 6, 2022
Passenger side window would go down, but not up. Was unable to get an appointment with Dutchess Kia to bring vehicle in. Went to Knuckle Busters Tire & Auto in Highland, NY. I explained to them what was going on and Knuckle Busters stated that my car was the 5th Kia optima to come in with that same problem, which was replacing the motor or regulator and from some both. Per the mechanic Steve when he unscrewed the motor from the door it fell apart.
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 5, 2022
Engine Failure due to rod bearing issues-faulty manufacturing parts appears to have gotten into engine preventing or binding the engine so that it will not start.
Service brakes, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 31, 2022
Recently has a new engine installed at pitre Kia , due to a recall malfunction, they installed a new engine but didn’t fix the recall problem, now that I have my car back. My engine moves when I hit the brakes, my brakes go all the way down sometimes, doesn’t stop the car at all, I am in danger everyday I drive my car, I never know if my brakes will fail on me. Or my car will burst out into flames, and I can smell fuel in the cabin of the car really strong, I have really bad gas mileage and my steering wheel is a lot stiffer than normal
Other or unspecified, Jul 30, 2022
Kia cars lack an engine mobilizer or something and thieves are able to break in and bypass the cars alarm and break the steering column down and start the car with a simple usb and steal the car. Kia’s are being targeted because of this issue and are being stolen . This is a major safety problem and should be fixed . It has been all over the news and police departments are warning Kia owners about it .
Other or unspecified, Jul 24, 2022
Heard noise, while driving, hitting car. Fin cover for antenna broke off. Pulled over and luckily found it. Looks like it broke loose at connecting screws. Thankful no one was behind me at time.
Engine, Jul 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal burning odor was detected. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and declined the engine replacement. Upon investigation, the contact was made aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the contact had not yet received the recall notification. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 19, 2022
My car had started acting weird about 5 months after I got it, I believe Jan 2020. Only had it till Jan 2021 and they said my engine Barrings broke and it was going to cost me 10000. I didn’t have it. I was never informed about the recall. It messed up my whole credit and I still have not been able to get a car since. I moved and I was just now able to get the mail!
Other or unspecified, Jul 18, 2022
Paint is coming off vehicles has been since I purchased it
Air bags, Jul 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 19,600.
Electrical system, Engine, Jul 14, 2022
Just bought the car. Drove it off lot & engine quit on me. Wont go over 25 mph. They won’t refund my money. So I’m on phone with Kia consumer affairs. If they don’t get it fixed/replaced/or buy the car back then I am contacting the lawyers who have the lawsuits against Kia & add my case to their lawsuit. This is ridiculous how many people on here that I see Kia is denying them for replacement of motor due to their company!! They need to get it together or just quit making cars! They suck! I bought it in good faith hoping it was a reliable car. Now I’m $9k out of pocket.
Other or unspecified, Jul 12, 2022
I buy the car 2 week ago and star turn on light slow I just get afraid because I didn't know that the car need to go back to Kia for the recall and is a used car I will like to see how soon I can get to the dealer to get fix is the only thing that I have for work . And is give me some issues to with the gas cap
Engine, Jul 10, 2022
5/17/22-Brought car in for a basic "what needs to be done for maintenance if I was to buy/sell this car". Thought it could be idling low so he suggested an oil change, spark plugs and a fuel injection service due to mileage. But no issues happening with the car. He did not have parts. Scheduled for June 20th. 6/20/22 Car serviced at Sun Mountain. Received call that on the test drive after service was completed that the car died mid drive. He got it back to the shop after jumping the battery. He ran a diagnostic and said everything besides the battery looked good. Battery was very low. He revved the engine and there was a rattling. I told him I had not heard that prior to bringing the car in. He brought up a recall that Kia had for Rod Bearing Failure. Paid and returned car home safely. 6/21/22 Car breaks down Called Kia to confirm the recall. Phoenix told me that there is a test that will take a few days to run and Kia will either replace engine or buy your car back. He said that the engine itself is on back order for months. He stated there was no loaner cars available and the next available time slot was Monday 6/27/22 for the test. I worked on securing a vehicle on my own and then called Kia back to schedule the test. While on the phone with Phoenix to schedule the test, the car started clanking and losing acceleration. I pulled over and turned it off. It would not turn back on. I got the car towed to Kia Tuesday afternoon. Large leak under car when towe 6/25/22 Phoenix called to say they finally got the car in for diagnostics and they are pulling in corporate to see if it is recall associated or if the fuel injection service could have damaged the engine. That corporate is closed on weekends and would have a better idea on lead time of the engine beginning of the week. 6/28/22 Denial of Claim I called Kia because I had not heard from them. Phoenix was out so Matthias checked on the status. He stated that Kia denied the claim. I asked him to send documentation
Engine, Jul 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle started to decelerate. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal almost to the floorboard; however, the vehicle was decelerating with an abnormally loud knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact managed to pull off the highway safely and stopped. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer nor independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 6, 2022
not really sure my car just started making a clicking noise out of no where & powered off & now it wont detect key or wont start up
Engine, Jul 5, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while performing a daily oil check, the contact noticed that the oil level was low. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that there was no oil in the engine after an oil change a month prior. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that there were no recalls on the VIN regarding the failure. The contact was referred to the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Jul 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the catalytic converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The catalytic converter was replaced however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 63,000.
Engine, Jun 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an excessive drop in the oil level. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel injector needed to be cleaned; however, that service had not been completed. The failure persisted. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start-up. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Engine, Jun 28, 2022
On 6/5/2022 my vehicle broke down and had to be towed. On Monday 6/20/2022 I took my vehicle to the Colonial Kia dealership in Chester Virginia. On Wednesday 6/22/2022 I got a call from the dealership saying I would need a new engine and the problem with my vehicle was a part of the large Kia engine settlement. But that Kia denied my claim to get my car fixed and paid for by KIA because I did not get a previous recall fixed. (recall # 21V331). My car is not drivable and Kia is liable for it because of the KIA engine Settlement. I never received any information in the mail about the above stated recall on my vehicle so therefore I had no idea it had to be fixed.