2016 Kia Optima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 756 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 20 Optima model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 27 involved a crash and 19 involved a fire. 21 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Latches/locks/linkages, trunk lid, latchAug 24, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.
Campaign 23V594000 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
Air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator moduleJan 6, 2017
Kia Motors America (Kia) has recalled one 2016 Optima vehicle. In this vehicle, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
The affected vehicle was remedied on January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC143.
Campaign 17V007000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftOct 3, 2016
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 13, 2015, to April 23, 2016 and equipped with a 2.4l engine. The right front axle driveshaft may crack and fail.
If the driveshaft cracks and separates from the vehicle, it will not be able to move forward. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied upon exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario can increase the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC139.
Campaign 16V705000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalApr 21, 2016
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. In these vehicles, a chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's frontal air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating crashes.
If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC131.
Campaign 16V231000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
756 reports, newest first.
Other or unspecified, May 5, 2024
Vehicle is defectively unsafe, and unreliable due to PCM not functioning properly!!!
Electrical system, May 4, 2024
our ac keeps blowing relays. every month. and they other day we have to force power bank to the blower motor just to get it to work. half the inside and sometimes the even the outside lights works.
Engine, May 2, 2024
Was on highway, engine seized, flashing engine light and knlocking noise, car went into limp mode, took to dealership code p1326 was thrown which is engine failure, I have had the knock sensor installed thru kia prior which put me in lifetime warranty for the engine, kia dealership did a diagnostic BCT, which is a 4 to 5 hour job at the most, kia called me in less than 2 hours and told me is passed the BCT ! there is no way they did the testing in less than 2 hours, and no way it passed with engine light blinking and knocking, that's what the sensor detects is engine failure, they are refusing to honor my warranty for the new engine , picked up my car from. Dealership, soon as I hit the end of the parking lot engine seized and loud knocking noise, was barely drivable but yet the lied on the paperwork and said it drives as designed and was fine, put in a new knock sensor which they already did a month ago! went right back in to dealership and they told me because it supposedly passed there was nothing they could do! R u kidding me!? They were rude and not wanting to help or honor my engine replacement, so here I am with a seized engine and they tell me nothing they can do till it fails the BCT! THE DAM CAR IS IN ENGINE FAILURE! In the last 3 months I have put 3k in this car! What is it gonna take for them to honor the new engine? Gonna take me, my kids, or someone else getting hurt before they do what they said they would do? I have been in contact with corporate as well and they have yet to get a return phone call from the dealership, they have left several messages and called bullshit as well, and believed I was treated poorly because I'm a female.....Little do they know, my father was a mechanic, he has passed on but I grew up around cars and know what's safe and what's not and know how long it takes to do a BCU test! Basically kia told me to drive it till the engine blows completely! I just want them to honor the warranty of the engine .
Engine, Apr 30, 2024
UNKNOWN
Engine, Apr 25, 2024
Vehicle first went into “limp mode” and dealer said high voltage recall needed to be done. Worked ok for a while then again “limp mode” dealer said knock sensor recall was happening and knock sensor was replaced. Few weeks ago limp mode again, all during car was moving in traffic. Car currently sitting at a Kia dealer, knock sensor again, haven’t heard from Kia regarding engine replacement
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Apr 20, 2024
The Hybrid Battery continues to malfunction and, randomly shuts down at any speed (even after short engine block was "repaired" by Kia Dealership). Also, an odor of burnt oil happens often while driving the car. It is available for inspection, if need be. Safety of all drivers at risk because car shuts down on freeways and highways. It's dangerous where cars driving at speeds of 65 mph are unable to break and avoid collision. Kia calls their RECALLS "CAMPAIGNS". The Kia dealer has acknowledged this problem and has performed maintenance, however the problem still persists. I have the recent receipt of service/ maintenance on my 2016 Kia Optima Hybrid on hand. The first time it happened was on September 25, 2021. There were no warning lights or messages, the car simply shut down and had no power and was not drivable. I took it to a hybrid mechanic who ran a diagnostic test. The hybrid mechanic repaired my car. 6 months later, while I was driving my car seized on me while I was driving on the freeway going 65 miles an hour. This time a warning on my dashboard showed that there was a problem with the hybrid control system on the car. We took it to a Kia dealership and they performed a diagnostic test and said that I needed a new short engine block and hybrid battery replacement. (I have the receipts for the maintenance performed by Kia Dealership) It took 3 months for The Kia dealership to rebuild the engine block and replace the Hybrid battery. On March 7, 2024, my 2016 Kia optimal hybrid seized on me while I was driving 40 miles an hour. The message/ warning now says "Battery Management System Failure" "Possible BMS Condition." "Check Hybrid System". Kia does not acknowledge that there is a problem with the hybrid system in the Kia Optima hybrids. I've called and tried to file a complaint, however they tell me there are no problems with the Kia Optima hybrids. Please investigate. Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.
Power train, Apr 12, 2024
The Car has been to the dealer several times for a transmission judder update under TSB: TRA 083 and Recently TSB TRA 098 - Both Times they have done a Anti-Judder Logic Improvement. The Car still Judders and Its a big safety concern. Many times I will go to pull out into oncoming traffic and the judder can be so bad the car wont take off. This happens several times a month. I have complained about this since I bought the car and primarily they blamed it on being a Dual clutch transmission. Years later they have now 2 TSB and the issue is not solving the problem. The imparticular dealer that I use has told me they have never had to change out the clutch on this car and dont have the tools. They also said the way that kia uses software to monitor the judder never warrants a change in the dual clutch. I believe that Kia should take responsibility and install their new updated transmission into this car.
Power train, Apr 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the passenger side drive shaft fractured. The vehicle stalled and was unable to be restarted. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road and then towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Engine, Mar 28, 2024
Lost power while driving. Likely seized engine.
Service brakes, Mar 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving in the rain at unknown speeds the brake pedal was depressed, however, the vehicle did not respond and began to hydroplane. The vehicle swerved left and right, when the vehicle in front moved to the side, the contact's vehicle continued to roll until the brakes responded. The vehicle came to a stop and no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they did not diagnose or repair it. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was stated that new tires may help and the tires were replaced. The failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, Mar 25, 2024
While driving home on the interstate the vehicle had a sudden loss of power. No warning lights or check engine lights were on prior to this incident. The vehicle would not start and I had it towed to a dealership who told me that the engine was low on oil and that KIA would not be covering the engine replacement. I provided the dealership/KIA with all of my service records showing that I had performed all maintenance to my vehicle at KIA dealerships and that I had never skipped any recommended repairs. I also pointed out that there was never any notes made that I should be monitoring for excessive engine oil consumption or that I had a leak anywhere to be found. Despite having all of my records in order, all of my services performed at a KIA dealership and in a timely manner, no low oil lights that came on to notify me that it was dangerously low on oil, and the known issues and recalls to these engines for this exact issue; KIA stood firm that this was not their problem and they would be doing nothing to assist me in the matter. This sudden loss of power on the interstate fortunately did not, but easily could have caused a fatal accident for me and those around me at the time and also could have caused a fire to start in the vehicle which could have been fatal as well.
Electrical system, Engine, Mar 24, 2024, crash
The engine almost caught on fire. Windows are all down .
Electrical system, Engine, Mar 21, 2024
Engine failure; oil consumption, misfire, smoking, losing sped, no acceleration. Problem has been diagnosed by 3 mechanics in a mechanic shop. Only warning was the check engine light
Engine, Mar 15, 2024
My engine has been consuming oil since 30,000 miles. It consumes in excess of 1 qt per 500 miles. There's zero dripping oil from under my car, it's all being consumed. I've lost power and gone into limp mode because it's consumed too much oil and ran dry in between regular oil changes. Kia has not helped me. I've done more than 5 consumption tests with a Kia dealer. And now Kia says that it's a warranty event. However they will not accept my warranty event without evidence of every self oil change such as receipts for oil filters or oil. I don't have all of these records so Kia refuses to repair my vehicle.
Other or unspecified, Mar 4, 2024
Snow White Pearl paint is flying off of my car in big splotches.
Power train, Electrical system, Feb 28, 2024
The high voltage battery and the ability to drive or turn on completely
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 28, 2024
Heavy oil consumption , unintended acceleration , car jerks . Back window occasionally won’t roll down .
Other or unspecified, Feb 26, 2024
My 2016 Optima started burning a quart of oil at 60000 miles I am now burning over 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles. I took it to the dealership where I bought it from and was they would change my oil to do an oil consumption test and I was to drive it no more than 1000 miles. I brought up my warranty for engine replacement and was told yes I do have warranty. I drove it just under 1000 miles took it back, was told I was burning oil but I would need to do an engine flush 1st, for the cost of $600. I told the young women that was not what she said. I have been dealing with this issue since 2021. I don’t know if you can help me or not , if not can you give me any advice Thank you (I am not sure of the exact dates that it started)
Engine, Feb 26, 2024
I'm noticing that I'm burning oil frequently. I started to notice this becoming an issue summer of 2023. Once when I get an oil change about 3-4 Weeks later my oil light comes on. Then I would have to put oil and my car. The dealership always ask me if I'm sure that I want an oil change because I haven't hit my time for an oil change. 26th Feb 2024 I spoke with Kia Customer Care and they stated that this is not an issue and that oil consumption is not under warranty. I stated that I didn't inquire about the oil consumption. I repeated my question asking if it's a known issue that the Kia optimas burn oil. Angel the customer care representative stated that it isnt. However, I started how is when I took my car to numerous dealerships and mechanics that they all said the same thing. That I spoke to a Kia dealership before I called and they stated that it was a known issue. Once when I said that, Angel changed her story and said yes that it is a known issue but all cars burn oil. I asked was there a solution for this issue. Angel then repeated the same thing and I said thank you for your time and got off the phone. Needless to say there was no solution made.
Engine, Feb 25, 2024
When I was coming home from work my car lost power and didn’t accelerate anymore when I was on the freeway. I almost didn’t make it to the shoulder when trying to pull over. Every single light I could imagine came on when I was trying to pull over, It said check hybrid system, BSP system failed, etc. All the lights came on at once. My car didn’t start, so I had to wait on the side of the freeway at 4am for a ride and a tow. Kia told me that I need service records to prove that I was up on my maintenance and that the reason my engine failed was at no fault of my own, But I am up on maintenance. That same dealership had my car in February 2023 and said my car was in perfect condition and up on maintenance, I just needed a new transmission. Now just a year later, Suddenly my engine failed and they are saying it might be because I didn’t get oil changes. There are recalls on Kia engines made in 2016 but for some reason my car isn’t included in the recall even though I know I took car of my car and that engine just wasn’t good.
Engine, Feb 25, 2024
Oil light continues to come on only after 1 month of a 5 quart oil change. Only driving about 300 miles a month. Have taken it to a kia dealership where they said there was no oil leak. Took it to a private mechanic for a second opinion where I monitored my miles after an oil change and they found that it is an engine problem and the engine is burning my oil. This has been happening for the past 6 months. I did not have the mechanic fix the issue as it should be covered through the manufacturers warranty.
Engine, Feb 25, 2024
Engine is burning 2qts of oil every 500-900 miles. Risk of engine seizing during drive.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Feb 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the turbo booster sensor and turbo charger. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 114,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the camshaft sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The camshaft sensor was replaced but the failure persisted. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 125,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Feb 15, 2024
Since 08/07/21 I’ve been having intermittent issues with my oil light and engine light coming on. I have had all repairs recommended by the Mark KIA Scottsdale, AZ dealership yet my oil consumption has increased significantly and the oil light continues to come on: On 02/14/24 I took my car to a local auto repair shop to get a second opinion due to the oil light coming off and on; they found the engine oil very low and only 1 quart came out when doing the oil change; they also recommended injection induction service which I’ve had done twice previously with the KIA dealership