2016 Kia Optima problems and recalls

Owner complaints on the 2016 Kia Optima include 1 fatality report, 27 crashes and 19 fires across 754 filings.

754
Complaints
5
Recalls
27
Crash reports
19
Fire reports
21
Injuries
57.5
Severity index

Severity index 57.5 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 57.5p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 87 of 141 by severity index among 2016 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 38% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2016 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

EngineEngine: 424 complaints (56.2%)424 56%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 121 complaints (16.0%)121 16%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 102 complaints (13.5%)102 14%Power TrainPower Train: 73 complaints (9.7%)73 10%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 53 complaints (7.0%)53 7%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 47 complaints (6.2%)47 6%StructureStructure: 40 complaints (5.3%)40 5%VisibilityVisibility: 30 complaints (4.0%)30 4%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE42456.2%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER12116.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM10213.5%
POWER TRAIN739.7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM537.0%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING476.2%
STRUCTURE405.3%
VISIBILITY304.0%

Complaints filed per year

0851702016: 32017: 192018: 302019: 632020: 602021: 672022: 1092023: 1622024: 1212025: 762026: 44 (partial year)1617181920212223162242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20163
201719
201830
201963
202060
202167
2022109
2023162
2024121
202576
2026 (year to date)44
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 1.5x those in 2020 to 2022 (359 against 236).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
18V90700019/12/2018FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGSKia 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 h
17V00700006/01/2017AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEKia 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.
16V70500003/10/2016POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFTKia 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.
16V23100021/04/2016AIR BAGS:FRONTALKia 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, resulti
23V59400024/08/2023LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCHKia 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 require

Other Kia Optima model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 9 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-08-29. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.