2016 Kia Optima: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 748 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
748
Complaints
5
Recalls
26
Crash reports
19
Fire reports
21
Injuries
57.0
Severity index
Severity index 57.0 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Kia Optima ranks 84 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 40% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 421 | 56.3% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 121 | 16.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 99 | 13.2% |
| POWER TRAIN | 71 | 9.5% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 53 | 7.1% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 46 | 6.1% |
| STRUCTURE | 40 | 5.3% |
| VISIBILITY | 30 | 4.0% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 421 of 748 complaints (56.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 19 |
| 2018 | 30 |
| 2019 | 63 |
| 2020 | 60 |
| 2021 | 67 |
| 2022 | 109 |
| 2023 | 162 |
| 2024 | 121 |
| 2025 | 76 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 38 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 1.5x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V907000 | 19/12/2018 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 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 h |
| 17V007000 | 06/01/2017 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE | 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. |
| 16V705000 | 03/10/2016 | POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 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. |
| 16V231000 | 21/04/2016 | AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 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, resulti |
| 23V594000 | 24/08/2023 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH | 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 require |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.