Kia Optima Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. Owners have filed 3,403 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2020 Kia Optima. For the Kia Optima, that's 2.55 engine complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2020 cohorts, 5.8× the median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2013, 2015 and 2012.
Engine complaints
3,403
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2020 models
Per 1,000 sold
2.55
2015–2020 cohorts
Share of all complaints
51%
of 6,676 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
1
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Kia Optima engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling, and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 23 | — | 16.1% | 5 | — | 0 |
| 2009 | 16 | — | 13.8% | 4 | — | 5 |
| 2010 | 11 | — | 14.7% | 2 | — | 3 |
| 2011 | 277 | — | 44.5% | 28 | 17V224000 | 95 |
| 2012WORST | 487 | — | 47.5% | 69 | 17V224000 | 96 |
| 2013WORST | 661 | — | 46.3% | 96 | 17V224000 | 89 |
| 2014 | 306 | — | 50.4% | 39 | 17V224000 | 121 |
| 2015WORST | 644 | 4.04 | 63.8% | 61 | — | 86 |
| 2016 | 440 | 3.54 | 58.6% | 20 | — | 90 |
| 2017 | 193 | 1.8 | 63.9% | 8 | — | 78 |
| 2018 | 151 | 1.49 | 61.9% | 10 | — | 77 |
| 2019 | 96 | 1 | 44.7% | 6 | — | 53 |
| 2020 | 98 | 2.02 | 71% | 3 | — | 37 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Kia Optima engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 3,403 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Kia Optima years to avoid for the engine
2013 Kia Optima
661 engine complaints (46.3% of the year's 1,427). Most often described: engine failure, seizure or replacement. Covered by engine recall 17V224000.
2015 Kia Optima
644 engine complaints (63.8% of the year's 1,010), 4.04 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: engine failure, seizure or replacement.
2012 Kia Optima
487 engine complaints (47.5% of the year's 1,025). Most often described: engine failure, seizure or replacement. Covered by engine recall 17V224000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Kia Optima years to avoid.
Kia Optima engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Kia Optima model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 17V224000 · 2017-03-31 · 2011–2014 models
Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2013 Kia Optima have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 661 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Kia Optima, 46.3% of all 1,427 complaints for that year. The most common description is "engine failure, seizure or replacement" (214 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 17V224000. 96 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2015 Kia Optima have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 644 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Kia Optima, 63.8% of all 1,010 complaints for that year, or 4.04 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "engine failure, seizure or replacement" (277 complaints). 61 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2012 Kia Optima have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 487 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2012 Kia Optima, 47.5% of all 1,025 complaints for that year. The most common description is "engine failure, seizure or replacement" (198 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 17V224000. 69 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Kia Optima years have the most engine complaints?
2013 (661), 2015 (644) and 2012 (487), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Kia Optima engine problems?
In the 3,403 engine complaints, owners most often describe engine failure, seizure or replacement (36.7%), stalling or shutting off while driving (25.4%) and misfire or check-engine light (23.6%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Kia Optima model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration