Kia Optima Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. Owners have filed 475 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2008–2020 Kia Optima. For the Kia Optima, that's 0.34 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2020 cohorts, close to the 0.28 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2016, 2013 and 2012.
Transmission complaints
475
Filed with NHTSA, 2008–2020 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.34
2015–2020 cohorts
Share of all complaints
7.1%
of 6,676 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
2
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Kia Optima transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 18 | — | 12.6% | 1 | 11V153000 | 6 |
| 2009 | 33 | — | 28.4% | 2 | — | 6 |
| 2010 | 24 | — | 32% | 1 | — | 6 |
| 2011 | 29 | — | 4.7% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2012WORST | 64 | — | 6.2% | 2 | — | 15 |
| 2013WORST | 70 | — | 4.9% | 5 | — | 0 |
| 2014 | 23 | — | 3.8% | 4 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | 50 | 0.31 | 5% | 2 | — | 14 |
| 2016WORST | 73 | 0.59 | 9.7% | 2 | 16V705000 | 24 |
| 2017 | 26 | 0.24 | 8.6% | 0 | — | 19 |
| 2018 | 21 | 0.21 | 8.6% | 3 | — | 27 |
| 2019 | 18 | 0.19 | 8.4% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | 26 | 0.54 | 18.8% | 1 | — | 0 |
- 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 transmission.
Common Kia Optima transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 475 transmission 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 transmission
2016 Kia Optima
73 transmission complaints (9.7% of the year's 751), 0.59 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: hesitation or delayed engagement. Covered by transmission recall 16V705000.
2013 Kia Optima
70 transmission complaints (4.9% of the year's 1,427). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts.
2012 Kia Optima
64 transmission complaints (6.2% of the year's 1,025). Most often described: jerking, lurching or harsh shifts.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission 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 transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Kia Optima model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 16V705000 · 2016-10-03 · 2016 models
The right front axle driveshaft may crack and fail.
- 11V153000 · 2011-03-09 · 2008 models
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JUNE 13, 2007. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SHIFT CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, CAUSING TENSION IN THE CABLE. IF PRESENT, THIS…
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2016 Kia Optima have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 73 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Kia Optima, 9.7% of all 751 complaints for that year, or 0.59 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "hesitation or delayed engagement" (15 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 16V705000. 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2013 Kia Optima have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 70 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2013 Kia Optima, 4.9% of all 1,427 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (7 complaints). 5 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2012 Kia Optima have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 64 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2012 Kia Optima, 6.2% of all 1,025 complaints for that year. The most common description is "jerking, lurching or harsh shifts" (12 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Kia Optima years have the most transmission complaints?
2016 (73), 2013 (70) and 2012 (64), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Kia Optima transmission problems?
In the 475 transmission complaints, owners most often describe jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (19.2%), loss of power or limp mode (12.4%) and hesitation or delayed engagement (8.2%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission 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 transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
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 transmission 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