KIA Optima: Owner Complaints and Recalls by Model Year
This is the KIA Optima complaint and recall record by model year (2001–2020). 7,773 owner reports are on file across 20 years. 2013 has the highest count (1,435) — often because that year has had longer to collect reports, not because this page ranked it. Open a year to see what owners named, the recall list, and the filings themselves.
KIA Optima filings that NHTSA splits across body-style names are combined here. Related weight classes stay separate.
Across these years, owners named Engine more often than any other part of the truck. Unclassified leftovers from NHTSA are not a diagnosis.
In plain English
Across 20 years of the KIA Optima, owners named Engine more often than any other system. That is a pattern in the file, not a diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
2013 has the most reports (1,435). Older years collect more filings just by being around longer. Open the year you are actually buying — not the peak year unless that is the one in the listing.
Each row is a model year. The system column is what owners named most that year. Click the year for the inspect list, the recall campaigns, and the owner text.
NHTSA Consumer Complaints · Oct 14, 2026 NHTSA Safety Recalls · Oct 15, 2026
Owner reports by model year
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | System named most often | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 KIA Optima | 140 | 3 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 28 (20.0%) | not reported |
| 2002 KIA Optima | 106 | 3 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 19 (17.9%) | not reported |
| 2003 KIA Optima | 140 | 2 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 17 (12.1%) | not reported |
| 2004 KIA Optima | 223 | 1 | Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) · 29 (13.0%) | not reported |
| 2005 KIA Optima | 144 | 0 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 19 (13.2%) | not reported |
| 2006 KIA Optima | 151 | 2 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 37 (24.5%) | not reported |
| 2007 KIA Optima | 163 | 2 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 54 (33.1%) | not reported |
| 2008 KIA Optima | 141 | 3 | Airbags (AIR BAGS) · 46 (32.6%) | not reported |
| 2009 KIA Optima | 115 | 1 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 27 (23.5%) | not reported |
| 2010 KIA Optima | 75 | 1 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 20 (26.7%) | not reported |
| 2011 KIA Optima | 624 | 6 | Engine (ENGINE) · 219 (35.1%) | not reported |
| 2012 KIA Optima | 1,025 | 6 | Engine (ENGINE) · 376 (36.7%) | not reported |
| 2013 KIA Optima | 1,435 | 10 | Engine (ENGINE) · 495 (34.5%) | not reported |
| 2014 KIA Optima | 618 | 7 | Engine (ENGINE) · 248 (40.1%) | not reported |
| 2015 KIA Optima | 1,017 | 4 | Engine (ENGINE) · 506 (49.8%) | not reported |
| 2016 KIA Optima | 754 | 5 | Engine (ENGINE) · 310 (41.1%) | not reported |
| 2017 KIA Optima | 305 | 4 | Engine (ENGINE) · 143 (46.9%) | not reported |
| 2018 KIA Optima | 240 | 3 | Engine (ENGINE) · 111 (46.3%) | not reported |
| 2019 KIA Optima | 208 | 1 | Engine (ENGINE) · 64 (30.8%) | not reported |
| 2020 KIA Optima | 149 | 0 | Engine (ENGINE) · 73 (49.0%) | not reported |
Frequently asked questions
Which KIA Optima year has the most NHTSA complaints?
2013 has the highest owner-report count in this snapshot (1,435). That is not a recommendation to avoid the year.
What do KIA Optima owners complain about most?
Across published years, owners named Engine more often than any other system. Open the year you are buying for the mix, the recall list and the inspect steps.
How should I use this KIA Optima page before I buy?
Open the model year in the listing — not the peak year unless that is the one you are shopping. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov, inspect the system owners named most, then read a few owner filings.
Do these counts mean the KIA Optima is unreliable?
No. Counts are self-selected and not normalised for sales volume. YearTell does not publish reliability scores.
Are KIA Optima body styles merged?
Where NHTSA splits the same consumer vehicle across cab or body-style names, YearTell combines those filings. Distinct weight classes stay separate.