2019 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

I just recently purchased my 2019 Kia optima sx turbo. After purchase, I immediately began experiencing issues with the braking system and the forward collision warning light coming on. The cruise control stopped working as well. I googled and saw that there was a recall on the forward collision warning system but the local Kia dealership to me says there is not one. I almost had a head on collision in this car with my granddaughter coming from daycare as I completely lost brakes. I have put so much money into purchasing this car believing it to be a good car.

I recently had the engine replaced less than a year ago due to an engine recall on this model car, today 11/11/2025 the engine caught fire. We’ve kept up with oil changes on time and I had no alerts in the vehicle on the dash claiming the engine was hot.

2019 Kia Optima EX - 59,000 miles - car miss fires and shakes on start. After a few seconds the car calms down and I can drive. Very dangerous since the fuel can stop flowing and the car can stall at any speed. Very dangerous!! Looks like several Kia's from 2019-2023 have been recalled for the same issue - High Pressure Fuel Pump - if my car is having the same issue at 59,000 miles why is this car not recalled, Very Dangerous! The Kia K5 which took over for the Optima is on the list why not the Optima EX.

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2019 Kia Optima. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 51,000. It was later discovered that the mileage was 82,000.

Over the past couple years, the check engine light has came on and I immediately had a mechanic look at it. The first time they said it was my spark plugs and changed them. Then this year, a year later, the check engine light came on and it became hard to accelerate on my way to a mechanic. Once again, they said spark plugs, so they changed them and claimed that they didn't look to had been changed before. Now here I am a couple of months after that, my check engine light came back on and my car started making a funny noise on my way to work. I turned back around and went home since I was closer to home than work. It sounds like rocks popping when you start it or hit the gas. I had someone check the codes and it said engine 1 and 4 coils. All 4 coils and spark plugs were changed again. That did not fix it. The sound is still there and the engine light is now blinking. I have kept up with the oil changes and everything. There is no recall. I still owe on the car and it is not able to be driven.

I was just driving then noticed lack of acceleration and the engine light flashing. Loosing acceleration mid driving posed a great safety risk because no other drivers would know the issue I was experiencing and risked causing an accident. The vehicle was taken for a fault code reading which indicated a knock sensor code, later it was inspected at the dealership who confirmed an ECU issue. The police or insurance have not inspected the vehicle for this particular issue.

I am the owner of a 2019 Kia?Optima?SX Turbo in Snow White Pearl (SWP) paint. At approximately 100,000 miles, I observed bubbling and peeling of the paint—no collision or exterior impact occurred to trigger this. The peeling area has since enlarged, exposing the underlying primer or bare metal, which is visible in an attached photo. I contacted Kia around 115,000 miles when I fully realized the paint failure. Kia declined to offer any repair or goodwill assistance, citing that the vehicle is no longer under warranty. However, this is a widely reported defect affecting many Kia and Hyundai vehicles with the Snow White Pearl paint. Numerous owners have experienced similar peeling and flaking without misuse or accidents. This is clearly a manufacturing defect in paint adhesion, rather than normal deterioration. It compromises both the vehicle’s aesthetics and resale value, and it may lead to rust or more serious long-term problems. There are pending class-action lawsuits in Canada for identical issues with SWP paint. Yet, U.S. owners are left to manage this defective condition on their own, without support from Kia. I respectfully request the NHTSA open an investigation into this paint failure issue involving Kia vehicles painted in Snow White Pearl, including the 2019 Optima, and consider issuing a recall or a mandatory repair campaign.

I am the owner of a 2019 Kia Optima FE with the 2.4L GDI engine (Theta II). Despite following a consistent maintenance schedule with synthetic oil changes every 4,000 to 6,000 miles, the vehicle is experiencing premature engine failure. Specifically, the engine has internal valve damage, and the shop diagnosed the issue as failure of an internal valve component. The vehicle also has a leaking axle inner boot, but the major concern is the engine. Kia has refused warranty coverage, goodwill assistance, or recall support despite this engine being part of a long-standing pattern of issues documented across many Kia and Hyundai vehicles with the Theta II platform. I still owe approximately $10,000 on this vehicle, and now face a potential $5,000+ repair due to a known manufacturing defect. Kia Consumer Affairs and the dealership both declined assistance, claiming my warranty has expired, even though this engine has been involved in class action lawsuits, extended warranties, and TSBs related to premature wear, oil consumption, and mechanical failure. I am submitting this complaint to formally report the issue and to urge the NHTSA to continue investigating Kia’s 2.4L Theta II engine failures, as they represent a potential safety and financial risk to consumers. Many drivers are left stranded or in serious debt due to an engine defect they could not have prevented.

While I was drive these warning lights came on as you in the picture there are no signs of a crash. I have took my car in for service at Kia of Bradley for them to reset my system on 7/01/2025 and they have came back on and they would not go off. I feel like this is a recall on my Kia Optima 2019.

•Rapid oil loss — topped off every 1–2 weeks •Engine misfires, check engine light •Spark plug fouling and performance loss •Repeated advice to “just refill oil” and “wait for failure” •Unsafe to drive, especially as a working single mom