2015 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

View complaints related to 2015 KIA OPTIMA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 960 complaints submitted for the 2015 KIA OPTIMA. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - VISTA, CA

    AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CAR SEEMS TO WANDER BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL WILL "STICK" AND REQUIRES ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO GET IT TO RESPOND TO DRIVER INPUT. ONCE IT RESPONDS IT OVER CORRECTS SLIGHTLY WHICH CAUSES TO CAR TO WEAVE (WITHIN IT'S LANE). THE CAR NOW REQUIRES CONSTANT DRIVER INPUT TO KEEP THE CAR WITHIN IT'S LANE. WE BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN LATE 2016 AND DON'T DRIVE IT A LOT AS IT NOW HAS ONLY 11,000 MILES AND THIS PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE SINCE ABOUT 5,000 MILES.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - GARDNER, KS

    2015 KIA OPTIMA WAS GOING THROUGH 2 QUARTS OF OIL AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK BLOWING OUT WHITE SMOKE. HAD ENGINE REPLACED UNDER 100K WARRANTY AT 98,844K. AT 110,474 MILES ENGINE BROKE DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. MANAGED TO GET CAR TO SHOULDER AND WOULD ONLY DRIVE 5 MILES AN HOUR. KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED NEEDS NEW ENGINE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. STATES NOT IN WARRANTY. KIA CORPORATE ADVISED WE HAVE 12 MONTH/12K WARRANTY ON NEW ENGINE MEANING THERE IS APPROX 1100 MILES REMAINING UNDER WARRANTY. KIA DEALERSHIP NOW SAYS THAT THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY FOR THE CAR OF 100K IS WHAT WAS COVERED FOR THE NEW ENGINE AS WELL, MEANING THE WARRANTY FOR THE NEW ENGINE LASTED APPROX 1100. THEY ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RENTAL CAR THEY PROVIDED AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR THAT THEN THE ENGINE ISSUE.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
    - UPPER DARBY, PA

    WHILE DRIVING, BOTH HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING THEN WENT OUT COMPLETELY, FOG LIGHTS, HIGH BEAM ALL ARE FINE, TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP, TOLD IT NEEDED NEW HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT THE ISSUE, RESEARCHED ONLINE AND SEEN THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY YEAR FOR HEADLIGHT ISSUES. PLEASE, HOW DO I GET THI S RESOLVED. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NEVER MENTIONED A RECALL

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - UNION CITY, NJ

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLANKING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THICK, BLACK SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE ENGINE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. KIA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TOWED THE VEHICLE TO HUDSON KIA (36 WATER ST, JERSEY CITY, NJ 07305) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,386. *TT CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER ON 5/11/18, SERVICE REPORT STATES ENGINE DEFECT AND EVAP CANISTER RECALL WHICH DOES NOT SHOW UP ANYWHERE. UPDATED 9/21/18*JB

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - MADERA, CA

    THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2015, THE STEERING BOX ON THIS VEHICLE WAS REPLACED IN NOVEMBER 2016 UNDER WARRANTY AS THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD HAVE A HESITATION (FELT LIKE A BRIEF STICKING) REGARDLESS OF DRIVING CONDITIONS BUT MORE DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NOW MAY 2018 I AM HAVING TO HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN AS THE STEERING IS VERY LOOSE AND WANDERS FOR NO REASON, AGAIN, REGARDLESS OF DRIVING CONDITIONS BUT MORE UNPREDICTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF CONCENTRATION TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN THE LANE. THE VEHICLE IS 36 MONTHS OLD WITH 78000 MILES AND IS HAVING THE 3RD STEERING BOX INSTALLED. THE TECHNICIAN HAS DEEMED MY VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND STATED THAT THE TECH SUPPORT FROM KIA ACTED AS THOUGH THEY WEREN'T SURPRISED. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR KNOWING THAT THIS MECHANISM IS FAILING AT AN UNSAFE RATE. KIA KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND APPARENTLY FEELS FINE WITH IT THOUGH THEY DEEM THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO A PART THAT THEY KNOWINGLY ARE INSTALLING IN THESE VEHICLES. A BRIEF SEARCH ON THE INTERNET (GOD LOVE THE INTERNET) WILL REVEAL THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS, THESE VEHICLES ARE UNPREDICTABLE ON THE ROAD AND BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION UNSAFE. MY CASE NUMBER WITH KIA FOR THIS PROBLEM IS 12711641

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - WILMINGTON, DE

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART, BUT FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A KIA DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO KIA AUTO TEAM DELAWARE (1603 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806, (877) 364-9441) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
    - LONGWOOD, FL

    I NOTICED THAT WHILE DRIVING PASS 35 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL GETS KINDA STUCK IN THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION. IF I TRY TO STEER EITHER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT IT GETS STUCK LITELY, NOW IT WILL NOT DO IT IF I'M MAKING A COMPLETE TURN! IT'S HARD DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT IN THE LANE BECAUSE OF THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING. JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT IT DOES IT NOT ONLY ON THE HIGHWAY BUT ALSO ON CITY STREETS. IT'S ONLY HAPPENING AFTER I GO OVER APPROXIMATELY AFTER 35 MPH.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - LOS ANGELES, CA

    MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA WITH 46,000 MILES STARTED SMOKING AND RUNNING ROUGHLY; I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE MANAGER THEN GUNNED THE ENGINE VERY HARD UNTIL THE ENGINE SEIZED UP. LATER THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT FOR 7K AND THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT BECAUSE I DID NOT GET OIL CHANGES WITH THEM. I TOLD THEM I CHANGE MY OWN OIL OR GET IT DONE AT A LOCAL PLACE IN TOWN BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL LIKE WAITING FOR 3-4 HOURS FOR OIL CHANGES AT THE KIA IN GLENDALE CA WHERE BTW THE SERVICE IS TERRIBLE. THIS ENGINE SHOULD BE RECALLED LIKE THE OTHERS; IT IS NOT A PRODUCTION DEFECT IT IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT AND THE SOONER KIA RECOGNIZES THAT THE LESS LIABILITY THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. THIS COMPANY IS A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT AND I HOPE THEY WILL MOVE TO A VOLUNTARY RECALL AND NOT PUT ALL THEIR CUSTOMERS THROUGH HELL WAITING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO FORCE THEM. I SPEAK NOTHING BUT NEGATIVELY ABOUT THESE CARS SO OTHER PEOPLE WON'T BE IN THE POSITION I AM IN.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - SCOTTSDALE, AZ

    THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR UNTIL SUDDENLY I SAW SMOKE. CHECKED MY OIL & IT WAS LOW. I ADDED OIL. I BEGAN TO HEAR RATTLING IN THE ENGINE AND HUGE WHITE PUFFS OF SMOKE EMIT FROM MY ENGINE, SO BAD THAT CARS BEHIND ME ON THE FREEWAY (ALL 4 LANES) HIT THEIR BRAKES AS THEY CANNOT SEE. THE 101 FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR - THIS IS VERY BAD AND COULD GET SOMEONE KILLED, INCLUDING ME IF MY ENGINE SEIZES AT 75 MPH. I CHECK MY OIL EVERY OTHER DAY OR SO AND SEEMS TO BE LOW ONCE A WEEK. I'VE BEEN WAITING TO DROP MY CAR AT MY MECHANIC. WHEN I GOT THERE HE SAID HE COULD NOT TOUCH MY CAR DUE TO THE SAME EXACT REASON FOR OVER 1.2 MILLION RECALLED ENGINES. I WENT TO BRAKE MASTERS DOWN THE ROAD ASKING IF THEY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS AND THEY SAID "ABSOLUTELY!" THEY TOLD ME DO NOT DO AN OIL CHANGE AS MANY PEOPLE'S ENGINE SEIZES WITHIN A DAY OR SEVERAL DAYS AFTER AN OIL CHANGE. DEALERS CONSISTENTLY TELL PEOPLE THEIR ENGINE HAS "SLUDGE" IN IT. REALLY? I HAVE READ SO MANY REVIEWS OF THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. TELLING PEOPLE IT IS $6,000-$8,000 FOR A NEW ENGINE AT THEIR COST. BOTH MY MECHANIC AND BRAKE MASTERS TOLD ME THAT THEY FEEL THE ONLY REASON MY ENGINE HAS NOT SEIZED ON ME IS BECAUSE I TOOK NOTICE THAT MY ENGINE SOUNDED SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. NOT ONE TIME HAS A LIGHT GONE OFF ON MY CAR. THERE IS NO REASON WHY A DASH WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF WHILE LOOSING POWER AND BURNING OIL SO BAD THAT PEOPLE CANNOT SEE. SO, WE HAVE TWO ISSUES..... #1 OBVIOUS FAILURE OF DASH WARNING/ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS AND #2 THE BURNING OIL, METAL SHARDS RUINING MY ENGINE. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND DO NOT GET CHILD SUPPORT. I DON'T HAVE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT AND COULD NOT AFFORD TO REPLACE AN ENGINE. I AM VERY GOOD WITH MY VEHICLES AND WHAT I AM READING IS UNACCEPTABLE. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR NEW ENGINES AND I WILL NOT BE ONE OF THEM. PLEASE HELP ME AS THIS ENGINE ISSUE IS NOT A LACK OF CARE

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2015 KIA OPTIMA
    - FREDERICK, MD

    2015 KIA OPTIMA. DROVE OUT OF MY PARKING LOT AND MY CAR JUST CUT OFF AFTER I TURNED THE CORNER AT 4:30 IN THE MORNING HEADING TO WORK. TRIED TO START IT AGAIN IT STARTED AND CUT RIGHT BACK OFF. HAD IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER IN FREDERICK. THE DEALER CALLED ME AND SAID THAT MY ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY OIL IN IT AND IT HAD SLUDGE AND A CRACK IN THE ENGINE. I WAS FURTHER TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO BRING ALL OF MY OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS TO PROVE I WAS GETTING MY OIL CHANGED. MY CAR IS NOT EVEN 3 YEARS OLD. THE WARRANTY CLEARLY STATES THAT YOU ARE COVERED 10YEARS OR 100,000 MILES WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. KIA IS NOT WILLING TO HONOR THEIR WAIRRANTY WHICH IS DEAD WRONG. GOT A CALL TODAY STATING THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST $7200 TO FIX MY ENGINE. LAST TIME I CHECKED I WAS NOT RELATED TO ROCKEFELLER. PEOPLE JUST DON'T GO AROUND DELIBERATELY CRACKING ENGINES. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. HOW WAS IT RECALLED FROM 2011-2014 SKIPPED 2015 AND RECALLED AGAIN IN 2016. I'VE BEEN DOING MY HOMEWORK WITH THIS SITUATION AND THERE HAVE BEEN 98 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2015 KIA OPTIMA WHICH 48 OF THEM WHERE ABOUT THE ENGINE AND KIA NOR NHTSA HAD INVESTIGATED ANY OF THEM. THAT'S BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO FIX THERE ISSUES THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT PRIOR TO IT HAPPENING. THIS IS A TRUE SAFETY HAZARD AND SOMETHING MUST BE DONE ABOUT IT. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT WE PAY SO MUCH MONEY FOR A CAR AND THEN WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO IT YOU CAN'T EVEN GET IT FIXED. BUT I BET IF IT WAS ONE OF THOSE CORPORATE PEOPLES CARS THEY WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM HONORING THE WARRANTY OR BETTER YET GIVING THEM A NEW CAR.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE