10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
23,884 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Kia Optima drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2016 Kia Optima Owner Comments (Page 3 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #12

Feb 242019

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Engine failed on highway and car stopped accelerating.

- Manchester, GA, USA

problem #11

Oct 112018

Optima

  • 13,000 miles
The transmission has a very harsh downshift upon coming to a stop. Sometimes so bad that it will push all passengers heads forward harshly.

- Studio City, CA, USA

problem #10

Jul 032018

Optima

  • 5,000 miles
When accelerating from a complete stop, the engine shudders & hesitates. I must allow extra time & space for oncoming traffic, when pulling out into an intersection. This is an ongoing problem. Kia says the vehicle is performing as it was designed to. I think a recall should be considered, as I have seen numerous, similar complaints on various websites regarding this problem.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #9

Jun 222018

Optima

  • 19,540 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle was stationary, stopped, in the West conshohocken municipal community building parking lot, 112 front street, West conshohocken, pa. The car was in park with emergency brake engaged. I went to turn the car off and when I pressed the ignition button, a loud explosion sound came from under the hood and then a loud jack hammer sound started. Car shot backwards in reverse and all the lights on the dashboard were flashing and a bell ringing. I pumped the brakes to stop the car and it would not stop. In had just been turned off, and was already in park and emergency brake on. Car went on out of nowhere, and went in reverse the length of approximately 25 cars and crashed into a parked car.police were called to the scene. They reported the accident and it is under investigation. Murray Kia was where the car was towed. They could not replicate the problem and told me it was an insurance problem. Not true!! my passenger and I were lucky not to have rolled into the street and oncoming traffic, and could been killed or seriously injured, or injured others. Thank god the parked car was there and only then did the car crash into it, and stop.

- Lafayette Hill, PA, USA

problem #8

Mar 182017

Optima

  • 8,000 miles
When decelerating, the car jerks at exactly 35 mph whether im on the highway or in the city and this happens. I have been to the dealership 3 times for this issue and they have even drove my car themselves and felt the same thing that I was feeling and all they say is that without a check engine light threr is nothing they can do about it and I just have to "live" with it. This is ridiculous and Kia needs to address this issue before it causes any accidents or worse death. I spent way too much money on this car for it to be having these issues. Brakes are supposed to be a safety feature not a safety hazard.

- Edmond, OK, USA

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problem #7

Jan 192018

Optima

  • 18,000 miles
Taking a left from a stop at maybe 5 mph, and the right front axle broke in half. I was able to coast off the road and have the car towed. There is a recall for this exact issue (recall #SC139).

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

problem #6

Feb 162017

Optima 4-cyl

  • 7 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When the car encounters a hill and needs to downshift, either to climb or to hold back the speed when it descends, the cruise control remembers the downshift and will not return to high gear until a) it is manually overridden, but will still downshift up to 2 gears, when the lever is placed back to automatic or, B) when the cruise control is turned off. The cruise control also belatedly reacts to loss of speed control and overcorrects with too much power, resulting in a crude ride, as well. The workload is increased dealing with getting the car to attain top gear on flat roads, and is creating unsafe conditions, in my opinion. I have attempted to get this attended to at the dealership, and they continue to not fix the issue, as well as inform me I shouldn't be using cruise control on hills. My 2014 Kia Optima did not exhibit these issues, nor any other of my cars which had cruise control. There is a problem and these people will not fix it. The consumer stated the heat does enter the foot well area.

- Ocean Park, WA, USA

problem #5

Aug 182017

Optima

  • miles
Shutter/hesitation upon take off. I signed my lease on 9/29 and was at the service dept first of 7 times on 10/4. at first I was told the car had to "learn the way I drive" that there were no issues with my car. Since then the dealer has "reset" the transmission, changed fuel injectors, replaced transmission, and now has done 'several updates' (seriously?) this car has nearly caused accidents on numerous occasions. When I asked the tech if he would drive his family in this car I got no response. I have asked on the last 2 trips to the dealer for them to simply replace my car. I am currently consulting a lawyer.

- Metairie, LA, USA

problem #4

Jan 092017

Optima

  • 100 miles
When decelerating/braking, the car jerks harshly forward at 52,42, 32 mph. On wet highways a when it jerks the rear of the car fishtails. Kia knows the fault is because of the dual clutch transmission downshift timing and has no solution. I been to the dealership 3 times on this. Fishtailing on wet highways has a serious risk of an accident. They just say live with it even though they have numerous similar complaints and felt the problem with me on a test drive in my car and other cars of same model in the new car lot. It is time they face this serious hazard, as braking is suppose to the the #1 safety issue in a car, not create a safety issue. I have stated a date below, but that date is when I first went to the dealership with the problem, it happens everyday, and every time at those speeds.

- Carlsbad, CA, USA

problem #3

Jul 052016

Optima

  • miles
This vehicle suffers from a hesitation during take off. According to Kia this hesitation come from a 7 speed dual clutch transmission(dct). Which causes the vehicle the driver to feel a shudder sensation. This vehicle has a double clutch. I have taken my 2016 Kia Optima dealers for repair to this problem without any solution. Runs rough.

- Port Richey, FL, USA

problem #2

Apr 132016

Optima

  • 600 miles
From a dead stop driving around, releasing the brake petal from a stop and getting ready to get going, the car shutters a bit and/or both the engine feels like it's gonna stall. Hesitation to get going.. does it in all 3 drive modes. Dealers says npf.. of course and said maybe quality of gas, I use top tier gas only.

- North Richland Hills, TX, USA

problem #1

Dec 092016

Optima

  • 25 miles
When starting from a dead stop, the car hesitates up to 6 or 7 seconds. I think it has stalled, then it starts again by its self. This is extremely dangerous when pulling out into an intersection. It does this constantly.

- West Mifflin, PA, USA

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