10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,491 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.

2019 Kia Optima electrical problems

electrical problem

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2019 Kia Optima Owner Comments

problem #8

Sep 212022

Optima

  • miles

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

This car was equipped with the theta ll engine and I believe that-€™s what caused it because it was an electrical smoldering. The car has been signed over to the insurance company, it was totaled. If this had happened 30 minutes sooner, I would have been burned. Me and my daughter had luckily just got out of the car. No the problem has not been confirmed by a dealer. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, but has been inspected by police and insurance. There was not any warning lamps or messages prior to the incident.

- Stockton , MD, USA

problem #7

Oct 122021

Optima

  • miles
I have had my AC have 4 problems now and continue to have different problems since I bought the car a little over 6 mo ago. KIA is a pain and I'm constantly taking my vehicle in. The first time it wasn't major, the second time it was something electrical with the AC that tore apart my whole dashboard. Now I have a mold and mildew smell in my car and water leaking excessively under my car. My daughter who is 5 yrs old hasn't had ac for multiple weeks and now we are inhaling mold and mildew. I changed the cabin filter that was in the car and it had water stains all over it. This is a safety concern for the health of me and my child and I want things made right. My lawyer has been contacted and will proceed if nothing is done.

- North Port, FL, USA

problem #6

Aug 012021

Optima

  • miles
Brakes don't feel right some times when I stop. My passage side seat belt dangs for no reason even when there nothing on my set. And ever once in a blue moon I can hear a dang dang noise idk where it's coming from but it's very soft sound.

- Dallas , GA, USA

problem #5

Jan 062020

Optima

  • 30,000 miles

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

I've had this car going on three years sometimes not all the time I will go to start it and it will barely start so I took it to the dealership three times when I got my oil change and they checked the battery but they're saying the battery is good and the starting system the car will just be sitting in my garage and I try to start it it just sounds like it's barely starting and then the next time I started it's fine

- Brownsburg, IN, USA

problem #4

Mar 152020

Optima

  • 25 miles
The cars usb port always disconnects from the cell phone cord. It cuts off my sirisxm and maps. I have to re-plug in the cell cord to have the things come back on. This happens while the car is moving both on city and highway. When I was at a Kia dealership there was someone else that had the same problem. The cell phone store said they receive complaints about from their other customers. Not sure when it started. It seems like since I bought it. There are over 120,000 miles on my car. Over the smallest bump this can happen. If I put my cell on my car window holder it happens less frequently. I have bought new cords and a new cell and it still happens.

- Birmingham, MI, USA

problem #3

Sep 242020

Optima

  • 34,900 miles
Parked. Started car & all dash lights lit up. Tried restarting no change. When backing up there was no power steering. Turned off ignition, pumped gas pedal 3 times, restarted & it seemed to fix problem. Took car in for electrical recall 1 week later & was told this might fix the problem. 2 weeks later it occurred again. Same solution used with success.

- Kaufman, TX, USA

problem #2

Feb 172020

Optima

  • 9,000 miles
When my phone is plugged into the charger, my screen will go black all of a sudden, and I have to turn the car off and unplug my phone and turn the car back on for the screen to come back on. Also, there have been several occasions where my brakes lock up on me, and I almost hit the person in front of me. Especially in the rain, and I have even had to swerve off the road to avoid a collision. It happens when I am in motion driving and go to stop. The radio screen though has turned off on me whether I am driving or in park.

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #1

Jun 262019

Optima

  • 2,000 miles
I bought my 2019 Optima brand new back in November. It is now June and I have had it back to the dealership 3 times for randomly not starting on me. I get the same answer every time. They don't know what it is, nothing comes up on the computer when they plug it in. They say, "if it happens again, call us and well take it in". buying this car brand new and my payments being that of a range rover, I am extremely upset. To top it off, the back windshield is slipping down. I am over this car and I will never buy another Kia again. But, my fight is not over, something will have to be done. It also hesitates at times, feels as though it is struggling to go. Also, two times while I was driving the car, the dash lit up with almost everything like, I was in a crash, the exclamation point, etc.

- Villas, NJ, USA

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