10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
5,591 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2019 Kia Optima Owner Comments

problem #19

Jun 152022

Optima

  • miles

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

ABS light came on for no apparent reason and took car to Kia dealership and was told it needs ABS Issue: -€œYour car is going to need an ABS Actuator, this controls how the ABS modulates the brakes when under dangerous braking conditions so that your brakes don't lock up..$2676.56 just for that repair if you'd like us to replace it-€ and I searched online and do see that some 2019 Kia models had a recall for this very issue, but my VIN is not showing up as affected. The lights came on about 6 mos ago, cleared and then came back on again. Car is at Moritz KIa in FW, TX right now.

- Burleson, TX, USA

problem #18

Jul 132020

Optima

  • miles
The paint on the roof of the 2019 Kia Optima is peeling back. Also, have paint that has let go around the hood. I inquired at the dealer at around 40,000 miles. The employee said that the paint was only warranted through the first 36,000 miles. I drive a lot of miles to work, and this was within the first year I purchased the vehicle. The employee said that the pearl white color was the one color that they saw the most complaints with the paint.

- Dalton, GA, USA

problem #17

Aug 022022

Optima

  • miles
The paint is chipping on the right side of the vehicle it is through the primer.

- Miami Beach, FL, USA

problem #16

Aug 122022

Optima

  • miles

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

As soon as I pulled onto the parkway, I heard a loud bang almost like a gunshot. Pulled over to inspect the vehicle and my sunroof had exploded. No rocks or foreign objects. The sunroof looked as if it blew up from the inside out forming almost a -€œvolcano-€ shape. After trying for an hour to get ahold of Kia, they inform me this won-€™t be covered under warranty. Filed a claim with insurance. This is very dangerous and if my visor was opened, I could have been cut to pieces. This could easily cause a wreck and danger myself and others

- Springfield, KY, USA

problem #15

Aug 102022

Optima

  • miles
The skid plate under the vehicle has two pieces. The main larger piece and a small piece that comes off to change the oil. The screws used to hold up the smaller part of the skid plate tend to puncture the oil pan because one of the screws holding the skid plate is directly underneath the oil pan. If people are unaware of the oil being gone it can seize the motor and stall the vehicle. After researching and looking at different forums, this is a common issue that takes place.

- Bullhead City, AZ, USA

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problem #14

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 #13

Mar 042021

Optima

  • miles

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

Refer to all the complaints of the pearl white paint flaking. I am filing another complaint and the dealership is not helping. Please help! https://www.google.com/search?q=kia+pearl+white+paint+recall&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS970US971&oq=kia+perl+white+pai&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0i13l2j0i22i30l7.6591j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8.

- Rockledge, FL, USA

problem #12

Nov 132021

Optima

  • miles
my car has been broken into and stolen twice by the same people because of how easy it is to steal it (Kia and Hyundai). Kia hasn-€™t fixed the issue of their car door locks can be busted with a screen driver and the ignition can too. My car has been stolen twice the same way they bust my door lock bust my ignition and steal the car. Kia won-€™t even acknowledge the issue despite their being many complaints about the same thing happening to other peoples cars. Filed insurance claims both times and both times the car has been recovered

- Aurora , CO, USA

problem #11

Jul 242021

Optima

  • miles
Optima SXL, 2019, 5,678 miles. When using the air conditioning, liquid on passenger side fills up on my mate about 1/2 inch. Took to dealer Three times. States the hose gets clogged and they have to clear this. Now car starting to smell like mold/mildew. Rug is getting wet. They did not want to detail the call. Service person tells me to bring it back and they will unclog it. But I want it fix not keep coming back to unclog the hose. They stated this happens all the time. This sees to be a problem to me. It-€™s a New Vehicle. What can I do?

- Turtle Creek, PA, USA

problem #10

Jun 012021

Optima

  • miles
ther are two Problems with my car when my phone is connected via USB to the vehicle the screen turn black and completely shut off while driving the other issue is the forward collision when there-€™s a car in front of me and I go to put on my for my brakes the car beats and slides rather than breaking

- Sacramento, CA, USA

problem #9

Mar 152020

Optima

  • 25 miles

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

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 #8

Nov 232020

Optima

  • 9,015 miles
Last night a warning message popped up that said there was an issue with the front crash collision sensor and it was turning off. The warning lights stayed on while driving home and this morning it was off but popped back up after around 15 minutes of driving.

- Coconut Creek, FL, USA

problem #7

Jul 262020

Optima

  • 12,000 miles
Was driving on I 95 when the vehicle pulled me into the median totaling my car. I was unable to apply brakes and unable to turn my steering wheel in the other direction to avoid the collision.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #6

Oct 282020

Optima

  • 15,000 miles
From day one I've been complaining about the driver assist front camera shutting off by itself while I'm driving. I was told by my Kia dealer that there is no problem. It has reoccurred many more times since. It happened again. The orange display light goes off.

- Fitchburg, MA, USA

problem #5

Aug 282020

Optima

  • 19,312 miles
I was driving on 8/28/2020 and a warning light came across the dashboard that read my forward collision camera was not working and it stayed lit for about 3 minutes while driving and eventually went off before I parked the car. I am afraid to drive the car if the braes may fail.the vehicle was in motion initially approaching a stop light when the message came across the dashboard. I was on a city street driving.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #4

Jun 052020

Optima 4-cyl

  • 10,479 miles
Panoramic sunroof exploded while driving 6/5/2020 while in motion it has been 110 degrees in phoenix, AZ for the past week.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #3

Apr 292020

Optima

  • 37,402 miles
Hard starting and when it does start it acts like it sluggish. You can turn it off and back on and it is fine.

- Galax, VA, USA

problem #2

Sep 222019

Optima

  • 1,000 miles
I was looking on credit karma and read there is a recall on my vehicle. I had no clue and haven't had anyone contact me in regards to this! I'm concerned for the safety of my family

- Corbin, KY, 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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