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Kia Optima Problems by Year

Which Kia Optima years have the most owner complaints, what goes wrong, and how many recalls each year has.

Kia Optima, 2016 to 2020 model years
Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0

Owners have filed 5,527 complaints with NHTSA about the Kia Optima from 2012 to 2020. Across every year, the most reported problem areas are the engine and cooling, the electrical system and the steering. The years with the most complaints are 2013, 2015 and 2012.

Years to avoid

2013

The most complaints compared with other Optima years.

Safer bets

201820192020

Clearly fewer complaints than a typical Optima year. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate.

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Complaints by year

Tap a year to see its most reported problems, its recalls and what to check before you buy. Newer years have had less time on the road, so they always look better here. Red marks the worst years, orange years worse than most, and green the better ones.

201292120131,387201459120151,01020167612017257201823320192142020153

Every year at a glance

YearVs. other yearsComplaintsRecallsMost reported
2012 OptimaWorse than most years9215Engine and cooling
2013 OptimaAmong the worst years1,3879Engine and cooling
2014 OptimaAbout average5917Engine and cooling
2015 OptimaWorse than most years1,0104Engine and cooling
2016 OptimaAbout average7615Engine and cooling
2017 OptimaOne of the better years2573Engine and cooling
2018 OptimaOne of the better years2332Engine and cooling
2019 OptimaOne of the better years2141Engine and cooling
2020 OptimaOne of the better years1530Engine and cooling

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Kia Optima questions

What are the worst Kia Optima years?

Compared with its other years, the Optima years with the most owner complaints to NHTSA are 2013. The most reported problem area across all years is the engine and cooling.

What are the best Kia Optima years?

The Optima years with clearly fewer complaints than a typical year are 2018, 2019 and 2020. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly, since complaints keep coming in as cars age.

What are the most common Kia Optima problems?

Across 2012 to 2020, owners report problems with the engine and cooling, the electrical system and the steering most often. Each model year has its own pattern, so check the year you are looking at.

How many recalls does the Kia Optima have?

NHTSA lists 36 recalls across the 2012 to 2020 Optima, counted per model year. A recall can cover several years.

Check the exact car

These problems are for the model year as a whole. Here is how to find out about the one you are looking at.

Decode its VINConfirm the year, trim and engine, and see recalls and safety ratings.Walk around and test drive itA step-by-step checklist you can use on your phone at the car.Read the history reportThe red flags in a Carfax or AutoCheck report, in plain English.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.