Your vehicle report
2015 Kia Optima
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 1,010
- Received Oct 2014 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving151 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Paint peels off roof and hood81 complaints · 8.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring79 complaints · 7.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V652000Park outsideKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Recall #21V331000Park outsideKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Feb 2015
- Paint peels off roof and hoodFirst signal: Jun 2021
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearingsFirst signal: Oct 2017
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 31 crashes, 74 fires, 23 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Headlights dim or fail at night
- Engine won't start or cranks intermittently
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 16 |
| 2016 | 22 |
| 2017 | 41 |
| 2018 | 64 |
| 2019 | 108 |
| 2020 | 99 |
| 2021 | 83 |
| 2022 | 136 |
| 2023 | 159 |
| 2024 | 118 |
| 2025 | 111 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 51 |
| Total | 1,010 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 151 | 15% | 14.2× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Feb 2015 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.5% |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 81 | 8.0% | 28.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2021 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.3% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 79 | 7.8% | 5.7× | NHTSA recall #23V652000 |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 53 | 5.3% | 3.9× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2017 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.8% |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 39 | 3.9% | 1.6× | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 34 | 3.4% | 1.2× | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 30 | 3.0% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 17 | 1.7% | 1.2× | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 17 | 1.7% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 15 | 1.5% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 13 | 1.3% | 1.2× | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 13 | 1.3% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 11 | 1.1% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 10 | 1.0% | – | NHTSA recall #18V907000 |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 10 | 1.0% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 10 | 1.0% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 9 | 0.9% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 7 | 0.7% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 6 | 0.6% | 3.8× | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 6 | 0.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V652000September 25, 20231,730,192 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
NHTSA recall #21V331000May 10, 2021440,370 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
An electrical short in the HECU increases the risk of a fire while parked or driving.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
NHTSA recall #20V519000August 27, 2020440,370 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
NHTSA recall #18V907000December 19, 201871,653 vehicles affected
engine; fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2015 Kia Optima.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN