Owners have filed 203 complaints
about the 2020 KIA Optima with NHTSA between 2019 and 2026.
The largest single group is the engine & cooling.
Across this model's run it ranks 15 of 20 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 20
Against the median year of the KIA Optima. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 48
9.4% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 62
36% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
39.1%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
721.2%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
13.0%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
412.1%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
515.2%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
412.1%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
824.2%
150,000+ miles
13.0%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Dec 2019peak 10Aug 2026
NHTSA investigations into the 2020 KIA Optima
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
DP22003Opened 12 Sep 2022Closed 12 Dec 2023ENGINE
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complain...
Recalls on the 2020 KIA Optima
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 2022004200 units in Canada
Engine
Issue: Kia Canada is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign that provides an update to the engine control module to detect potential problems before an engine fails. An engine failure could cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart. Note: This only affects Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) models equipped with a 2.0 L NU GDI engine. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of an accident. An engine failure could also create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the software for the engine control module. Note: Kia recommends that you should always follow the correct vehicle maintenance schedule, which is printed in the Owner's Manual. If you experience unusual engine noise, reduced power, or a check engine/oil warning light, Kia advises you to immediately visit a Kia dealership to have your vehicle diagnosed.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Ringgold, LACrash2 injured
SEAT BELTS
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a “T” cross road.
NHTSA complaint #11715952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ringgold, LACrash2 injured
AIR BAGS
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a “T” cross road.
NHTSA complaint #11715952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ringgold, LACrash2 injured
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a “T” cross road.
NHTSA complaint #11715952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bidwell, OHFire
POWER TRAIN
2020 kia optima caught on fire in gallipolis ohio after insurance paid to fix car it continues to leak oil stall and is dangerous to drive12/24/2022
NHTSA complaint #11696226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bidwell, OHFire
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2020 kia optima caught on fire in gallipolis ohio after insurance paid to fix car it continues to leak oil stall and is dangerous to drive12/24/2022
NHTSA complaint #11696226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bidwell, OHFire
ENGINE
2020 kia optima caught on fire in gallipolis ohio after insurance paid to fix car it continues to leak oil stall and is dangerous to drive12/24/2022
NHTSA complaint #11696226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
York, PA
ENGINE
Today as I was driving to work my car suddenly stopped while being idle at the stop light. It turned off. I was able to restart and drive to work safely and home. I googled the issue and saw many Kia optima owners having the same issues and they’re saying no codes or anything popping up. Should this be considered a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11758538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Galesburg, IL
ENGINE
Fuel Leak: I can smell heavy gas fumes inside the vehicle cabin. Fire Hazard: The vehicle is unsafe to drive due to an imminent risk of a fuel fire. Corporate Refusal: Kia Corporate refused to generate a case number and my local dealership refused to service the vehicle leaving a dangerous safety defect unrepaired on public roads. Mechanical Symptoms: The car is experiencing slow cranking, engine sputtering, and multiple dashboard warning lights.
NHTSA complaint #11755485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Galesburg, IL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel Leak: I can smell heavy gas fumes inside the vehicle cabin. Fire Hazard: The vehicle is unsafe to drive due to an imminent risk of a fuel fire. Corporate Refusal: Kia Corporate refused to generate a case number and my local dealership refused to service the vehicle leaving a dangerous safety defect unrepaired on public roads. Mechanical Symptoms: The car is experiencing slow cranking, engine sputtering, and multiple dashboard warning lights.
NHTSA complaint #11755485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
ENGINE
My engine failed while driving which put me and others at risk. It was confirmed by the Kia dealership as rod bearing failure. Which is a known recall on the Kia 2.4L Theta II engine. My specific VIN number is not listed on the Kia recall list. And Kia is stating that it does not qualify for a warranty replacement. Although it is the same engine with the known defect.
NHTSA complaint #11751391 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
POWER TRAIN
Engine replacement needed at 99,782 miles. P1326 code continuously popping up. Also has excessive oil consumption and electrical problems concerning the forward collision system. Kia refuses to replace engine although the P1326 code is covered by lifetime warranty. The cause of the incident was defect in engine resulting in a recall of all 2011-2019 models. The 2020 Kia optima LX contains a 2.4L GDI engine which has identical problems relating to previous lawsuits.
NHTSA complaint #11743902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
ENGINE
Engine replacement needed at 99,782 miles. P1326 code continuously popping up. Also has excessive oil consumption and electrical problems concerning the forward collision system. Kia refuses to replace engine although the P1326 code is covered by lifetime warranty. The cause of the incident was defect in engine resulting in a recall of all 2011-2019 models. The 2020 Kia optima LX contains a 2.4L GDI engine which has identical problems relating to previous lawsuits.
NHTSA complaint #11743902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Engine replacement needed at 99,782 miles. P1326 code continuously popping up. Also has excessive oil consumption and electrical problems concerning the forward collision system. Kia refuses to replace engine although the P1326 code is covered by lifetime warranty. The cause of the incident was defect in engine resulting in a recall of all 2011-2019 models. The 2020 Kia optima LX contains a 2.4L GDI engine which has identical problems relating to previous lawsuits.
NHTSA complaint #11743902 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Peoria, IL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My transmission failed the week I got it it was inspected by the dealership and I was told that they could not do anything about it I’ve been calling them for a whole year I’ve made notes and complaints I’ve contacted my lender they contacted the dealership to trade me in a new car and was told no I have been out of thousands of dollars paying every month I’ve been ubering I’ve been late to work this is costing me money and my job is on the line
NHTSA complaint #11743522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Braunfels, TX
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I was driving on the freeway and my check engine light started to flicker and I felt my car shake and going to limp mode. I made an appointment with the Kia dealership and they told me the engine is failing. They submitted a request for a Goodwill case to Kia corporation and it was denied since there’s no open recalls and is not covered by the extended warranty. the dealership recommended me to take my car and keep driving it even though it’s unsafe the vehicle will not go above 50 mph and it starts to shake when driving I have tried to call Kia corporate and explain this situation but they have yet to follow up with me in my case
NHTSA complaint #11740375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Braunfels, TX
ENGINE
I was driving on the freeway and my check engine light started to flicker and I felt my car shake and going to limp mode. I made an appointment with the Kia dealership and they told me the engine is failing. They submitted a request for a Goodwill case to Kia corporation and it was denied since there’s no open recalls and is not covered by the extended warranty. the dealership recommended me to take my car and keep driving it even though it’s unsafe the vehicle will not go above 50 mph and it starts to shake when driving I have tried to call Kia corporate and explain this situation but they have yet to follow up with me in my case
NHTSA complaint #11740375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New Braunfels, TX
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I was driving on the freeway and my check engine light started to flicker and I felt my car shake and going to limp mode. I made an appointment with the Kia dealership and they told me the engine is failing. They submitted a request for a Goodwill case to Kia corporation and it was denied since there’s no open recalls and is not covered by the extended warranty. the dealership recommended me to take my car and keep driving it even though it’s unsafe the vehicle will not go above 50 mph and it starts to shake when driving I have tried to call Kia corporate and explain this situation but they have yet to follow up with me in my case
NHTSA complaint #11740375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lees Summit, MO
POWER TRAIN
Car is consuming oil every three weeks. Engine is going to burn if it does not stop. It’s not in a class action but probably should be. It’s been 4 months and over 1,000 spent.
NHTSA complaint #11737059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lees Summit, MO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Car is consuming oil every three weeks. Engine is going to burn if it does not stop. It’s not in a class action but probably should be. It’s been 4 months and over 1,000 spent.
NHTSA complaint #11737059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lees Summit, MO
ENGINE
Car is consuming oil every three weeks. Engine is going to burn if it does not stop. It’s not in a class action but probably should be. It’s been 4 months and over 1,000 spent.
NHTSA complaint #11737059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sherwood, AR
ENGINE
Out of town July 12th 2025 my 2020 Kia Optima engine started having problems. I tried to get to my hotel but it was obvious I was not going to make it. I pulled into the nearest station and was told my car had no oil. There were no signs of leaking oil and no warning lights so they changed my oil and I was able to made it home. Shortly after I broke down again at night and pulled into a parking lot again no warning and no oil. I had to call someone to get oil and from that point on I had to put oil in my cart every other day with no signs of a leaks and no warning lights. It has become to dangerous to drive and the engine has now failed and knocking and shaking has caused me to park my car and not drive it. I am deeply concerned about the risk of catastrophic engine failure and the potential for fire, which has been documented in similar cases. Despite having the Knock Sensor Detection System installed, my vehicle continues to exhibit these dangerous symptoms. I sought assistance from Landers Crain dealership and KIA; however, they declined to properly evaluate or service my vehicle along with KIA declining according to the KIA Regional Manager. This lack of support has left me with an unsafe, undrivable car and no clear path toward resolution. The Center for Auto Safety Key Affected Vehicles (2.4L GDI) Kia Optima 2011–2018 (some 2019) exact same engine in 2020 Optima Kia Sorento 2012–2019 Kia Sportage 2011–2018 (some 2019) Details of the Recall and Settlement The Problem Manufacturing debris and tight tolerances can cause connecting rod bearings to fail, causing knocking, seizure, and potential engine fires. The Fix Dealers will update the software with a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) to detect rod bearing issues before failure. My Optima has the KSDS installed but failed. Warranty Extension As part of a class action settlement, Kia extended the warranty on these engines to 15 years or 150,000 miles, provided the KSDS update is installed.
NHTSA complaint #11736366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Normal, IL
ENGINE
My vehicle burns oil too quickly. I schedule my regular oil change based on the feedback from the auto repair shop. During my last oil change he said I practically had no oil left, but it has been less than 5,000 miles since my previous oil change. The tech informed me he's seen this happen a lot within Kia's including the optima that I currently drive. Fast forward a few months i noticed my oil light illuminate for a moment and immediately turn off. I still want to get it checked out just in case so i brought it back to the same shop. They informed me my oil was very low even though, but I still have another 1,500 miles before my next due oil change. He looked around and confirmed there were no leaks or damage that would affect the consumption rate. He highly recommended me look to see if there were any recalls on my specific model of vehicle that would warrant both an explanation and reason for replacement. In the meantime he topped off my oil and i was all good to go.
NHTSA complaint #11733038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Normal, IL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My vehicle burns oil too quickly. I schedule my regular oil change based on the feedback from the auto repair shop. During my last oil change he said I practically had no oil left, but it has been less than 5,000 miles since my previous oil change. The tech informed me he's seen this happen a lot within Kia's including the optima that I currently drive. Fast forward a few months i noticed my oil light illuminate for a moment and immediately turn off. I still want to get it checked out just in case so i brought it back to the same shop. They informed me my oil was very low even though, but I still have another 1,500 miles before my next due oil change. He looked around and confirmed there were no leaks or damage that would affect the consumption rate. He highly recommended me look to see if there were any recalls on my specific model of vehicle that would warrant both an explanation and reason for replacement. In the meantime he topped off my oil and i was all good to go.
NHTSA complaint #11733038 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 69,751 milesFayetteville, NC
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, and while the vehicle was parked, there was a loud banging sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The RPM failed to operate as intended while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that there were metal shavings inside the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to a dealer for additional assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,751.
NHTSA complaint #11732390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bardstown, KY
ENGINE
The rod barring failed in my engine. I broke down in the middle of the parkway with my daughter. This is my third Kia optima that has had this issue but the dealership is stating there is not a recall on this model. The check engine light did not come on except when the car lost all power.
NHTSA complaint #11729509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bardstown, KY
POWER TRAIN
My engine has failed. This is the second car I’ve had from Kia that the rod barring has failed.
NHTSA complaint #11728508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bardstown, KY
ENGINE
My engine has failed. This is the second car I’ve had from Kia that the rod barring has failed.
NHTSA complaint #11728508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Tucker, GA
ENGINE
My car burns oil. I had to have my spark.plugs and engine coils replaced. I was driving and my check engine light came on. Also, my car was sputtering like you wouldnt believe. When i had the spark plugs and ignition coils replaced, the spark plugs were covered in oil. Last year, I got an oil change and within a few weeks the oil was empty. A neighbor told me my car was burning oil. I also took it to an independent mechanic and he said that was an issue with the kia optima.
NHTSA complaint #11726778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Omaha, NE
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
It either has issues shifting gears like its stuck or the transmission may be slipping, it's had this issue since I bought the car. However I wasn't aware until my uncle drove the car and said something might be wrong.. I have no idea what's causing it. It shudders when I make turn or speed up to pass. Not all of the time but at least twice per my normal trip
NHTSA complaint #11723595 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 167,000 milesHillsdale, MI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at a full stop, the red oil warning light illuminated; however, after driving off, the warning light disappeared. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with an oil pump failure caused by low oil pressure while the vehicle was stationary, and the RPM was low. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 167,000.
NHTSA complaint #11720784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ringgold, LACrash2 injured
SEAT BELTS
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a “T” cross road.
NHTSA complaint #11715952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.