2015 Kia Optima Complaints

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 08/14/2026

My 2015 KIA optima experienced a catastrophic engine fire while I was driving. There was no warning, I just heard a boom in the engine bay the breaks stopped working and all electrical cut out. As I'm coasting, because I'm unable to stop, flames started to come in through under the dash. I couldn't turn the car off, nor put it in park so the doors stayed locked. The driver window was opened just enough for me to grab the top and break it, allowing me to crawl out. The car coasted itself to the shoulder then blew up (I had a full tank of gas.). All this happened in the manner of 30 to 35 seconds. It's important to note that KIA just replaced the engine 2 months prior to this incident.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 07/17/2026

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. During the failure, several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel and there was smoke coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle, and there were flames coming from underneath the hood. The Fire Department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the failure, the vehicle was destroyed. A Police report was filed, and the vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the original engine was previously replaced by the local dealer due to a previous recall. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 140,000.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 07/08/2026

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving to the residence, the vehicle caught on fire. The contact stated that while at a traffic light, the vehicle suddenly shut off. After exiting the vehicle, the hood was opened, and there was smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact called an independent mechanic and, within two minutes, became aware of the fire. The contact called 911 for the Emergency Services. The Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire. There was no injury sustained. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was previously taken to an unknown local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine was leaking with a blown head gasket. The engine was replaced. The vehicle was towed from the scene and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 212,000.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE — Filed 05/28/2026

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while accelerating at 55 MPH, there was an abnormal burning smell detected. While driving, she was alerted by another driver who informed her that the vehicle was on fire. The passengers were able to exit the vehicle safely. The vehicle was engulfed in flames. There were no reported injuries. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was previously taken to an independent mechanic, who said the engine was bad. The engine was previously replaced at 147,000 miles. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

ENGINE — Filed 04/28/2026

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph and slowing down to enter a parking garage, she observed black smoke emanating from under the hood, and the vehicle stalled. The contact then observed flames near the windshield wipers coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and called 911. She observed flames coming from under the hood and under the vehicle, and the vehicle became engulfed in flames. The contact stated that the garage manager attempted to extinguish the fire but was unsuccessful. The police and fire department arrived shortly after the attempt, and the fire department extinguished the fire. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was not taken, and she was not aware of any fire department report being filed. The vehicle was bulldozed out of the parking garage and towed to a tow yard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 75,309.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 03/17/2026

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, during a DoorDash delivery, the vehicle vibrated. The contact pulled to the side of the road and noticed smoke emitting underneath the vehicle from the right side. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed smoke emitting from underneath the hood. The state troopers were called. By the time the fire department arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames, and the engine had exploded. The fire department extinguished the fire. The contact was not injured. No police report was filed. The state troopers believed that the fire was caused by an electrical short. The contact stated that prior to the fire, the vehicle vibrated when idled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard. The insurance company was not notified about the fire. The contact was unaware that NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) was associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the fire. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 01/24/2026

Yesterday, [XXX], My 2015 kia optima engines reved up wothout me pushing the gas & within seconds later a loud noise and metal fell from under the hood. After pulling over, popping the hood on the passenger side and under the engine a fire had started. My daughter was seated in the back passenger side her door had locked, thankfully the passenger door was left opened bc within minutes the entire car was filled with smoke and engulfed in flames. Prior to this the steering wheel would jerk even while at a red light. This car just did have 100,000 miles & no knowledge this prior. Thank god i was able to get my daughter out of this vehicle & this didnt end in a tragedy due to negligence if this was a prior known fact. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC — Filed 01/20/2026

The contact is calling on behalf of her grandson for a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while he was driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle was making an abnormal sound and stalled. The contact stated he restarted the vehicle and was able to shift to drive (D), but the vehicle again stalled. The contact stated that he observed that white smoke was coming from under the hood. The contact stated that he pulled over and stopped the vehicle, opened the hood, and saw that smoke and flames had formed under the engine. The contact stated that he called the fire department. The fire was extinguished using foam. The vehicle was towed back to the contact's residence. The contact had not called a dealer or the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact had researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that her grandson had not received a recall letter from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 158,006.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 11/27/2025

My Kia OptimaLX had no check engine light not running any different no warning or light indicators turned on but car caught on fire while parked after only driving less than 5mins less than 1 mile from home. Entire front dash burned all the way to the gear shift. Every recall notice recieved was taken care of as soon as I was notified that there was a recall and they had the part to change it out. The engine was part of the recall and was replaced and a fuse module box was replaced 1 month or less from the time of the fire. Car is considered a total loss from insurance company.

ENGINE — Filed 11/14/2025

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 55 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the contact could smell a burning smell within the vehicle, and then he noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. No warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and exited the vehicle, opened the hood, and noticed smoke and flames coming from the engine. The contact exited the vehicle and stood on the side of the road, and called 911. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. The contact mentioned the police showed up on the scene; however, he could not remember if he received a police report. A fire department report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed to Pro-Cars. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact mentioned he contacted his insurance company, and they informed him that the vehicle was a total loss. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and they transferred him to the escalation department and informed him that an inspector would inspect the vehicle, and he had to wait seven to ten business days for a resolution. The failure mileage was 53,000.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 02/26/2025

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while at a complete stop at the red traffic light, another vehicle, driving off a highway ramp at an undisclosed speed, crashed into the rear-end of the vehicle. An unknown red warning light was flashing. The air bags did not deploy. The seat belts failed to restrain the contact as needed, causing the contact to hit her forehead against the steering wheel, which propelled the contact's head back to the headrest, and then the contact hit her forehead against the steering wheel for a second time. The contact was able to exit the vehicle but felt dizzy and off balance. A police officer filed a report and informed the contact that the vehicle was safe to drive. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the nearby hospital, where the contact received medical assistance. The vehicle was later driven to the residence, where it remained parked. The contact sustained a concussion, bruises on the forehead, neck, and lower back back pain, a worsening of the contact's generative bone disease condition. The contact might undergo a back surgery. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic two months later. Both the mechanic and the insurance company confirmed that the vehicle was totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle operated as designed during the incident. The contact was referred to the owner's manual. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 09/21/2025

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his son was driving at 60 MPH, the instrument panel was entirely illuminated, and he pulled over. There was smoke inside the cabin. The occupants were able to exit the vehicle. An independent mechanic opened the hood and noticed a fire. They were able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the drive belt had failed and had broken. There was friction from the drive belt, which caused the fire. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a claim. The manufacturer had called the contact, but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.

STEERING,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 05/07/2025

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The defects involve multiple electronic control systems, including steering, braking, and airbag modules, which continue to generate active and stored Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) even after the May 2, 2023 recall repair. The vehicle remains in our possession and is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Because the vehicle fails to illuminate dashboard warnings, we were unaware of critical malfunctions occurring in real time while driving. This creates the risk of sudden failure in steering, braking, or airbag deployment, directly endangering both occupants and the public. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Independent diagnostic scans repeatedly confirmed active and stored DTCs following the recall repair. These findings show the defects are reproducible and ongoing. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle was inspected by Kia’s authorized dealer, Spradley Motors in Pueblo, CO, for the recall repair. Since then, diagnostic evaluations have been performed by independent service providers. Documentation of these inspections is attached. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No dashboard warning lamps illuminated, even though faults were recorded internally by the vehicle’s control modules. The absence of warnings despite active codes is itself the central safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

AIR BAGS — Filed 09/05/2025

Driving on [XXX] to Eureka, Ca. Just outside of Laytonville, CA. the vehicle in front of me swerved into oncoming traffic lane (no vehicle in his way) to go around rock, then rock was there, I swerved to the right, but hit the rock, went up on embankment, flipped over and slid to a stop. There is an upcoming California Highway Patrol report from Mendocino County, with support witness (PG&E employee) statement given to California Highway Patrol. No airbags deployed throughout the car. Pictures attached of inside and outside vehicle. No deployment of airbags was written into the report from auto wreak retriever. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 06/28/2025

My car caught on fire just sitting under the carport. The investigator said that it was electrical. Our neighbor seen it and told us to get out the house and started popping. I tried to get in for the brake line but no one would call me back to see about it. When I go thru water and get on the brake it jerk like.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 05/24/2025

I was driving on the freeway when I noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I immediately exited the freeway, pulled over, popped the hood open, and my engine was on fire. There were no warning lamps on my dash. I don’t know which components were involved and inspection of the components after was not possible, because everything under the hood burned by the time firefighters responded.

STEERING,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 05/07/2025

I was driving on the Northbound side of the Interstate when my brakes failed when I pressed them to avoid a collision on the highway. The steering wheel malfunctioned when I tried to avoid a head-on collision with another vehicle. I couldn't control or stop the car, causing me to swerve left to right, and I then completely lost control of the vehicle. I crashed into the middle of the highway, but because my brakes had failed, the car continued at full speed into the Southbound side of the highway, causing me to wreck into a semi. The Colorado State Patrol investigated the accident. Right before I wrecked into the semi-trailer, I noticed all of the lights on the dashboard were off. My Steering wheel had fallen off completely, but the airbag never deployed even though every other airbag had deployed.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE — Filed 10/10/2023

On October 10th 2024, my 2015 Kia Optima caught fire while I was driving. The fire originated from the engine compartment, completely engulfing the vehicle in flames within minutes. Component/System Failure: The exact cause of the fire is unknown, but Kia had previously issued a recall for this model due to an engine defect that posed a fire risk. The vehicle is no longer available for inspection as it was completely destroyed in the fire. However, I have multiple videos documenting the incident, including footage of the fire and the aftermath. Safety Risk: My safety and the safety of others were severely compromised. The fire started suddenly while I was driving, forcing me to evacuate the vehicle immediately. If I hadn’t reacted quickly, I could have suffered serious injuries or worse. Additionally, the fire posed a danger to other drivers and pedestrians nearby. Reproduction/Confirmation: The issue has not been reproduced, but it aligns with the recall Kia issued for this model. Prior to the fire, I attempted to schedule an appointment with Kia to address the recall, but I never received confirmation, and no inspection was performed. Inspections: After the incident, I contacted Kia, and they sent an investigator to inspect the remains of the vehicle. No police or insurance representatives conducted an independent inspection. Warning Signs: There were no warning lights, messages, or obvious signs of a problem immediately before the fire. However, I had previously noticed a recall related to fire risk for my specific model and attempted to schedule an appointment with Kia, but they never responded. Given Kia’s history of engine fire recalls, I strongly believe this incident is related to the known defects in this vehicle model.

ENGINE — Filed 10/26/2024

My wife driving the 2015 Kia Forte on [XXX] on [XXX] Mile Marker [XXX] North bound at 60mph and vehicle lost all power and caught on fire. The vehicle coasted to the side of the road. Police and fire were called and extinguished the flames. There were no accidents or no injuries. I attempted to get KIA to resolve the case as the Theta Engine is known for this issue. Kia refused all claims under Kia Customer Care Case number [XXX]. Kia of Dayton Car dealership reported an engine connecting rod broke and ejected out the side of the engine allowing engine oil to hit the exhaust manifold starting the fire. This is know Safety Issues with this Engine Series that Kia refuses to honor past Law Suit Settlement. I have the Police report, Fire Dept. Report, and Estimate for repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ENGINE — Filed 08/17/2022

I was driving to a new job , it was about 5:45am when I noticed my car wouldn’t go faster or stop. I seen fire , tried to stop car, I was going about 15-20 mph when i decided to just get out of the car and run , care went into complete flames

FIRERELATED — Filed 10/03/2024

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima SX Turbo. The contact stated while stopped at a traffic light, smoke was emitting from under the hood and entered the vehicle through the A/C vents. The contact pulled over to the side and immediately exited the vehicle. The contact opened the hood and flames were visible. No warning lights were illuminated, and the temperature gauge was normal. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The contact pulled over in front of Robertson's Tire, the employees used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the fire and called the Fire department. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was notified of the fire and advised the contact to tow the vehicle to a KIA dealer. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer who inspected the vehicle, but the contact did not remember the cause of the fire. However, the dealer stated KIA was at fault. The manufacturer advised the contact that a field inspector would be sent to inspect the vehicle. The field inspector has inspected the vehicle. However, the contact was awaiting the results. The contact notified her insurance company and was waiting on KIA's decision. The failure mileage was 160,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 07/17/2024

DURING COVID 19 PANDEMIC GRIEVIANCE DEPRESION HOMELESSNESS RACISM CRITICISM HATE CYBERBULLY ATTACK I LIVE IN MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA I HAD [XXX] I HAD TBONE ACCIDENT IAM NOT FAULT FOR I HAVE ALL STATE INSURANCE I NEVER GET HELPED COMPENSATED THEY CLOSED MY CLAIMS I HAD MULTPLE CITATIONS 13 IN EL CAJON 4 IN SAN DIEGO 4 3 HOLLYWOOD 1 RIVERSIDE THAT I WASNT AWARE OF AS I WENT TO DMV TO RENEW MY CAR REGISTRATION I WAS BILLED FOR $1522 PAID $2200 FOR RENEWAL THERES PEOPLE WHO CROSSED MY LIFE WHO DAMAGED MY VEHICLE IT WASNT DRIVEABLE FOR ONE YEAR PARKED AT [XXX] THEN APRIL 2022 THIEVES INTENDED TO STEAL MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS THEY BROKE MY WINDOW ALL MY PERSONAL ITEMS WAS GONE IT WAS TOWED BY AGENCY HAD TO PAY $1000 WITH BUSTED WINDOWS MISSING PERSONAL ITEMS DENT TBONE ACCIDENT I SUFFERED BURDEN PAIN DEPRESSION EMOTIONAL DISTRESS WHILE I WAS BEING MOCKED CRITICIZED UNLAWFULLY I HAD TRAUMA THERE IS NO RELIEF RECOVERY IT DIDNT STOP THERE AFTER I PICKED UP FROM ROAD ONE TOWING AGENCY I HAVE IT TOWED MOVED PARKED IN [XXX] THEN MY ENGINE SEIZED UP WONT START IGNITION THEN BROUGHT KIA KEARNY MESA SERVICE DEALERSHIP JAN 1, 2023 THEN IT GOTTEN WORST MORE REPAIRS REPLACEMENT PARTS WHEN I HAVE LIFETIME WARRANTY ON MY ENGINE THEY INSTALLED BAD ENGINE REPLACED DEFECTS ON IT I WAS [XXX] MULTPLE TIMES NO PEACE OF MIND UNTIL PRESENT DEC 09, 2024 ALL THE REPAIR ORDERS WASNT BEING DONE PROPERLY. THEY PUT DAMAGES ON ME I GOT STRANDED MULTIPLE TIMES IN HIGHWAY FREEWAY INTERSTATE SIDE STREETS FOR ALL ISSUES ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT HAPPENED TO ME I COULDNT GET RECOVERY JUSTICE THEN [XXX] I HAD TRAFFIC COLLISION ACCIDENT IAM NOTAT FAULT I WAS BEING INTEROGATED BY KEMPER INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS TRYING TO ACCESS MY VEHICLE IMFORMATION DATA WHEN THEIR CLIENT HIT MY CAR FROM BEHIND I WAS WITH MOTHER WE BOUGHT HAD WHIPLASHED BACKPAIN WENT STRAIGHT TO E.R UNTIL NOW THEY WONT GIVE ME PEACE OF MIND I SUFFERED THE WORST PAIN INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 10/07/2024

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, he noticed an abnormal burning odor; however, the temperature gauge did not indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The contact stated that upon noticing that the burning odor was becoming stronger, the contact pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, he noticed flames coming out through the upper part of the hood, near the windshield. The contact opened the hood and noticed that there was fire under the hood. The contact stated that the fire expanded, and the vehicle significantly burned from the front end to the rear seats. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report was filed. The fire department advised the contact that the fire was caused by an electrical or mechanical failure. There was no injury sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE — Filed 09/03/2024

Engine fire

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC — Filed 10/30/2023

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the garage and plugged up, the contact's son heard an abnormally loud pop and discovered that the vehicle caught on fire which extended to the home. The contact and her son were able to safely exit the home and no injuries were sustained. The origin of the fire was unknown. The Fire Department was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was totaled. The contact received NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.