10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
40,082 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.

2015 Kia Optima engine problems

engine problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2015 Kia Optima:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2015 Kia Optima Owner Comments (Page 2 of 2)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #10

Mar 122019

Optima

  • 35,000 miles

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

If I push the proximity ignition button accidentlally the car will shut down, no brakes, not power steering. I am wondering if this should happen when I am travelling 70 mph on the interstate. The dealer did not give me any satisfactioon..."told me not to push the button" and "trade it in on a 2019." Some makes will not shut down if going over 5 pmh unless the button is pushed twice. Others, you must hold the button. I could not find anything in the manual and their customer service was no help. There have been deaths related to this problem according to some websites. I can't test the car myself. Was hoping the dealer would or tell me the situation with the button and speed. Can you help me?>.

- Morrow, OH, USA

problem #9

Mar 072019

Optima

  • 61,000 miles
On March 7th 2019, I was driving down the highway at approximately 60 miles an hour I felt a click, & my engine light my oil light and my battery light illuminated. My car did not shut off but gas was not able to flow into the engine therefore I was coasting down the highway. I was able to get off on to the exit ramp I pulled over to the side, then I was able to shut my car off. I then began to restart the car, & it did restart I proceeded to put it in drive move forward, but the three lights illuminated once again. This was in the middle of the intersection. I shut the car off again, then, proceeded to restart the car, it restarted and I was able to drive the rest of the way to work, which was a very short distance. Later that day I downloaded the uvo app it did a diagnostic test and found nothing wrong with the vehicle., this test was wrong, something went wrong & is wrong. According to past recalls, the engine has seized and similar reports have been made. I found this extremely scary because of the fact I was driving down the highway in medium traffic, my engine stopped the lights came on and I did not know what was going to happen. Luckily I was still able to move the steering wheel enough to get off on the exit ramp and to pull to the side. I recently bought this vehicle and I've only had it for 6 months. I have had the oil changed only at the dealership, and any other services have done by the dealer ship. I am afraid to drive the car because of what happened, and what I have read from the past experiences of Kia Optima owners this has happened to.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #8

Jan 152019

Optima

  • 61,000 miles
I was driving the road when out of the sudden the engine stops and sometimes turns on on itself, its seems like the engine locks and the cars stops suddenly.it also happens and I turn on intersections, when I accelerate to gain speed it turns off and I have to put the car on neutral and turn it on. On all of these occasions my family traveling with me.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #7

Mar 192018

Optima

  • 49,804 miles

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

I noticed that while driving my car it would first make a noise and then right after it would stall and sputter/ jerking like it wants to cut off. I took my car to a Kia dealership first in alexandria, va where they only did my oil change and nothing else because they said that it would take a while for them to look at my car and they didn't have a loaner for me, so I then took my car to the falls church, va location and I explained to them what was happening with my car and for about six months I was bringing my car back and forth there for oil changes because they wanted to see if it would still have the same issues and no matter how many oil changes they done my car would still do the same thing. My car was close to the maximum miles for where it would still be covered under my warranty to get fixed and I told them that I wanted to get the issue fixed before my warrant runs out. So finally they keep my car sitting in the shop for 1 month without anyone looking at it and come to find out the guy that was going to be working on my car no longer works there, I would call them to check on the status of my car and most times I could never reach anyone and they didn't call me to keep me up to date on the progress, so after about 1 1/2 month they call me and tell me that they can not fix my car due to lack of maintenance and up keep by me and even though it's covered under warranty, my car only had 57,000 miles on it and it will cost me $5000 + to get my car fixed. I'm still driving my car and still having the same issues, I'm very upset because it's like Kia doesn't even care and seems like the people at the dealership wanted me to keep coming back and forth so that I can get close to the miles to where it wouldn't be under warranty so they wouldn't have to fix it. My car isn't fixed and I don't have the money to get it fixed, I'm hoping for a miracle.

- Woodbridge, VA, USA

problem #6

Jul 062018

Optima

  • 34,000 miles
Bought a brand-new 2015 Kia Optima in February 2016 - 2.5 years and 34,000 miles in, it died on me while going 70mph on I85N in atlanta in morning rush hour. No prior problems with the car and no warning signs whatsoever - I went to change lanes and accelerate around a slow-moving vehicle and all of a sudden my gas pedal no longer worked and all of the lights on my dash lit up - the engine was dead and I was coasting. Could not get off to the right side of the road due to traffic, so had to put it as far to the left as I could, which ended up halfway in the hov lane - extremely dangerous. Would not restart, had to get it towed to the dealership. Luckily all of my services and oil changes had been done at the dealership I had bought the car from (rick case Kia in gwinnett, ga). So they had no way to try to wiggle around the warranty. I am seeing this exact issue being described at the exact mileage range for dozens and dozens of 2015 Kia Optimas on carcomplaints.com. It appears that Kia and the dealerships are getting around paying for what obviously is an engine defect by asking that the drivers prove they had the oil changed by producing receipts for every service. When/if they can't, Kia is negating the warranty and asking the driver's to pay $7K-8K for a new engine. It's despicable. My dealership couldn't get around the warranty since I had done every recommended service and oil change at the dealership where I bought the car. This am they informed me that the engine has been approved and will be replaced (not before trying to milk money out of me by trying to blame the issue on a faulty battery first, which wasn't covered by the warranty). Kia issued a recall for this same issue on their 2011-2014 and 2016 Optimas, and excluded the 2015 models. It's painfully obvious that the 2015 Optimas are also defective, and a recall should be issued.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #5

Jan 242018

Optima

  • 27,000 miles
My vehicle is randomly displaying 'goodbye' on the dashboard and is shutting off while driving. This started from nowhere with no warning lights or warning signals. I've only had this vehicle for 6 months and it has less that 30,000 miles on it. There are no open recalls on the vehicle, however I'll read about similar issue with the same make and model. I maintain my vehicle according to how Kia suggests. This is extremely dangerous as I am sometimes heading to work, going about 65 miles or more or the highway and the car just stops. It is now beginning to shut off immediately after cranking, and a noise is coming from under the hood, which sounds like metal in the engine. I have refrained from driving the vehicle completely, due to fear or loss of life. The sudden stopping of the vehicle has happened while I was driving on the city streets going about 30-40 mph, as well as on the highway going about 65 mph.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #4

Nov 092016

Optima

  • 38,000 miles

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

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. While attempting to drive the vehicle, it accelerated without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a guide wire and a tree. The contact sustained bruises to the left arm and lower back that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an insurance collision center. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000. The VIN was not available.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #3

Sep 092016

Optima

  • 20,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. While driving 3 mph, the vehicle accelerated rapidly on its own and crashed into a brick porch. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 20,000.

- Brookhaven, MS, USA

problem #2

Apr 082016

Optima

  • 14,000 miles
Recurring, intermittent lack of engine response to pressing the accelerator; particularly noticeable when attempting to turn left at a break in oncoming traffic. Engine acts as if stalling, then recovers after a second or two delay. Kia dealer service advises that this is a characteristic of the vehicle and not adjustment is possible to fix the problem. Vehicle may be stationary or moving a less than 5 mph when this occurs. Problem is intermittent and not apparently related to fuel or climatic conditions. Results in driver uncertainty in any given turning situation whether there is sufficient time to make the turn; several near crash episodes have occurred where lack of engine response to power demand caused the vehicle to slow rather then accelerate. Condition occurs most frequently during city driving, but may also occur at highway turning situations where the vehicle has stopped before attempting a turn.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #1

Aug 022014

Optima

  • miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and the engine RPM's increased. The failure occurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on several occasions but the failure was unable to be replicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

- Milford, PA, USA

Not what you are looking for?