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2009 Kia OptimaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 116 owner complaints about the 2009 Kia Optima, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2009 Kia Optima
65
CarFlaw IndexSolid year45% below the Optima median · #19 of 20 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints11613 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage62kPower train, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 7, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2009 Kia Optima has problems

116 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train332
Air bags284
Service brakes170
Electrical system162
Engine144
Vehicle speed control110
Exterior lighting91
Electronic stability control (ESC)90
Steering70
9 other systems204

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2009 Kia Optima recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Brake lights: switch

Recall 13V-114 · Apr 1, 2013 · 980,377 vehicles

Risk. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.

Mileage at failure

When do power train problems start?

62kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 31 power train complaints. 87% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
4under 30k miles27under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Air bags

8 owners mentioned a cost

$1,350median

Middle half: $334 – $1,550

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2009 vs. every other Optima year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Optima median. How we score

'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2009 Kia Optima safety ratings

2009 Kia Optima 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2009 Kia Optima frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2009 Kia Optima side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2009 Kia Optima, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesDP21003 · closed Jun 20, 2023
    No recall
  2. Loss of Motive PowerDP22003 · closed Dec 12, 2023
    No recall
In owners' words

What Optima owners report

Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WHEN COLD THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS HARD INTO FIRST AT ABOUT 20 MPH. ALMOST AT SOMETIMES FEELING LIKE I HAVE BEEN HIT FROM THE BACK. MY NECK HAS STARTED HURTING FROM WHIPLASH. THIS IS A VERY HORRIBLE PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. IN STATES WHERE ROADS BECOME WET, ICY, AND COVERED…
Complaint 11405236 · Mar 28, 2021 · 66,000 miles
TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT VERY HARD FROM 2ND TO 1ST. DEALER RESET MODULE 10 MONTHS AGO. SOLVED PROBLEM. PROBLEM RECURRED. DEALER RESET MODULE BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES. CHECKED INTERNET, PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WIDESPREAD.
Complaint 11403684 · Mar 18, 2021 · 72,182 miles
WHEN CAR IS SLOWING DOWN AND /OR APPROACHING A STOP SIGN IT GIVES A HARD JERK. EVEN IF TRAFFIC SLOWS DOWN ON THE EXPRESS WAY IT GIVES A HARD JERK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE NOVEMBER 2020.
Complaint 11394898 · Feb 5, 2021 · 102,000 miles

Own a 2009 Optima?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.