repaired · 2026 Q2
Trunk lid: latch
Risk. A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
2016 Kia OptimaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 762 owner complaints about the 2016 Kia Optima, most often about the engine. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-594 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 5, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2016 Kia Optima has problems
762 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
428Engine19 crash/fire/injury
104Electrical system13 crash/fire/injury
74Power train2 crash/fire/injury
53Fuel/propulsion system
47Exterior lighting
41Structure
30Visibility
29Vehicle speed control
24Air bags
13719 other systems13 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 428 | 19 |
| Electrical system | 104 | 13 |
| Power train | 74 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 53 | 6 |
| Exterior lighting | 47 | 2 |
| Structure | 41 | 7 |
| Visibility | 30 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 29 | 3 |
| Air bags | 24 | 13 |
| 19 other systems | 137 | 13 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2016 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.
repaired · 2020 Q2
Engine
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
repaired · 2018 Q2
Driver side: inflator module
Risk. In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
repaired · 2018 Q1
Axle assembly: axle shaft
Risk. If the driveshaft cracks and separates from the vehicle, it will not be able to move forward.
Show 1 more recall
repaired · 2017 Q3
Air bags: frontal
Risk. If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.
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 engine problems start?
88kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 129 engine complaints. 63% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 37% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
15under 30k miles81under 100k miles48100k 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.
Engine
16 owners mentioned a cost$6,050median
Middle half: $4,261 – $9,184
Unknown or other
12 owners mentioned a cost$761median
Middle half: $600 – $2,100
Electrical system
10 owners mentioned a cost$2,542median
Middle half: $800 – $3,290
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
2016 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
2016 Kia Optima safety ratings
2016 Kia Optima 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 5 stars (9.8% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2016 Kia Optima, and the recalls they led to.
- Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesNo recall
- Loss of Motive PowerNo recall
- Electrical overstressLed to recall 20V-024
In owners' words
What Optima owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
My Kia experienced catastrophic engine failure while I was driving on the freeway, creating an extremely frightening and dangerous situation. The sudden loss of engine power put my safety and the safety of surrounding motorists at risk, as I was traveling at freeway speeds when the engine gave out.…
My engine is making a knock sound coming from the bottom end of motor I was driving it and no warning or anything it just started knocking
Severe engine defect (Theta II 2.4L GDI). Sudden total loss of power, metallic knocking, severe oil consumption, and imminent catastrophic failure while driving, creating a high safety risk. Vehicle is currently out of service in [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION…
Own a 2016 Optima?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.