2017 Kia Optima Hybrid problems
NHTSA has received 41 complaints about the 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid, and 41% of them involve engine. Next are electrical system (15%) and brakes (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 41 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 42% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 2 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 2 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 23,000 miles 31 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 13 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 8 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 0 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 0 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 4 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 0 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 4 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 31 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 23,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 35,000 miles (11 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 2 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 2 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2017 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 5 model years of the Kia Optima Hybrid with enough data (23 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact and his daughter leased a 2017 kia optima hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the parking brake would active independently as the parking brake warning light would simultaneously appear on the instrument panel. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 55 MPH, the parking brake had activated independently as the check hybrid warning message appeared on the instrument panel.
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that while her mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, a smoke odor was detected. Another driver alerted the contact's mother that there was a fire coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact's mother pulled over and exited the vehicle. There were flames coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle, and within seconds, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. No injury was sustained and no medical treatment was received.
Tl* the contact owns a 2017 kia optima hybrid. While driving, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The check engine indicator illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer (galpin kia, 8425 sepulveda blvd, north hills, ca 91343), but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 18v161000 (hybrid propulsion system), but the VIN was not included in the recall.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but failed to accelerate as intended or change gear as intended. The vehicle was then taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed that the triaxle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.