Vehicle Data Hub

2016 Kia Optima engine problems

450 complaints about engine have been filed for the 2016 Kia Optima, which is 41% of all its NHTSA complaints. It is the most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
450 41% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
91,000 miles 149 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
4 and 16
Injuries and deaths
5 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When engine problems show up

Engine complaints by mileage, 2016 Kia Optima Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 91,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 12 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 8 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 15 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 27 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 26 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 28 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 16 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 10 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 6 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 0 complaints 200k+ miles: 1 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 91,000 miles
Based on 149 complaints that include mileage. 23% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles12
20k to 40k miles8
40k to 60k miles15
60k to 80k miles27
80k to 100k miles26
100k to 120k miles28
120k to 140k miles16
140k to 160k miles10
160k to 180k miles6
180k to 200k miles0
200k+ miles1

What the data shows

Of the 149 engine complaints that report mileage, the median is about 91,000 miles, and 23% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 4 crashes, 16 fires, 5 injuries.

What owners wrote

5/9/23 appointment for 4 recalls -completed 2 and ask if we could bring back next day to finish and we said no because granddaughter in school so service manager said important to get it back in and finish and sent granddaughter home with car 5 days later while driving car caught on fire and lost brakes and transmission and swerved into vacant parking lot smoke and flames coming into car and girls had to jump while car was still moving both girls checked on sight for smoke inhalation.

May 2023 FireInjury

My vehicle started stalling when accelerating two days ago. My rpm's jump when shifting gears and it stalls and jerks when taking off from a complete stop. I took it to advanced auto parts and the code "p1326" showed on their code reader. Knock scensor is under the code and I've read where multiple people with this make and model of car have had the same issue and had their whole motor replaced.

Reported at 101,000 miles, December 2020

Other problems reported for the 2016 Kia Optima

Engine problems in other years

Engine problems across all Kia models