2020 Kia Optima problems
NHTSA has received 221 complaints about the 2020 Kia Optima, and 50% of them involve engine. Next are drivetrain & axles (12%) and electrical system (6%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 221 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 50% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 9 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 9 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 60,000 miles 35 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 | 10 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 3 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 4 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 3 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 4 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 4 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 1 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 35 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 60,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 116,000 miles (15 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 9 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 9 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2020 ranks 10th most-complained-about out of 20 model years of the Kia Optima with enough data (178 complaints in that window).
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.
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a âTâ cross road.
It is impossible to use the brake pedal if the shoe size is us10+. The distance between the floor and the knee airbag mechanism does not allow the use of the brake pedal.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the vehicle was connected to a diagnostic machine. The DTC indicated a glow relay failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.