Kia Optima Years to Avoid — and the Years to Buy
Every Kia Optima model year from 2001 to 2020, benchmarked against each other with 10,338 federal complaints, 22 recall campaigns, and the odometer readings owners put in their reports.
Avoid: 2012–2013, 2015. These years top the Optima's complaint rankings by volume and severity.
Safer bets: 2001–2010, 2017–2020 — the quietest years with at least four years on the road.
The method in one line: every NHTSA complaint for this model is counted, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, and deaths, and each year is measured against the Optima's own worst year — full methodology.
Under investigation. Federal regulators currently have an open defect investigation on the Kia Optima.
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
The trouble strip
One cell per model year. The whole answer in one glance — click any year for the full report.
The defining problem
Engine tops the Kia Optima file with 3,376 complaints, concentrated in the 2012–2013, 2015–2016 model years, most often reported around 80,000 miles. The year pages break down what fails and when.
Every year, ranked
| Year | Verdict | Complaints | Recalls | Top problem | Trouble index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Better year | 202 | 0 | Engine | 9 |
| 2019 | Better year | 317 | 1 | Engine | 17 |
| 2018 | Better year | 332 | 2 | Engine | 17 |
| 2017 | Better year | 354 | 3 | Engine | 15 |
| 2016 | Below average | 1,072 | 5 | Engine | 51 |
| 2015 | Avoid | 1,398 | 4 | Engine | 73 |
| 2014 | Below average | 786 | 7 | Engine | 43 |
| 2013 | Avoid | 1,880 | 9 | Engine | 100 |
| 2012 | Avoid | 1,263 | 5 | Engine | 66 |
| 2011 | Below average | 775 | 5 | Engine | 40 |
| 2010 | Better year | 99 | 1 | Transmission & drivetrain | 6 |
| 2009 | Better year | 166 | 1 | Transmission & drivetrain | 8 |
| 2008 | Better year | 188 | 3 | Airbags | 14 |
| 2007 | Better year | 217 | 2 | Airbags | 11 |
| 2006 | Better year | 214 | 2 | Airbags | 8 |
| 2005 | Better year | 180 | 0 | Latches & locks | 8 |
| 2004 | Better year | 306 | 1 | Latches & locks | 14 |
| 2003 | Better year | 190 | 2 | Latches & locks | 9 |
| 2002 | Better year | 168 | 3 | Body & structure | 11 |
| 2001 | Better year | 231 | 3 | Body & structure | 12 |
Technical service bulletins
Beyond complaints and recalls, 2,217 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, service campaigns, warranty extensions — are on file for the Kia Optima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Browse the Kia Optima TSB list by year →
Questions buyers ask
What Kia Optima years should I avoid?
Federal complaint records point to 2012–2013, 2015 as the Kia Optima years to avoid — they drew the highest volume of serious complaints relative to the model's other years.
What is the most common Kia Optima problem?
Engine tops the Kia Optima file with 3,376 complaints, concentrated in the 2012–2013, 2015–2016 model years, most often reported around 80,000 miles.
What are the best Kia Optima years to buy used?
The quietest Kia Optima years in federal records are 2001–2010, 2017–2020 — each with at least four years on the road and well-below-average complaint volume for this model.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Counts cover the Kia Optima only, scored against this model's own worst year — not against other models. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.