2017 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
354 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2017 Kia Optima, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 15/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Engine leads the reports, typically around 76,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2017 Kia Optima has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2017 sits among all Optima years
What owners report
“Entered on to the highway and accelerated to get up to speed. Check engine light started blinking and could no longer accelerate.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Optima
“Headlights will randomly turn on and off throughout while driving. Radio has the same issue”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Optima
“The shark fin antenna snapped off while driving. I hit nothing, just driving on the highway.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Optima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 105 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 61,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 29,000 and 92,973 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to…
Fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product…
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Optima hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install two newly designed Battery Management Systems (BMS) that contain Overvoltage Protection Devices (OPDs), free of charge. The…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Led to recall campaign 20V024.
Technical service bulletins
179 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2017 Kia Optima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2017 Optima TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2017 Kia Optima reliable?
The 2017 Kia Optima drew 354 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 15/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2017 Kia Optima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2017 Kia Optima are engine (170 complaints), electrical (40), and other (35).
At what mileage do 2017 Kia Optima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2017 Kia Optima problems around 61,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 29,000 and 92,973 miles.
Does the 2017 Kia Optima have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2017 Kia Optima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
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. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.