Home · 2014 Kia Optima Phev · Complaints

What 578 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Optima Phev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (578)Crash / fire / injury (60)Engine (278)Steering (94)Electrical system (59)Body & structure (48)Fuel system (47)Brakes (41)Speed control (21)Transmission & drivetrain (20)Lights (18)Airbags (15)

6 of 578 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 22, 2025BrakesAirbagsCrash1 injury

The contact works as an investigator for the Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division. The contact was investigating a 2014 Kia Optima with a salvaged title and reported that the air bags failed to deploy in a front-end collision. The contact stated that the air bags may have been removed or the air bag sensors were disconnected. The contact stated that while the driver was driving at 30-35 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. No warning light was illuminated. The driver's face struck the steering wheel upon impact. The driver received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, where the insurance company investigated the crash, but had not yet deemed the vehicle totaled. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11706493

Oct 17, 2023AirbagsCrash1 injury

Vehicle was in an accident on the highway. It rolled 3 times before landing on the roof and sliding from the highway to the grass. NONE of the airbags deployed.

NHTSA ODI 11550372

Sep 6, 2019Airbags1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT WAS AN AUTO DETAILER WHO WAS SERVICING A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED/EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING AND STRUCK THE CONTACT'S RIGHT LEG. THE IMPACT OF THE AIR BAG BURNED THE CONTACT'S RIGHT LEG. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION AND TENDED TO HIS INJURIES AT HIS JOB. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL NHTSA. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,421.

NHTSA ODI 11253639

Jan 4, 2019Electrical systemAirbagsEngineCrash1 injury

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STALLED RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A TELEPHONE POLE. I HAD JUST MADE A TURN & THE CAR WENT DEAD. STEERING AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. NOW MY CAR IS COMPLETELY TOTALED NOT TO MENTION THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. MY FIANC WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A FRACTURED HIP.

NHTSA ODI 11165223

Mar 28, 2016AirbagsCrash

I WAS T BONED BY A LADY IN A DODGE MINI VAN WHO RAN A STOP SIGN APPROX 30 MPH THERE WAS DAMAGE FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR TO THE REAR WITH THE PASSANGER DOOR BEING RIPPED OFF DURING THE IMPACT. THE SIDE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED

NHTSA ODI 10851883

Jul 30, 2014AirbagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS CRASHED INTO ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A FIRE TRUCK. THE FRONTAL, SIDE, AND REAR AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES AND CAME TO REST ON A CURB FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER REQUESTED THAT THE CONTACT SEND THEM PHOTOS AND THE POLICE REPORT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. UPDATED 09/05/14*LJ UPDATED 12/3/2014 *JS..UPDATED 03/01/17 *BF UPDATED 10/30/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10617634

Working with the data? Download all 578 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Kia Optima Phev verdict →