What 12 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Optima Hybrid

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 30-45 MPH, she heard abnormal knocking sounds coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated she was able to continue to drive to her residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer also informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) because the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

NHTSA ODI 11435565

WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD BETWEEN 20 - 25MPH THE HYBRID WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH OVERHEAD VOICE STATING TO PULL OVER AND NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE ANY FURTHER. IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING OVER THE CAR PROCEEDED TO LOSE ALL POWER. ELECTRICAL WITHIN CAR (LIGHTS, RADIO, ETC.) REMAINED ON BUT CAR WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY OFF. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS IS STILL UNKNOWN, HOWEVER, WE WERE RUNNING ON HYBRID POWER AT THE TIME. THIS, WITH THE HYBRID MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI 11203438

* OCTOBER 2017 WHILE DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY CAR SLOWED DOWN. GOT OFF FREEWAY AND TURNED OFF CAR. CAR WOULD NOT START ANYMORE. KIA REPLACED HIGH VOLTAGE FUSE, HYBRID BATTERY, POWER RELAY. * MARCH 2018 CAR WAS TAKEN IN DUE TO HEV AND ENGINE LIGHT ON WHILE DRIVING. CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE. KIA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. * MARCH 2018 CAR WAS RETURNED AFTER TRANSMISSION CHANGE AND 2 DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING CAR GAVE HEV AND ENGINE LIGHT ON. KIA SAID IT WAS A "LOOSE WIRE" FROM TRANSMISSION. * MARCH 2018 CAR GAVE HEV AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WHILE DRIVING AND KIA REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN (2ND TIME IN 1 MONTH). * APRIL 2018 CHECK ENGINE AND HEV CODE CAME OUT WHILE DRIVING AND KIA REPLACED THE COMPUTER FROM ENGINE. *MARCH 2019 HEV AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON KIA REPLACED THE MAIN HARNESS.

NHTSA ODI 11197210

IMPROPER SEALING OF COOLANT RESERVOIR THAT HAS SLOWLY LEAKED ONTO THE HECU UNIT AND HAS FRIED THE HYBRID BATTERY

NHTSA ODI 11170569

ON DECEMBER 5, 2018 MY CAR SUDDENLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN AN INTERSECTION. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO RESTART IT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL I HAD BATTERY POWER, ALL OF THE GA RESTART IT BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL I HAD BATTERY POWER, ALL OF THE GAUGES WOULD A CYCLE BACK-AND-FORTH WHENEVER PUSHING THE START BUTTON,HOWEVER IT WAS JUST LIKE THE GAS MOTOR WOULD NOT FIRE. IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, SO I HAD IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE NEXT MORNING I WAS CALLED AND TOLD THAT IT SHOWED A LOT OF CODES, AND THEY WOULD NEED SOME TIME TO DECIPHER THEM AND WOULD NOTIFY ME WITH RESULTS LATER. AFTER ABOUT FIVE HOURS I WAS CALLED BACK AND TOLD HER THAT THE BATTERY ON THE CAR WAS DEAD AND IT WOULD NOT TAKE A CHARGE. PLAY THEN INFORMED ME THAT THE BATTERY ON THE CAR WAS THE ONLY THING NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE NEW REPLACEMENT WAS $400. UNABLE TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR A 12 V BATTERY I TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR A WEEK TO ARGUE THE FACT THAT THE BATTERY WAS NOT DEAD WHEN IT WENT OUT AND GETTING NOWHERE I FINALLY BOUGHT A $200 BATTERY, AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. I AM MEDIATELY TRIED TO START THE CAR.... IT DID THE SAME THING IT DID AFTER IT DIED A WEEK PRIOR. I AM FORM THEM AFTER GIVING THEM THE KEY TO THE CAR BACK AND I NEED NEW BATTERY AND IT STILL WOULD NOT START. A NOTHER WEEK WENT BY AND FINALLY I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WAS TAKING THE BATTERY I PURCHASED OUT TO PUT A KIA BATTERY IN THE CAR TO SEE IF IT WILL START (WHICH THEY SAID THAT ALLOWED THE CAR TO START). THEN STATED TO ME THAT AFTER IT STARTED THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL CODES ON IT AND IT HAD A BED SAFETY FUSE. I WAS FIVE MINUTES FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHENEVER I WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS SO I'LL STOP BY NEARLY AS I HUNG UP THE PHONE. WHEN I WALKED IN I WALKED STRAIGHT TO THE CAR WHICH WAS IN THE GARAGE AND LOOK AT MY BATTERY THAT I PURCHASED WAS STILL IN THE CAR, HAD NOT BEEN REMOVED AND I STARTED THE CAR. SUCCESSFULLY. I WAS STILL TOLD COULDN'T TAKE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11163271

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT TEN MINUTES AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT BURST INTO FLAMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND TOWED AWAY BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PLANNED TO INVESTIGATE THE MATTER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,400. *TT CONSUMER STATED FIRE STARTED AT THE HYBRID BATTERY. *JB *TR

NHTSA ODI 11150361

ANTENNA COVER FELL OFF WHILE CAR WAS REVERSING FROM HOME DRIVE-WAY.

NHTSA ODI 11121645

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO A PARKING LOT AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE CONTACT CALLED SEELYE FORD OF KALAMAZOO (3820 STADIUM DR, KALAMAZOO, MI 49008, (269) 375-3820). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,600.

NHTSA ODI 11115359

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE MESSAGE "HYBRID BATTERY ISSUE, PLEASE SHUT CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY" DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DCH KIA OF TEMECULA (26799 YNEZ RD, TEMECULA, CA 92591, (951) 268-9198) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PRA REPLAY BATTERY AND THE SAFETY PLUG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,000.

NHTSA ODI 11099834

WHILE DRIVING, BOTH HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING THEN WENT OUT COMPLETELY, FOG LIGHTS, HIGH BEAM ALL ARE FINE, TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP, TOLD IT NEEDED NEW HEADLIGHTS, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT THE ISSUE, RESEARCHED ONLINE AND SEEN THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY YEAR FOR HEADLIGHT ISSUES. PLEASE, HOW DO I GET THI S RESOLVED. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NEVER MENTIONED A RECALL

NHTSA ODI 11096903

I NOTICED THAT WHILE DRIVING PASS 35 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL GETS KINDA STUCK IN THE 12 O'CLOCK POSITION. IF I TRY TO STEER EITHER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT IT GETS STUCK LITELY, NOW IT WILL NOT DO IT IF I'M MAKING A COMPLETE TURN! IT'S HARD DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT IN THE LANE BECAUSE OF THE STEERING WHEEL STICKING. JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT IT DOES IT NOT ONLY ON THE HIGHWAY BUT ALSO ON CITY STREETS. IT'S ONLY HAPPENING AFTER I GO OVER APPROXIMATELY AFTER 35 MPH.

NHTSA ODI 11091290

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A U-TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN SWITCHING BETWEEN FUEL AND ELECTRIC EVER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED IN 2017. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (RICK CASE KIA IN SUNRISE FLORIDA). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 12647572. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,096.

NHTSA ODI 11078279