What 1,000 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Optima Phev

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, during a DoorDash delivery, the vehicle vibrated. The contact pulled to the side of the road and noticed smoke emitting underneath the vehicle from the right side. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed smoke emitting from underneath the hood. The state troopers were called. By the time the fire department arrived, the vehicle was engulfed in flames, and the engine had exploded. The fire department extinguished the fire. The contact was not injured. No police report was filed. The state troopers believed that the fire was caused by an electrical short. The contact stated that prior to the fire, the vehicle vibrated when idled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard. The insurance company was not notified about the fire. The contact was unaware that NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) was associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the fire. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

NHTSA ODI 11725022

Yesterday, [XXX], My 2015 kia optima engines reved up wothout me pushing the gas & within seconds later a loud noise and metal fell from under the hood. After pulling over, popping the hood on the passenger side and under the engine a fire had started. My daughter was seated in the back passenger side her door had locked, thankfully the passenger door was left opened bc within minutes the entire car was filled with smoke and engulfed in flames. Prior to this the steering wheel would jerk even while at a red light. This car just did have 100,000 miles & no knowledge this prior. Thank god i was able to get my daughter out of this vehicle & this didnt end in a tragedy due to negligence if this was a prior known fact. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11713230

My car caught on fire just sitting under the carport. The investigator said that it was electrical. Our neighbor seen it and told us to get out the house and started popping. I tried to get in for the brake line but no one would call me back to see about it. When I go thru water and get on the brake it jerk like.

NHTSA ODI 11669992

I was driving on the freeway when I noticed smoke coming out of my hood. I immediately exited the freeway, pulled over, popped the hood open, and my engine was on fire. There were no warning lamps on my dash. I don’t know which components were involved and inspection of the components after was not possible, because everything under the hood burned by the time firefighters responded.

NHTSA ODI 11664430

On October 10th 2024, my 2015 Kia Optima caught fire while I was driving. The fire originated from the engine compartment, completely engulfing the vehicle in flames within minutes. Component/System Failure: The exact cause of the fire is unknown, but Kia had previously issued a recall for this model due to an engine defect that posed a fire risk. The vehicle is no longer available for inspection as it was completely destroyed in the fire. However, I have multiple videos documenting the incident, including footage of the fire and the aftermath. Safety Risk: My safety and the safety of others were severely compromised. The fire started suddenly while I was driving, forcing me to evacuate the vehicle immediately. If I hadn’t reacted quickly, I could have suffered serious injuries or worse. Additionally, the fire posed a danger to other drivers and pedestrians nearby. Reproduction/Confirmation: The issue has not been reproduced, but it aligns with the recall Kia issued for this model. Prior to the fire, I attempted to schedule an appointment with Kia to address the recall, but I never received confirmation, and no inspection was performed. Inspections: After the incident, I contacted Kia, and they sent an investigator to inspect the remains of the vehicle. No police or insurance representatives conducted an independent inspection. Warning Signs: There were no warning lights, messages, or obvious signs of a problem immediately before the fire. However, I had previously noticed a recall related to fire risk for my specific model and attempted to schedule an appointment with Kia, but they never responded. Given Kia’s history of engine fire recalls, I strongly believe this incident is related to the known defects in this vehicle model.

NHTSA ODI 11644544

DURING COVID 19 PANDEMIC GRIEVIANCE DEPRESION HOMELESSNESS RACISM CRITICISM HATE CYBERBULLY ATTACK I LIVE IN MY 2015 KIA OPTIMA I HAD [XXX] I HAD TBONE ACCIDENT IAM NOT FAULT FOR I HAVE ALL STATE INSURANCE I NEVER GET HELPED COMPENSATED THEY CLOSED MY CLAIMS I HAD MULTPLE CITATIONS 13 IN EL CAJON 4 IN SAN DIEGO 4 3 HOLLYWOOD 1 RIVERSIDE THAT I WASNT AWARE OF AS I WENT TO DMV TO RENEW MY CAR REGISTRATION I WAS BILLED FOR $1522 PAID $2200 FOR RENEWAL THERES PEOPLE WHO CROSSED MY LIFE WHO DAMAGED MY VEHICLE IT WASNT DRIVEABLE FOR ONE YEAR PARKED AT [XXX] THEN APRIL 2022 THIEVES INTENDED TO STEAL MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS THEY BROKE MY WINDOW ALL MY PERSONAL ITEMS WAS GONE IT WAS TOWED BY AGENCY HAD TO PAY $1000 WITH BUSTED WINDOWS MISSING PERSONAL ITEMS DENT TBONE ACCIDENT I SUFFERED BURDEN PAIN DEPRESSION EMOTIONAL DISTRESS WHILE I WAS BEING MOCKED CRITICIZED UNLAWFULLY I HAD TRAUMA THERE IS NO RELIEF RECOVERY IT DIDNT STOP THERE AFTER I PICKED UP FROM ROAD ONE TOWING AGENCY I HAVE IT TOWED MOVED PARKED IN [XXX] THEN MY ENGINE SEIZED UP WONT START IGNITION THEN BROUGHT KIA KEARNY MESA SERVICE DEALERSHIP JAN 1, 2023 THEN IT GOTTEN WORST MORE REPAIRS REPLACEMENT PARTS WHEN I HAVE LIFETIME WARRANTY ON MY ENGINE THEY INSTALLED BAD ENGINE REPLACED DEFECTS ON IT I WAS [XXX] MULTPLE TIMES NO PEACE OF MIND UNTIL PRESENT DEC 09, 2024 ALL THE REPAIR ORDERS WASNT BEING DONE PROPERLY. THEY PUT DAMAGES ON ME I GOT STRANDED MULTIPLE TIMES IN HIGHWAY FREEWAY INTERSTATE SIDE STREETS FOR ALL ISSUES ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT HAPPENED TO ME I COULDNT GET RECOVERY JUSTICE THEN [XXX] I HAD TRAFFIC COLLISION ACCIDENT IAM NOTAT FAULT I WAS BEING INTEROGATED BY KEMPER INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS TRYING TO ACCESS MY VEHICLE IMFORMATION DATA WHEN THEIR CLIENT HIT MY CAR FROM BEHIND I WAS WITH MOTHER WE BOUGHT HAD WHIPLASHED BACKPAIN WENT STRAIGHT TO E.R UNTIL NOW THEY WONT GIVE ME PEACE OF MIND I SUFFERED THE WORST PAIN INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11629788

The contact owned a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, he noticed an abnormal burning odor; however, the temperature gauge did not indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The contact stated that upon noticing that the burning odor was becoming stronger, the contact pulled to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that while exiting the vehicle, he noticed flames coming out through the upper part of the hood, near the windshield. The contact opened the hood and noticed that there was fire under the hood. The contact stated that the fire expanded, and the vehicle significantly burned from the front end to the rear seats. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report was filed. The fire department advised the contact that the fire was caused by an electrical or mechanical failure. There was no injury sustained. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

NHTSA ODI 11618426

Hello, I am writing a complain in hopes of getting some type of help to try and recover damage on my car. I own a KIA OPTIMA 2015 and sometime in November of 2023 I received a letter in the mail stating the car had a recall on it that could result in the car catching on fire. While I was waiting for the remedy letter to come in less than a month after I received the recall letter the car randomly caught on fire. I strongly believe that it had to do with the recall because the car was Fine before that and had no check engine light on or anything on the dash board. The car was parked in the backyard of my residence in which the letter did warn to park away from any residence if any light was on in the car but at this time no warning light was shown on the dashboard. At this time I was taking my brother who is a minor to school when it happened.It was around 8am in the morning when I had turned on the car to let it warm up and as I ran inside the house for less than 2 minutes I came back to the car shut off making a weird noise. When I tried to turn it back on it took less than a minute and it started to catch on fire. I did have to call the fire department as the flames moved fast and were uncontrollable. My insurance unfortunately was no help in helping recover anything and when I reached out to the kia company after 2 long months of waiting on answers I was told that they could not offer no type of reimbursement as they aren't sure how or why the fire started. They said that the fire started in the compartment of the passenger side which the recall letter did mention something similar to that.Kia company does not want to take any responsibility in their mistakes and just brushed me off. I am now left with no car and a bill that I am waiting for in the mail from calling the fire department. Not only was my life in danger but so was my brother as he did suffer a panic attack from how scared he was that day. Please assist in what I can do next. Thank you

NHTSA ODI 11578609

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle lost power and the check engine light was illuminated. The vehicle was parked at the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that a handheld diagnostic machine provided code: P1326 where the knock sensor needed to be replaced. On another occasion, while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to start the vehicle again but observed smoke and flames emanating from the engine compartment and exited the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the knock sensor needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 152,451.

NHTSA ODI 11570004

I OWNED MY 2015 OPTIMA SLX SINCE THEY HAVE IT REPLACED MY ENGINE IN KEARNY MESA DEALERSHIP I PAID OUT OF POCKET FROM REPAIRS LABORS THERE IS A DEFECTS ON DOOR PANELS AIRBAGS ELECTRICL WIRING HARNESS NEVER RECEIVED ANY CLAIM COMPENSATION SETTLEMENT FROM THOSE CLAIM ACCIDENTS THAT IAM NOT AT FAULT FOR IT IS UNLAWFUL UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNFAIR I DESERVE A RESTORATION OF MY PERSONAL VEHICLE I OWNED IT I LIVED IN IT.

NHTSA ODI 11567675

Engine lost power and when restart was attempted, it could torn turn over. Tried restarting 3 times with no success. After this, smoke started coming from the hood. I opened the hood and noticed a small flame at the driver side bottom of the engine compartment. Flame intensified and grew and eventually I extinguished with a fire extinguisher. I had just replaced the starter that same week and replaced some wiring at a local car repair facility.

NHTSA ODI 11552409

I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON THE 57 FREEWAY AND MY CAR STOP RUNNING AND I PULLED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR CATCH ON FIRE. EVERYTHING STARTED IN THE ENGINE. I CALLED KIA AND MADE A COMPLAINT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY COULD NOT HELP ME.

NHTSA ODI 11541660

The vehicle had electrical fire. While driving smoke and electric fire smell started to fill the cabin. Pull off the road and exited the vehicle. All vehicle caution indicators were lit up on the dashboard, engine, battery, temp, etc indicators. Shut off car called roadside assistance. Car smelled or charred electric components. Had it towed to the manufacturer dealership. Waiting on response from KIA to determine cause of electrical fire.

NHTSA ODI 11520888

The vehicle caught fire

NHTSA ODI 11518984

Brake Failure, Having to pump brakes in order to stop vehicle, driver rear tail light burning, causing short in wiring

NHTSA ODI 11479707

Kia said they fixed recall on my car and lights are still on and I hydroplane and totaled my car

NHTSA ODI 11455460

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle immediately, causing the vehicle to crash into a curve that fractured the lower control arm and damaged the tire rims, fender, and bumper. Additionally, the vehicle later failed to start. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed that either the alternator or battery was faulty. The mechanic replaced the lower control arm. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 129,403. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11454999

Vehicle lots brakes while driving, smell of gas and caught fire under hood. Engine had been completely replaced due to recall in January 2022 Vehicle was a complete loss, luckily son was able to get out.

NHTSA ODI 11453004

ON 3-14-2021 ABOUT 225PM I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO THE I10 FREEWAY IN ONTARIO CALIFORNIA, WHILE MERGING ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP AND THE CAR PROCEEDED TO SHUT OFF AND MY SPEED WAS GOING DOWN . I ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY, ONCE I WAS STOPPED I TURNED THE CAR OFF. THE CAR THAN WAS ENGULFED WITH SMOKE AND FLAMES I JUMPED OUT THE CAR AND THE CAR LIT UP IN FLAMES. I CALLED ONTARIO POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11402962

ENGINE LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON AND OFF. BUT DOESN'T GIVE A CODE WHEN I TAKE IT TO GET SERVICED. TOOK IT UP TO KIA TO TELL THEM THAT ON MY WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THAT MY WALL CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE TRUNK FROM THE SOCKET THAT HOLDS THE BULBS.BACK LIGHTS GO OUT CONSTANTLY AFTER THE BULBS ARE CHANGED OR THE SOCKET HAS BEEN CHANGED.

NHTSA ODI 11395981

DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON THE 405 AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOWED SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, OIL LIGHT AND 2 OTHERS, THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER AND ONLY HAD BRAKES. I WAS ABLE TO SHUFFLE OFF THE MAIN FREEWAY TO AN OFF RAMP WHERE I PULLED OVER TO ATTEMPT TO POWER THE CAR BACK ON. THE SMELL OF ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED TO BECOME APPARENT AND I WENT OUT TO LIFT THE HOOD AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT THE OPENING. I RUSHED TO GET MY KIDS OUT THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE BATTERY CABLE OFF TO TRY TO SALVAGE IT FROM CATCHING FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO WIGGLE THE BATTERY CABLE OFF BUT SMOKE CONTINUED TO COME OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY DROPPED OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP CAR PROS KIA IN GLENDALE AND IM BEING INFORMED THE STARTER WAS THE ISSUE AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. IM UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE DIAGNOSIS SINCE THE EVENT OF THE VEHICLE LOSING ALL POWER OCCURRED DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING .

NHTSA ODI 11383416

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL ELECTRICAL INDICATION IN SIDE THE VEHICLE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE SHAW KIA (6802 S PADRE ISLAND DR, CORPUS CHRISTI, TX 78412(361) 204-2731) WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT WAS BURNT DUE TO A WIRE HARNESS CONNECTION. THE VEHICLE REAR PASSENGER SEAT WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11374845

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A TWO LANE STREET AT A NORMAL RATE OF SPEED WHEN THE MOTOR CUT OFF. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. WHEN I GLANCED UP I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ODI 11288199

VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES WITHOUT PROVOCATION. VEHICLE WAS IN PERFECT, PRISTINE CONDITION. WAS IN VEHICLE 5 MINUTES ON WAY TO WORK IN AM. VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN APPROX 5 MILES PER HOUR ON A BUSY MAIN ROAD. SLOWED DOWN TO STOP AT RED LIGHT AND THE CAR DIED, INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED FLASHING AND ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI 11286358

I HAD JUST REACHED MY DESTINATION. AFTER BEING PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 - 45 MINUTES WHEN I TRIED TO CRANK UP TO LEAVE. I PUT IT IN THE DRIVE GEAR AND IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN PUT IN THE REVERSE GEAR; THEN I HAD IT TOWED. THEN WHEN ATTEMPTED TO CRANK IT; IT CAUGHT A FIRE AND DESTROYED ALL OF THE MOTOR, AND MOST OF THE CAR BEFORE THE FIRE COULD BE EXTINGUISHED

NHTSA ODI 11219237