What 252 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Optima Phev

for the past year, I have been constantly replacing the spark plugs and ignition coil in my 2017 Kia optima. Recently I have had the valve cover gasket replaced. It is a constant oil consumption issue. I have received the P1326 diagnostic code. My dealership told me that the engine cannot be replaced unless it’s knocking. This is my only mode of transportation, and I would hate for me to be stranded because I’m waiting for the engine to knock for my engine to be replaced.

NHTSA ODI 11684750

Car began hesitating and stalling, particularly from a stop. Engine light came on. Took the car to the KIA dealership for diagnosis. Was told by svc coordinator that the diagnosis indicated a bad knock sensor. The technician replaced the knock sensor, then test drove the car. It failed immediately. I was told that it would likely need engine replacement. After a few days, svc coordinator called and said that KIA recommended replacing the knock sensor (again) and perform a tuneup. They declined to replace the engine. The car runs in "limp home mode" (Kia's terminology), hesitates and stalls so as to make it very unsafe to operate. The engine on this car was replaced about two years ago for excessive oil consumption. There cannot be more than 30k miles on the new engine. KIA stated that there is a lifetime warranty on the replaced engines, but are apparently not going to honor the warranty. Car is serviced regularly and is in otherwise excellent condition.

NHTSA ODI 11682175

My car is burning oil and oil is covering my spark plugs. Was mentioned about decarbonizing

NHTSA ODI 11681530

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated she had noticed that the vehicle required more oil between oil changes. Additionally, the contact had noticed that oil was leaking underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that the low oil pressure warning light would only illuminate upon depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where no oil leak was found, and the contact was advised to constantly check the engine oil level. The contact stated that upon checking the oil level recently, five quarts of oil needed to be added to the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

NHTSA ODI 11678456

--- **Summary of Complaint – 2017 Kia Optima** My 2017 Kia Optima (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced sudden engine failure due to a damaged piston. There were no warning signs—no knock codes or dashboard alerts—prior to the malfunction. Despite regular maintenance and timely oil changes, Kia denied warranty coverage, leaving me with significant repair costs. This issue appears consistent with reported engine problems in similar Kia models and could represent a broader manufacturing defect. I'm submitting this report in hopes of prompting an investigation into a potential safety hazard. A recall may be necessary to prevent similar failures and protect INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11678127

While driving my 2017 Kia Optima (Theta II engine) at approximately 115,900 miles, I suddenly experienced engine failure. The vehicle began to stall and produced a burning smell shortly before the engine seized completely. I had the car towed to a Kia dealership, which confirmed an internal engine failure and noted that there were no signs of external oil leaks or neglect. The failure occurred only 4,500 miles after my last oil change, which was documented and professionally completed. The Kia technician mentioned verbally that this was due to excessive oil consumption and burning — an issue I later found to be widely reported in other Kia vehicles using this engine type. The estimated repair cost is over $14,000, which is more than the value of the vehicle. Despite my warranty being expired, this type of failure appears consistent with known manufacturing defects. I am reporting this for public safety and accountability. The vehicle failed without warning and could have caused a dangerous situation on the road.

NHTSA ODI 11677195

Excessive oil consumption started at 61,000 miles, causing engine misfires and dangerous power loss on the road. Engine codes 1326 and P0304 were frequent. Despite numerous services, including sensor replacements, spark plugs and oil top-offs, the problem worsened. At 97,769 miles, the dealer said a full engine replacement is needed along with other pertinent repairs related to the engine are needed. The situation was life-threatening each time as they occurred while driving and I now no working vehicle after my husband's recent death. Kia dealerships acknowledged the defect but refused to replace the engine and advised that Kia Corporate was refusing, although no claim information was ever provided that they indeed contacted the corporate office. I am seeking NHTSA support in holding Kia accountable.

NHTSA ODI 11677350

Code P1326, Faulty Knock sensor on 2.4GDI

NHTSA ODI 11676468

The car stalled out

NHTSA ODI 11674955

I previously submitted a report regarding engine failure in my Kia 2017, Optima. I’d like to update the complaint with new details. Upon mechanical inspection, it was confirmed that the engine bears Hyundai branding and has sustained internal damage including broken pistons and valve failure. These issues appear consistent with the known oil ring defect affecting Hyundai-manufactured engines used in Kia vehicles. Symptoms included: Engine knocking and rough idling Sudden loss of oil and reduced performance Full engine failure requiring replacement I believe my vehicle may have been missed in the recall or settlement programs and request this update be added to my case. I’m willing to provide repair estimates, diagnostic reports, and photos upon request. Thank you for investigating this issue further

NHTSA ODI 11674879

My Kia optima fe 2017 has been consuming a lot of motor oil it takes a quart every 2 to 3 weeks and of if I drive it more than average it needs motor oil sooner

NHTSA ODI 11674547

Engine is failing and using over 3 quarts of oil every 700-100 miles. Spark Plugs have become oil fouled and replaced all 4 spark plugs June 11th, 2024 and replaced all 4 spark plugs again January 12th, 2025. Today July 7th, 2025 Check Engine light came back on with Engine Misfire code P0303 Cylinder 3 Misfire, changing spark plugs again today. My safety is put at risk because oil consumption is a know issue with Kia GDI Engines. At any moment my car can run out of oil if it is not check every other week causing my engine to completely fail or a spark plug become Oil fouled and a spark plug needing to be replaced. In July of 2024 when this happened I was on the highway going 70 mph and my car just completed shut down. I could have been seriously injured had I not been able to pull over and only been 5 miles away from my home. I called Kia today to start an Oil Consumption test, stated I am the 2nd owner and while this is a known issue I will pay for and Upper Engine Clean which is only a band aid. This problem has been confirmed with Kia that the GDI Engines are consuming oil. I have also replaced all Engine Coolant, Coolant Temperature Senor, Thermostat as well as the PCV Valve.

NHTSA ODI 11671759

Warning lights displayed for ABS and ESC systems. Had Autozone pull the OBD2 codes which indicated the left rear wheel speed sensor failed resulting in failed/disabled ABS and ESC systems. I replaced the bad rear wheel hub/sensor which corrected the problem. I no longer have that failed component. A few months later, warning lights came on again. I again had the codes pulled by Autozone and this time it was the right rear wheel speed sensor. I have the new part but have not yet replaced it so I could keep the defective part for the right wheel. The first one failed in April 2024 and the second in November 2024. This seems to be a bad design with two of the same parts failing in the same timeframe affecting two main safety features of the vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11669619

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the low battery warning light was illuminated, and the message stating an electrical failure was occurring was displayed on the infotainment center. The battery was tested and found to be non-defective. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where a mechanic diagnosed and determined that the alternator had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact found information of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V161000 (Hybrid Propulsion System) and linked the recall to the failure. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11669102

My vehicle is experiencing engine issues consistent with the known Theta II GDI engine defects — including rod bearing failure piston rings engine stalling, I understand that Kia has offered extended warranty coverage through the engine defect settlement, provided the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) update was installed before failure. I am unsure whether this update has been applied and would like to confirm my eligibility. I respectfully request: 1.Confirmation of KSDS update installation on my VIN 2.A review of my eligibility for engine inspection and coverage under the extended warranty 3.Assistance with coordinating service and coverage at my local dealership (LeBlanc Kia, New Iberia, LA) I am the second owner of this vehicle and want to ensure I am treated fairly under the known warranty extension guidelines. Thank you for your support. I look forward to your prompt response.

NHTSA ODI 11669359

For years there has been a problem with my vehicle after it rains. On the drivers side when turning the steering wheel there is a scraping noise. The dealership service always said they can’t hear anything or duplicate the problem. Now the issue has extended to the passenger side. After a heavy rain or going through the car wash water get in under the glovebox. My sunroof is fine and not clogged, the problem is something else. Water no matter the source should not be getting inside the car causing odor issues, interfering with the operation of turning / steering gears. This needs to be a recall to force Kia to acknowledge this well known problem from hundreds of online complaints regarding leaks.

NHTSA ODI 11667117

I purchased a 2017 Kia Optima from Deal Makers Auto Sales in Georgia in February 2024. The vehicle broke down within 3 months. I later found out it had four open safety recalls that were never disclosed at the time of sale. This is dangerous and deceptive, and the dealership refused to take responsibility or make repairs.

NHTSA ODI 11664990

Engine stalled out while driving lyft. Got passenger to their destination safely, however lyft is my only source of income big risk to stall out on a highway.

NHTSA ODI 11665181

Randomly when turning, my steering will jolt in the opposite direction and lose power steering. The red power steering light does come on at this moment where I have to pull over, turn the car off, and restart and the symptoms clear itself up. In addition, there is there is, randomly, grinding noises (and I can feel it in the steering) when turning. When this occurs, relocating the steering column by changing the position (via tilt and telescopic) seems to help clear it up for awhile. I have almost jolted to oncoming traffic when turning and a few instances. I have had it serviced to check steering points at tires, axel, cv joints, and my mechanics can't seem to find the fault there. Even after doing alignments, it helped for a little bit but the same problems came back. They believe it to be a steering column issue. They believe that it is getting caught when turning and causing the issues. This has been occurring for about 6-8 months now. The power steering losing power happens maybe once or twice a week to once every two weeks. The grinding and vibration in the steering column while turning happens a few times a week to maybe just once a week. Its occurrence worsens when it rains. I am reporting this because I have read other reports of people have the same experience as myself.

NHTSA ODI 11664504

The power steering stopped working and the car became hard to turn because of it. The power steering light (red color with steering wheel and exclamation point to the right of it) came on also.

NHTSA ODI 11661833

I was driving and as I was going to make a left turn, the steering wheel forced itself to the right and locked. And the whole car completely shut down. So I had to slam on my brakes as they were also locking on me.

NHTSA ODI 11658585

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle lost motive power with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11657754

Failure of Flexible Steering Coupler, part of the Motor Driven Power Steering. This flexible coupler deteriorated noticeably over about 6 months time. Currently steering is very erratic with crunching sounds when turning wheel. This is a serious safety concern. I had the steering and suspension inspected at an official PA state inspection station (annual requirement) and was assured that the mechanical under car parts are all good. HAs never needed any repairs in this area, not even a wheel alignment. I am the original owner and the vehicle has been well maintained. Vehicle currently has 141,000 miles, mostly highway driving. KIA advises that there is no recall and no warranty repair available. I believe this is a design defect and safety issue.

NHTSA ODI 11656397

I was driving on the highway, the check engine light started flashing and the car lost power. This created a very dangerous situation because I could not go the speed limit and could not get off the highway since I was in the middle lane. We went and had the check engine light checked and were told the code was P1326.

NHTSA ODI 11652963

Unknown Oil consumption Spark plugs need replacement about every 500-1000 miles. Also needs oil every 500-1000

NHTSA ODI 11652349