What 252 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Optima Phev

Turbocharger failed at 90000 miles because fan assembly was bad. May have happened when dealership replaced high pressure fuel pump. Fan sheared and metal parts got in the engine about a thousand miles after that.

NHTSA ODI 11595366

The contact owned a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, another vehicle crashed on the front passenger side tire of the vehicle. Due to the impact, the vehicle was sent over four lanes of traffic and jumped over a curb. The contact stated that the front air bag was deployed only after the vehicle jumped the curb; no other air bags in the vehicle were deployed despite the contact's children in the vehicle's rear seat. The contact stated that metal shrapnel was released upon deployment of the air bag. The contact used her left arm to block the fragments from hitting her face. The contact and her children were all transported to the hospital by ambulance. The contact sustained multiple cuts to her jaw, lips and face. In addition, the contact sustained multiple lacerations and bruises to her left arm and the contact's right arm was broken; the contact also sustained eight cracked teeth. The contact stated that all four children located in the rear seats suffered minor bruising with one child suffering a seat belt laceration on their right shoulder. A police report was filed. The children were discharged from the hospital on the same day; however, the contact stayed in the hospital for a week due to her injuries. The other driver's air bags were deployed upon impact and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it remained in their possession pending. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had been deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

NHTSA ODI 11582639

ON [XXX], AROUND 11:30 A.M., I WAS DRIVING [XXX] ON [XXX], GOING ABOUT 78 MPH, JUST PASSED [XXX], WHEN THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR, THEN THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE A/C VENTS. THERE WAS A FULL FLEDGE FIRE UNDER MY HOOD. THE GUY DRIVING NEXT TO ME, KINDA GESTURED FOR ME TO PULL OVER, ALTHOUGH I WAS ALREADY THINKING I NEEDED TO PULL OVER, THE SHOCK OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. I PULLED OVER AND SO DID THAT GUY, HE HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT TO NO AVAIL. 5 MINS AFTER I GOT OUT, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND I AM THANKFUL FOR THAT GUY, BECAUSE I FROZE FOR A MINUTE AND COULDN'T THINK OF WHAT TO DO, I PULLED OVER JUST IN TIME. THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED AND IT TOOK THEM AWHILE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT, THE CAR WAS BURNT TO A CRISP, A 100% LOSS. A POLICE OFFICER TOOK MY NAME & PHONE NUMBER AND ARRANGED FOR A TOW TRUCK. I HAD TO ARRANGE FOR SOMEONE TO PICK ME UP FROM THE SIDE OF INTERSTATE I [XXX] AND HAD TO CALL OFF WORK. THE CAR WAS TOWED BY PROFESSIONAL TOWING TAMPA LOCATED - PHONE# 813-242-0610 EXT. 5 EMAIL - DISPATCH@PROTOWTAMPA.COM | WEBSITE - www.professionaltowingtampa.com I SPOKE TO SOMEONE AT THE TOW YARD AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THEM THE TITLE TO THE CAR THE NEXT DAY AND SUGGESTED I PAY THE TOWING FEE RIGHT AWAY BEING THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT DUE INCREASES EVERY DAY. ON [XXX], I BROUGHT THEM THE TITLE TO THE CAR AND PAID THE, I BELIEVE, $285 TOWING & STORAGE FEE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11581052

The engine on this vehicle caught fire while the vehicle was parked and not running. It had previsouly been drive for approximately 4 hours throughout the day but at the time of the incident there were no warning dashlights present. It is currently available for inspection, however depending on the length of this invesitagion it may no longer be available as i work with my insurance company determing next steps. My safety and the safety of other were put at risk by and open flame and smoke that occured during the fire. Ultimately the Fire Department were required to put out the fire. Approximately 8 months ago the engine was replace by the dealership Summit Place Kia East in Michigan due to an open recall for a knock sensor issue. I suspect this vehicle will be a total loss.

NHTSA ODI 11551305

On 6 June 2022 I was driving Eastbound Interstate 80 passing Fairfield, CA. Traffic was moderate, average traffic speed 65. The Kia’s Adaptive Cruise was enabled and set to the maximum amount of safe distance. I recall the car directly in front of me changed lanes to pass a truck towing a trailer. I remember the Kia began to accelerate and I couldn’t turn the wheel. Next memory was opening my eyes to the dust smoke of deployed air bags. I lost consciousness likely due to the sudden impact and air bags deployed. I was taken to a Fairfield hospital by ambulance where I spent 4 days. A slurry of tests ruled out loss of consciousness as the cause. No stroke, heart attack or seizure occurred. I was treated for bruised ribs due to the airbag. No doubt to me that this collision could have been catastrophic to this driver and others driving nearby. Witness reported that I sped up and clipped the truck/trailer while attempting to pass. What I believe happened: 1) the Adaptive Cruise accelerated when it determined there was room but failed to see the trailer and 2) the steering was unresponsive when I attempted to avoid a collision. The reaction time between car accelerating and getting knocked out had to be a mere three or four seconds. The vehicle was totaled, The insurance company, Mercury Insurance, released the vehicle

NHTSA ODI 11534208

No vehicle warning as it became engulfed in flames. Fire started from under the hood.

NHTSA ODI 11509680

On June 5th 2022 as I was traveling out of state with my wife and daughter the car lost power on the highway. I pulled over to the side when safe and noticed whitish grey smoke puffing from under the hood by the hinges. Being a fire lieutenant, I recognized this as the car being on fire. We exited the vehicle, my daughter was asleep in the back seat, so it was a panic to wake her and make sure she got out away from traffic. Within the 3 minutes I was on the phone with 911 the car was engulfed. A few minutes after the first Chief arrived the fire had reached the fuel tank and the vehicle exploded, approximately 8 minutes in. I opened a claim with my insurance and with Kia America. Kia has taken the blame but refused to replace the vehicle, instead offering me $15000 for the car with only 57000 miles on it. After fighting with Kia for 3 weeks during my claim they finally provided me with a rental vehicle paid for by their insurance. To this date they have not paid for said rental and I am now on the hook for the $930 charge. This event has caused much undue stress on me, I already have cardiac issues, my wife and daughter still have nightmares from the event. Kia inspected the vehicle which is totally burned, they found it to be an engine failure causing oil to spill onto the hot exhaust. They accepted blame. There was no warning, no noises, no lights. I never received a recall notice, I found out about the recall from my insurance after the fact. Kia has been less than helpful.

NHTSA ODI 11492794

There is a viral trend spreading throughout the country that shows how easy it is to steal a key-start Kia or Hyundai. The perpetrators bashed my back rear window, dislodged the undercarriage of the steering wheel, and used something as simple as a USB cable to turn a knob and start the ignition. My safety was put at risk as well as others because these people that stole my car clearly do not care about their own life or others. No one steals a car for a positive reason. They drove it recklessly and abandoned it without concern for anyone. Kia and Hyundai need to address this issue or more and more of them are going to continue to get stolen and people are going to continue to get hurt, both physically and financially.

NHTSA ODI 11473635

On November 16, 2020, Lucy Robinson was driving her 2017 Kia Optima when she started seeing smoke. She pulled into a gas station and the engine was on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. A cause and origin was conducted and it was found that the fire originated within the engine compartment. The fire was caused by the release of heated oil coming from the leaking PCV located at the top portion of the valve cover.

NHTSA ODI 11473326

THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED IN MY 2017 KIA OPTIMA IN 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 45,000 MILES. KIA REPLACED MY ENGINE JANUARY 2020 BECAUSE IT WAS CONSUMING LARGE AMOUNTS OF OIL. I JUST GOT MY CAR BACK IN JANUARY 28, 2021 WITH A SUPPOSEDLY NEW ENGINE. ON MARCH 3, 2021, MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ACTUALLY DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD THE OF THE CAR. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR BURNED. THANKFULLY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THE FIRE OUT AND NO ONE WAS INJURED.

NHTSA ODI 11399073

MY 2017 KIA OPTIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE ON OCTOBER 15, 2020. I WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE AND HEARD A TICKING SOUND AND SOME NOISES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I PULLED OVER IN THE LEFT TURNING LANE ON THE HIGHWAY TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. I HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND SAW FLAMES. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911. MY CAR BURST INTO FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI 11365296

WHILE MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OUR CAR BEGAN SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THEN SMOKE BEGAN COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS INSIDE THE CAR; WITHIN SECONDS WE SEEN FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED THE VEHICLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH NO WHERE TO PULL OVER. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THERE WAS NO WARNING, OUR CAR WAS REGULARLY MAINTAINED, THERE WERE NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR OTHERS DISPLAYING ON THE DASH, NO LEAKS OR OVERHEATING TO CAUSE THIS.

NHTSA ODI 11233869

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JEFF WYLER KIA (LOCATED AT 5815 DIXIE HWY, FAIRFIELD, OH 45014) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD GET BACK WITH THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT HAD NOT HEARD BACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,700.

NHTSA ODI 11019438