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What 203 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid

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 (203)Crash / fire / injury (26)Engine (85)Driver assistance (36)Electrical system (22)Brakes (19)Fuel system (16)Transmission & drivetrain (16)Body & structure (14)Airbags (12)Speed control (10)Lane Departure (7)

Newest first · 203 complaints · page 9 of 9

Jul 30, 2019Visibility & wipers

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FIXED PANE GLASS ABRUPTLY FRACTURED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,100. THE VIN WAS INVALID.*BF *AS

NHTSA ODI 11240697

Jun 27, 2019Electrical systemEngine

I BOUGHT MY 2019 OPTIMA BRAND NEW BACK IN NOVEMBER. IT IS NOW JUNE AND I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR RANDOMLY NOT STARTING ON ME. I GET THE SAME ANSWER EVERY TIME. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, NOTHING COMES UP ON THE COMPUTER WHEN THEY PLUG IT IN. THEY SAY, "IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN, CALL US AND WELL TAKE IT IN". BUYING THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND MY PAYMENTS BEING THAT OF A RANGE ROVER, I AM EXTREMELY UPSET. TO TOP IT OFF, THE BACK WINDSHIELD IS SLIPPING DOWN. I AM OVER THIS CAR AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA AGAIN. BUT, MY FIGHT IS NOT OVER, SOMETHING WILL HAVE TO BE DONE. IT ALSO HESITATES AT TIMES, FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS STRUGGLING TO GO. ALSO, TWO TIMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, THE DASH LIT UP WITH ALMOST EVERYTHING LIKE, I WAS IN A CRASH, THE EXCLAMATION POINT, ETC.

NHTSA ODI 11223068

Mar 14, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR A LITTLE OVER TWO MONTHS. IT CURRENTLY HAS 1600 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ONCE AND I AM STILL EXPERIENCING STUDDERING AND SHAKING. HAVE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT ON 3/15. EVEN HAVE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE INVOLVED.

NHTSA ODI 11186816

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Working with the data? Download all 203 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 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 2019 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid verdict →