2015 Kia Optima problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1008 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Optima. The most-reported areas: Engine (622), Unknown Or Other (139), Electrical System (135).
Key takeaways
- 1008 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 31 involve a crash, 74 a fire, 23 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 622 | 62% |
| Unknown Or Other | 139 | 14% |
| Electrical System | 135 | 13% |
| Service Brakes | 89 | 9% |
| Structure | 76 | 8% |
| Steering | 69 | 7% |
| Power Train | 49 | 5% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 46 | 5% |
| Hydraulic | 40 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 36 | 4% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 31 | 3% |
| Air Bags | 26 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Kia Optima 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Vehicle Speed Control,engine - filed 2026-09-20
My energy in my car started messing up with only 150,000 miles it had a long knocking sound and it would not got over 20 miles while driving
Unknown Or Other,engine,fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-08-24
My 2015 KIA optima experienced a catastrophic engine fire while I was driving. There was no warning, I just heard a boom in the engine bay the breaks stopped working and all electrical cut out. As I'm coasting, because I'm unable to stop, flames started to come in through under the dash. I couldn't turn the car off, no...
Engine And Engine Cooling - filed 2026-08-20
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that for over 8 years, the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that there was an oil leak on the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on several occasions...
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More for the 2015 Kia Optima
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.