2016 Kia Optima problems and complaints
Owners have filed 762 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Optima. The most-reported areas: Engine (428), Unknown Or Other (121), Electrical System (104).
Key takeaways
- 762 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 27 involve a crash, 20 a fire, 21 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 428 | 56% |
| Unknown Or Other | 121 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 104 | 14% |
| Power Train | 74 | 10% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 53 | 7% |
| Exterior Lighting | 47 | 6% |
| Structure | 41 | 5% |
| Visibility | 30 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 24 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 24 | 3% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 24 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2016 Kia Optima
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
- Headlight bulb
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Kia Optima 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-11-05
My Kia experienced catastrophic engine failure while I was driving on the freeway, creating an extremely frightening and dangerous situation. The sudden loss of engine power put my safety and the safety of surrounding motorists at risk, as I was traveling at freeway speeds when the engine gave out. Leading up to the f...
Engine - filed 2026-11-03
My engine is making a knock sound coming from the bottom end of motor I was driving it and no warning or anything it just started knocking
Air Bags,structure - filed 2026-10-22
Component: Power Window / Door Description: All four power window regulators failed on my 2016 Kia Optima SXL within 16 months - from June 2025-Oct 2026. The failure mode is identical on all four doors: the plastic drum gear in the regulator separates or breaks, causing the window glass to drop into the door and becom...
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More for the 2016 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.