2017 Kia Optima problems and complaints
Owners have filed 257 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Optima. The most-reported areas: Engine (165), Unknown Or Other (33), Electrical System (25).
Key takeaways
- 257 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 4 involve a crash, 9 a fire, 7 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 165 | 64% |
| Unknown Or Other | 33 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 25 | 10% |
| Power Train | 21 | 8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 20 | 8% |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 5% |
| Steering | 11 | 4% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 8 | 3% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 3% |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2017 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
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 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 2026-10-20
3 weeks ago I had my vehicle towed to Car Pros Kia in the city of [XXX]. They said that there was an issue with the engine which should be covered under the extended lifetime warranty that KIA issued Me 2 years ago due to a recall and a system update that they required that I do on my vehicle. We did the update. We are...
Engine And Engine Cooling - filed 2026-09-28
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after receiving an oil change, the contact became aware that the engine oil level was low. The vehicle was taken back to the service center, and the engine oil was topped off with an additional quart of engine oil. The contact was advised to return for an oil ...
Engine - filed 2026-08-24
While driving at highway speed, my engine began to produce a loud knocking noise without prior warning. Within few seconds, the engine seized completely causing sudden loss of motive power.This caused a dangerous situation— loss of power steering and barking at highway speed, leaving me stranded in traffic lanes. I was...
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
More for the 2017 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.