Total Complaints
179 filings
KIA OPTIMA · model year
179 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2020KIAOPTIMA carries 179 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 5 fires, 8 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 5/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 OPTIMA is engine with 82 filings, followed by power train (22) and unknown or other (12). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 2020 OPTIMA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
179 filings
Crashes Reported
9 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 82 |
| POWER TRAIN | 22 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 12 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 11 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 7 |
| AIR BAGS | 7 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 7 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 6 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| SEAT BELTS | 4 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING | 3 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
| STEERING | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a âTâ cross road.
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a âTâ cross road.
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a âTâ cross road.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was sputtering and vibrating abnormally while starting. There were no warning lights illuminated. The failure was intermittent but became a recurring failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic out of fear of the vehicle stalling on the highway. Prior to the engine failure, the contact became aware that there were oil spots where the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the mechanic sealed two holes in the oil pan and replaced the spark plugs that were fouled by engine oil. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the same mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the spark plugs were covered in oil again. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer to check for engine failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and an oil consumption test was
Mileage: 91,185
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was sputtering and vibrating abnormally while starting. There were no warning lights illuminated. The failure was intermittent but became a recurring failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic out of fear of the vehicle stalling on the highway. Prior to the engine failure, the contact became aware that there were oil spots where the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the mechanic sealed two holes in the oil pan and replaced the spark plugs that were fouled by engine oil. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the same mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the spark plugs were covered in oil again. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer to check for engine failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and an oil consumption test was
Mileage: 91,185
Iâve been told by multiple Kia dealerships that my Kia needs a new engine however I am barely outside of their class action lawsuit so they are not willing to settle with me. They recently within the last two months came out with two recalls that did not fix the issue.
I took my vehicle to the dealership in Chantilly, VA on May 17, 2025. On July 24, 2025, I discovered that my vehicle had no oil, despite being approximately 4,000 miles away from my next scheduled oil change. I have video documentation confirming that there was no oil in the vehicle. The car was towed back to the dealership; however, no corrective action was taken. The dealership offered to perform a test, which I declined, as this issue did not exist before servicing my vehicle at their location. Additionally, no explanation or guidance regarding the oil was provided to me. I was only advised to pay for another oil change, or a 205 dollars to diagnose the car. Subsequently, I took the vehicle to Fairfax Auto Shop, where a dye test was conducted to check for oil leaks. While no leaks were found, they advised that the vehicle has an oil consumption issue. They recommended that I monitor and top off the oil every 1,000 miles and return for oil changes every 2â3 months.
Engine has been burning oil for at least a year now. Cause ignition coil/spark plug failure and have replaced all 4 coils and plugs 3 times now within a year. Engine will randomly start to sputter after about 3-5 months of replacement. Adding a quart of oil every 1-2 weeks. No leaks and no smoke, just money down the drain.
Engine has been burning oil for at least a year now. Cause ignition coil/spark plug failure and have replaced all 4 coils and plugs 3 times now within a year. Engine will randomly start to sputter after about 3-5 months of replacement. Adding a quart of oil every 1-2 weeks. No leaks and no smoke, just money down the drain.
While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of engine power and entered limp mode. The check engine light began flashing and the vehicle had very limited acceleration, creating a safety concern when driving in traffic. The vehicle was towed to a Kia dealership for diagnosis. The dealer retrieved diagnostic trouble code P1326 (Knock Sensor Detection System â range/performance). During inspection, the dealer found metal contamination in the engine oil and oil control valves and advised that the engine has internal damage and requires replacement.
I purchased in July 2020, from sept 2020 I've had it at the dealership with shuddering, stalling and loss of acceleration. I originally thought fuel pump or transmission but kia said no. then in 2022 I received a letter from kia corporate stating low pressure fuel pump failure. so i called the dealership and told them the letter states everything I had been in to see them about numerous times. made an appointment they said they found an error but had no fix. I complained heavily due to the fact I sat there for 4 hours, and they knew they had no fix as of yet. It was too dangerous like this. so the Manager said he'd just replace it with a whole new fuel pump but it could also fail. I sent the car in for 4 days just to find out they did not replace it. they only changed the fuel filter. stating kia wont let them put in a new pump due to their system not showing any other issue. The problem persisted and multiple visits to kia to no avail. Then on top of that my air bag light came on Jan
I purchased in July 2020, from sept 2020 I've had it at the dealership with shuddering, stalling and loss of acceleration. I originally thought fuel pump or transmission but kia said no. then in 2022 I received a letter from kia corporate stating low pressure fuel pump failure. so i called the dealership and told them the letter states everything I had been in to see them about numerous times. made an appointment they said they found an error but had no fix. I complained heavily due to the fact I sat there for 4 hours, and they knew they had no fix as of yet. It was too dangerous like this. so the Manager said he'd just replace it with a whole new fuel pump but it could also fail. I sent the car in for 4 days just to find out they did not replace it. they only changed the fuel filter. stating kia wont let them put in a new pump due to their system not showing any other issue. The problem persisted and multiple visits to kia to no avail. Then on top of that my air bag light came on Jan
I purchased in July 2020, from sept 2020 I've had it at the dealership with shuddering, stalling and loss of acceleration. I originally thought fuel pump or transmission but kia said no. then in 2022 I received a letter from kia corporate stating low pressure fuel pump failure. so i called the dealership and told them the letter states everything I had been in to see them about numerous times. made an appointment they said they found an error but had no fix. I complained heavily due to the fact I sat there for 4 hours, and they knew they had no fix as of yet. It was too dangerous like this. so the Manager said he'd just replace it with a whole new fuel pump but it could also fail. I sent the car in for 4 days just to find out they did not replace it. they only changed the fuel filter. stating kia wont let them put in a new pump due to their system not showing any other issue. The problem persisted and multiple visits to kia to no avail. Then on top of that my air bag light came on Jan
Immediately after getting Kia's latest recall "Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign" software update, my transmission began to Hard-Shift between neutral and 1st gear, and when slowing down, from a gear to a neutral position with the transmission. The car has lunged a few times when going from neutral to 1st gear position--concerning. This is most noticeable when car is cold, but is still always noticeable. Stop-and-go traffic it's also most noticeable. I have notified local dealership by phone message and email but have not heard back in 2 weeks.
Took to Kia for engine burning excessive oil. They determined the cylinder wall was scorched due to piston ring. The warranty people say itâs normal wear and tear and wonât honor the warranty. Itâs still sitting in their engine bay because they want me to pay for the diagnostic which I donât have. $4000 roughly for that but it needs a new engine. The warranty should be covering this! NEVER PAY FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY!!! They will not help you
Vechile is burning oil and knock sensor came on which indicated rod bearing. While driving the car lost power the check engine came on was abl to pull over and turned off the car. Did not drive it was tow home.
I got the car was running good week or 2 later I see the oil light flash after my oil change I go back top it off repeat the cycle almost weekly burning losts of oil then I get a code p1326 for a knock sensor same day car go into limp mode no power rpm wonât go over 2 car wonât go over 60-65 I park it go outside to take it to the dealership next day it ainât start I havenât had the car 4 months only have 138,000 miles
It is an oil burner and engine failed and went into limp mode less than 5 years when drove off dealership brand new.
Out of the blue I get a code for a misfire on cylinder one. Got in to head to work as normal and it was stalling and shaking so bad that I am scared to drive it. The next day the check engine light was on when I started it to seek out the issue. Car was manufactured in September 2019 but is the 2020 model year. I was told by a license mechanic this is related to an internal Kia engine issue. I contacted 800 333 4KIA to see if this was a known issue that they had a solution to. Of course I was told to self repair that my VIN is not covered under the recall. Can you tell me how Kia assumes that engine issues with the 2019s model year would have been fixed before the 2020 models were assembled? Sounds like my dream car is now my nightmare. 3rd White Kia Optima but I am likely leaving the Kia family if this requires a new engine.
I have kept up on regular oil changes and maintenance on my Kia which I bought new 5 years ago. My issues started when my car's orange check engine light came on, I experienced loss of power such as difficulty accelerating even at low speeds, especially up hill. As soon as I was able I checked my oil which and there was nothing on the dipstick. I put in 3 quarts of oil. I brought it into my usual dealership for service and let them know about the oil issue and issues with power when driving. They failed to address the root cause of the issue, they performed an oil change, engine light turned off, and they started an oil consumption test. But when I drove off the lot the issue with the power continued, and the check engine light came on again. I took my Kia to another dealership to address the car's power issue and the first oil consumption test was not completed because it was unsafe to drive. When I brought my car in, the check engine light was not on, even though there were significa
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.