2018 KIA Optima Phev Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Optima Phev years
- Not enough data 2nd of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 KIA Optima Phev. That ranks 2nd out of 5 Optima Phev model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (3 complaints, 38%), typically at around 19,000 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 8owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 KIA Optima Phev problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 3 | 38% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 38% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 25% | 18,800 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 13% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 13% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 13% | 7,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 KIA Optima Phev recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.
Engine
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC218.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
- Engine Fires (EA21003) — opened Dec 22, 2021, closed Feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V877.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima PHEV. The contact's daughter stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the high systems temperature switching to hybrid mode message was displayed. The contact stated that there was a two-hour delay for a full charge. The vehicle was taken to the dealer…
The plastic coupling for the steering is broken in my 2018 Kia optima the same Issue that the 2011-2014 issue optimaâs have my car has this same issue.
See attached document for complaint.
I was told by the dealership that my 2018 kia optima phev was repaired but after i drove it off the lot and got on the freeway the warning light came on again and lost all power. I almost got into another accident because of this. The dealership said they worked with kia technical support to fix my…
When i was driving on the highway on 2/14/2011 a "check hybrid system" warning came on, check engine light, triangle hev light, a red battery light came on and car lost engine power. After my vehicle slowed traffic down due to not having power i was barely able to pull over to the side of the road…
Other KIA Optima Phev years
← 2017 Optima Phev · 2019 Optima Phev →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Optima Phev | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 Optima Phev | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 8 | 2 |
| 2017 Optima Phev | 23 | 2 |
| 2016 Optima Phev | 0 | 0 |
See all KIA Optima Phev problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 KIA Optima Phev?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, unknown or other problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 KIA Optima Phev?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 KIA Optima Phev a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Optima Phev model years, the 2018 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.