2018 KIA Optima Engine Problems
Owners have filed 131 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2018 KIA Optima, 56% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 69,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (20% of reports).
- 131engine complaints
- 69,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 44%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 26 of 131 complaints (20%)
- Spark plugs: mentioned in 15 of 131 complaints (11%)
- Knock sensor: mentioned in 13 of 131 complaints (10%)
- Engine started: mentioned in 8 of 131 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 34 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 131 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 9 a fire.
KIA Optima engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Optima | 102 | 68% | 103,593 |
| 2019 Optima | 92 | 43% | 65,000 |
| 2018 Optima | 131 | 56% | 69,000 |
| 2017 Optima | 164 | 64% | 72,000 |
| 2016 Optima | 426 | 56% | 88,000 |
| 2015 Optima | 622 | 62% | 87,992 |
| 2014 Optima | 284 | 48% | 85,000 |
| 2013 Optima | 613 | 44% | 99,062 |
| 2012 Optima | 398 | 43% | 100,000 |
| 2011 Optima | 256 | 43% | 101,000 |
| 2010 Optima | 9 | 12% | 76,500 |
| 2009 Optima | 14 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 2008 Optima | 19 | 13% | 96,000 |
| 2007 Optima | 16 | 10% | 99,560 |
| 2006 Optima | 7 | 5% | 105,735 |
| 2004 Optima | 3 | 1% | 89,400 |
| 2003 Optima | 2 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2002 Optima | 4 | 4% | 118,049 |
| 2001 Optima | 2 | 1% | 105,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2018 KIA Optima. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle jerked abnormally. The failure persisted while driving, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure persisted while driving. The vehicle was…
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and failed to exceed 52 MPH. The vehicle shut off. The contact stated that the engine was running rough while stationary and the vehicle shut off without warning. The…
Iâve had my 2018 kia optima for round about two years.I only got this car because they refused to replace my previous engine on my 2015 Kia optima,even though I had a warranty but thatâs another story(Kia on the Blvd).This car have given me problems from the start.Going through oil in less than…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 KIA Optimas have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 131 owner complaints about engine for the 2018 KIA Optima (56% of the 232 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2018 KIA Optima engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 69,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2018 KIA Optima?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 26 of 131 complaints, followed by “spark plugs” (15).
See all 2018 KIA Optima problems or engine problems across all Optima years.