The vehicle's engine had previously been replaced once under Kia's Theta II engine recall/warranty program approximately five years prior to this incident. On the date of failure, the replacement engine catastrophically failed while the vehicle was in operation, resulting in the engine developing a hole in the engine block and becoming inoperable. Prior to the failure, the vehicle exhibited a "check engine" warning and symptoms consistent with connecting rod bearing failure. Diagnostic trouble codes P1326 and P0303 were present upon inspection at an authorized Kia dealership. The failure occurred at approximately 198,000 miles. This is the second engine failure on this vehicle, both consistent with the known Theta II engine defect involving premature bearing wear and connecting rod failure that has been the subject of prior the federal safety agency recalls and a related class action settlement. The failure created a risk of sudden loss of engine power while driving, which can pose a safety hazard in traffic. The vehicle was inspected by the authorized Kia dealership, which confirmed the hole in the engine block and the diagnostic codes noted above. The engine and related repair estimate are available for inspection upon request. A warranty claim for repair coverage was submitted and denied by the manufacturer, citing insufficient maintenance documentation, despite this being the vehicle's second occurrence of the same underlying defect.
2011 Kia Optima: check engine light
61 of the 594 complaints about the 2011 Kia Optima describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 61
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- typical repair cost reported
- $4,100
- typical mileage
- 95,000
- recalls
- 2
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
I was driving in the highway doing about 80mph passing a semi truck when all of a sudden my vehicle went from 80 down to 50 mph and I was jerked forward. I thought I was rear ended but when I looked in my rear view mirror no cars were behind me. I looked down and noticed my engine light, battery light and oil light were on and turned down my music and could hear my engine was no longer running. Thankfully there wasn't much traffic and I was able to coast to the side of the highway and turn the car off. If someone would have been behind me I am confident I would have been hit. The problem has since been confirmed by a dealership and info has been sent to Kia. The dealership was unable to provide me with a loaner car as "they had none available" so I contacted Kia corporate and they are telling me my only option is that I have to come out of pocket for a rental and they will reimburse 40$ per day. I don't think especially since I had to pay for 2 nights in a hotel as I was stranded, a few hundred dollars for a tow that I should have to pay anything as the issue with what happened to my car is the fault of Kia at the time of manufacturing. At this time I have been without a vehicle for 1 week. I was told by the dealership today that they sent all of the required info over to Kia to get word on whether the lifetime extended warranty would pay for my car to be repaired. The previous owner before me did have the KSCS update performed as mandated by Kia. My problem is I am already out almost 1000$ and now they are telling me I have to pay for a rental also, they will not help me except for reimbursement which doesn't even cover half the cost of a rental per day. I am not a rich person and I cannot afford that. Everything I've read and been told indicates that a loaner or rental car is to be provided me especially if it is due to a safety concern/recall issue. I've spoken with several kia representatives and I get nowhere. I am upset.
The Engine locked up while driving down the highway at 60mph. Not possible for inspection vehicle currently broke down at shop. I barely had braking power to stop vehicle. Has been confirmed by Kia dealership. Yes vehicle has been inspected by vehicle manufacturer. Check engine light came on 5 seconds before locking up. Happened [XXX] at [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine is knocking with check engine ligh on. Kia has a recall on my car for metal shaving in the engine during manufacturing process. I took it to Kia dealer but they refused and said they wont cover it because it's a Salvage tile, and I thought Salvage tiles are covered if it's a a safety recall but they said it's not covered because Kia wont pay them for the repairs or the new engine.
We had someone hit our vehicle and our ins co totalled the vehicle instead of repairing it due to the check engine light being on because of this recall
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she smelled smoke in the interior of the vehicle. The air bag and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the knock sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number:Â 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the brakes were making an abnormal noise. There was an abnormal odor of fuel detected. The windshield was fogging up. The engine warning light was illuminated and turned on and off. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 5,500. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after not being drive for a while. The check engine warning was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed with an unknown result. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
Known recall since Sept 2023, but Kia has not provided any dealerships with parts to repair (we have tried multiple dealerships within a 2 hour radius). Only recommendation is to "Park your vehicle outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures until you have the recall performed" which is an unacceptable option for 6 months. Now check engine light is on and still no indication as to when it can be fixed. Kia is not offering a loaner or rental until issue resolved.
There's something going on at the Kia dealership in Wake Forest (Westgate). Per the current recall notice, the lights came on that were highlighted in the notice ( ”MIL” , ABS warning light) so I had my car towed into the dealership. They claimed my car had a bad battery and the problems were not due to the recall situation. I took my car out of there and straight to auto zone, about 200 feet from the dealership. My battery tested fine. Not only this, the lights (check engine, and others) were no longer illuminated and the radio was mysteriously working again. I'm not sure what they did to my car, but they charged me over $200 for a diagnosis. Not only this, they cited several other issues with the vehicle that I nor my master mechanic were aware of. They had my car for several days without so much as a phone call. In addition, while I was waiting for the keys to my car (which took 15 minutes to obtain), I overheard the other gentleman inform a kia owner via phone that her car was not covered under the warranty because she had over 150K miles on the car. I'm so disgusted. This is what happens every time we have to take a car into a dealership. They're full of baloney.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a burning odor in the interior of the vehicle. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed smoke coming from an unknown location. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and the VIN was included, but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was unknown.
Check engine has failed. Glow relay stuck on or knock sensor or engine warranty. I don't know. Kia service will find out what's wrong with my car.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Excessive oil consumption nu/gamma/theta/kappa engines
- Product improvement campaign: engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI1803Y/z)
- Bearing clearance tester (BCT) procedures
- Pitstop: injector harness routing for PI1802Y/z and PI1803Y/z engine replacements
- Engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI1803Y/z)
- Engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI2002Y/z)
- Excessive oil consumption nu/gamma/theta engines
- Partial repair of c-mdps motor, ECU, worm gear and/or steering column housing
Related recalls
Engine
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V‑224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Recall number 18V907000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine
- What is wrong
- Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
- Risk
- Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Recall number 17V224000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2011 Kia Optima check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 2011 Kia Optima?
61 of 594 owner complaints about the 2011 Kia Optima (10%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2013.
How much does it cost to fix check engine light on the 2011 Kia Optima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,100 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2011 Kia Optima?
There are 2 recalls and 69 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2011 Kia Optima
Engine failure 107Headlights 71Knocking 69Stalling 67Fire or smoke 40Loss of power 30Won't start 30Steering noise 27Pulling 23Airbag light 18Jerking 16Oil consumption 12No deployment 9Harsh shifting 9Power steering loss 9Warning lights 9Sudden acceleration 7Hesitation 6Won't shift 6Sunroof shattered 6Grinding brakes 5Key fob 5Steering lock-up 5
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