The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the contact’s mother’s residence and then to the contact’s residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that a software update had not been completed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided due to a discrepancy. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.
2015 Kia Optima engine complaints
Page 14 of 23: complaints 371 to 400 of 649, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The piston and valve are failing and yes it is available for inspection. My vehicle lost power in the middle of the freeway. I took it to the dealer and they said there was loss of compression in number 3, and there was cylinder scaring which they then said the valve malfunctioning. They then sent my claim to Kia motors and they said they aren’t going to put it under the warranty. There was no warning or any type of message before the incident.
THIS CAR HAVE PROBLEM ENGINE AND KNOCK SENSOR P1326. FUEL PROPUSION.SYSTEM. I LOST DAYS OF WORK ..AND MONEY TOO.I LOST MY JOB Consumer stated vehicle is still in the dealership.
The engine on my 2015 Kia Optima failed as I was entering a freeway at night time. There was no indication that anything was wrong with the car on the dashboard and it had been running fine for about 15 minutes prior to completely shutting off without warning. When my car was taken into the dealership in Carson, CA, it was inspected and I was advised by the technician that this issue was a recalled one. He stated that he had seen this issue in many cars but could not begin to fix it until it was reviewed by their corporate office. Days later, the corporate office advised that they would not cover fixing this recalled issue and had passed the problem on to the extended warranty company. Then, the inspector from the extended warranty marked the engine's inspection as inconclusive. Kia and their extended warranty partner say that we must pay them $1100 to take the engine apart and take pictures of it. Before the engine failure, there were no indicator lights from the car advising there was maintenance required. The oil has been changed on time and frequently throughout ownership and the records were in the glove box for the various inspectors to view. The brakes have been changed regularly and the battery had to be replaced one time within the first year of purchasing this vehicle. Besides that, there had been nothing to indicate something of this magnitude would happen to this vehicle.
I was driving my 2015 optima on 1-5-22 on a 4 lane road going up a hill the car stalled dash lit up like a Christmas tree. Car would not start I was stuck in heavy traffic. I had to have it towed to my house. This vehicle had a recall repair done in 2017 for this same issue. The dealership replaced the engine. I have not taken it to the dealership. Mileage at failure 173,000.Milage at first failure 57,000.
Wife dropped car off to have oil change done at local mechanic shop we have done business with for years on 1/3/21 during her lunch. Wife picked car up after completion of oil change and drove back to her work approximately 1 mile away. Child seat was in the Optima so when I got off work I went and changed cars with her so I could pick up grandchild. When started it had a ticking sound and about 3/4 of a mile later it started shaking and making a loud rattling sound. I drove another 1/4 mile to home and parked it. No check engine light came on. My immediate thought was that the oil plug might have been left out. I checked the oil and it was full. I called mechanic and asked if it had any issues or sound and start up and he responded that it did not. He told me to bring back over and he would look at. He checked oil and it was full. He drained and replaced filter and oil again to see if that might possibly remedy. It did not fix or help issue. We talked and decided to leave it there for him to look into. At 5:31PM he called me back and stated there were several recalls on Kia. We decided for him to not tear into engine in case this was covered. Bought car 3 months ago from a local dealer and engine only has roughly 116K miles. Calling Kia customer service to see if this is covered due to so many engine issues from 2011-2016 models.
The vehicle’s (2015 Kia Optima Hybrid) engine died suddenly in the middle of a busy intersection (I had the green light). It alerted suddenly that the hybrid battery could not charge the engine (first time this type alert has ever come up); the engine made a loud, metallic scraping sound and then died. The car stopped instantly after the sound and my safety, as the only person in the vehicle, was put in danger of getting hit by other vehicles driving through the intersection. I was honked at and had a near miss from the vehicle immediately behind me. The car was towed to a Kia dealer, has been inspected and is in the process of total engine replacement. The vehicle has just under 69,000 miles and has been out of commission at the dealer since November 27, 2021.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was unable to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine had locked up and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle's speed decreased as the RPM's increased with the engine and battery warning lights illuminated. The vehicle lost all power and was pushed to the side of the road as it failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the failure as a starter which was replaced. The vehicle failed to start, and the failure was then diagnosed as a seized engine. The engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who confirmed the engine failure. The contact stated that the dealer informed him that the manufacturer did not approve the repairs for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) as the previous recalls were not completed. The contact stated that he found out about the recall from an Auto Zone employee. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.
Granddaughter driving car, when car starting running erratic. Made it home and I check it and car was knocking and would not run over 30 mph. Engine light was flashing, changed oil myself and found medal particular in oil and filter. Motor is no longer safe to drive. Only has 122,000 miles. Engine was running fine up till this point.
I am writing because my vehicle was a waiting list for months since September 2020 in Mobile, AL at Dean McCrary Kia. I called daily to check the status of my vehicle. I took extended lunch breaks to check on my status of the waiting list. The customer service representatives told me my name remained in the same place for weeks on the waiting list, each time I inquired, due to them having only one technician. The staff was extremely rude. Kia of Mobile would not allow me to leave/park my car on their lot of the Mobile, Alabama location. They stated that I should keep my car at home and when they were ready to repair my vehicle, they would call me. Months went by. No call. In the year 2021, I had my car towed to Kia of Daphne in Daphne, AL. Trevor was the service manager. He was very pleasant and helpful in explaining everything. My car sat on their lot for about a month and a half until it was repaired. I had to pay nearly $6,000 for repair out of pocket. I postponed paying other bills because I thought that I would have my reimbursement check by now. This experience has truly left a mark and nasty taste in my mouth regarding Kia. I need assistance with getting my reimbursement back. I would like to point out that it was not my fault that my car sat on a waiting list for months. It would be still sitting if I have not taken to right precautions. Kia changed their policy several times to avoid refunding customers. Customer service representation keeps telling me of a deadline. This entire situation is causing me to suffer headaches and high blood pressure. I paid a large amount of money. I need my money back to pay other bills. I have been a loyal customer of Kia for a while. This situation is making me feel dishonored as a customer. I have no drama in my life only but this with Kia. Last year, I spoke with the Regional Manager, Billie, thinking that things would move faster. I had been leaving messages for him since November 2020. At first when I reached out to
On November 24th, 2021 I was merging onto a busy expressway when everything on my dashboard started flashing and the car shut down. There was absolutely no warning that the engine had no oil. No smell , no engine knocking sounds, no oil low light, no check engine light prior too it happening. It was towed to the nearest mechanic and they confirmed the engine was locked up. There was absolutely no oil in the reservoir per the mechanic. The oil was changed by Big O Tires on September 4th, 2021 and wasn't due for an oil change until December 4th, 2021. I searched my VIN and realized there was an engine recall on my 2015 KIA OPTIMA. I contacted three different dealerships near me to see who could look at it. I had it towed to the dealership and it was confirmed that the engine was locked up. It was apart of the recall- however KIA consumer affairs' denied replacing my engine for free. They stated that I hadn't had the product improvements completed on the engine since the recall was issued. I was never contacted by anyone from KIA of the recall on the engine. They had an old address on file which is possibly why I never knew. Kia Consumer Affairs said there was absolutely nothing they could do. The rules are very cut and dry- no exceptions. Kia dealership offered to replace my engine for $7,705. I declined.
Car was being driven and out of nowhere engine seized up without my prior warning lights, sounds, or issues. I took it to an independent reputable shop who confirmed the seizure which they admitted was a known problem with these theta Kia engines. Thankfully I was not On a heavily trafficked road so no accidents were caused.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated for several weeks. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and approaching a traffic light, after depressing the brake pedal the vehicle began to stall. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to her residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,115.
The engine failed and started smoking as I was pulling out into traffic. Thankfully I was able to pull to the side of the road to avoid a collision from cars behind me. The car was towed to Kia and the service department confirmed the engine seized and would need to be replaced but Kia will not replace the defective engine even with the class action lawsuits. It has not been 8 months.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 75 MPH, the vehicle made rattling sounds and was shaking and jerking. The contact pulled over and parked the vehicle. The check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was taken to the dealer for weekly oil consumption tests. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle needed carbon to cleanse. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 108,516.
Our car began making noise Wednesday, we took it to mechanic who says there's internal engine knock, and engine may need to be rebuilt or replaced. The issue is consistent with Kia's recent billion-dollar class action settlement, where engines were prone to failure fire. The class action claims window is closed. I don't want money, I just want the car fixed. I cannot afford this repair, nor should I have to for a car with under 60k miles. (Kia says it's not under warranty as we're the 2nd owner) I'm looking for any help or guidance for Kia to honor their obligation to repair dangerous vehicles. Please call or email with any feedback if possible - [XXX], [XXX]. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Incident previously reported by telephone to the federal safety agency agent. On 11/19 while writing report online, [XXX] was accidentally disconnected from Internet at approximately 4:40PM CST. Lengthy comments with details. Can you retrieve? If not and again more briefly, an incident of dangerous unexpected engine shut down and engagement of limp mode occurred on 9/17/21 while [XXX], son, was traveling at 70-75mph in busy traffic on I-43 just north of Milwaukee. Engine eventually restarted but NO check engine light. Oil level okay. Fuel okay. Still precautionary check by [XXX] for possible engine error codes same day immediately after engine failure (limp mode) at Advance Auto in Manitowoc, WI and NO CODES FOUND. Subsequently NO CODES FOUND by dealer on 10/22/21 I have re-uploaded documents indicating Kia Tech Support states "Do not perform any repairs if the concern cannot be duplicated" and also "see if the customer can duplicate it for you." That is absurd and completely irresponsible nonsense! Customer or other driver should drive at high speeds hoping for engine shut-down? Personal injury? Property damage? Death? INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). Consumer stated 2015 Kia Optima engine replacement per Kia lifetime warranty on 2/16/22. Vehicle has been diagnoised.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was in limp mode. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle with the PUSH TO START button however, the vehicle failed to operate. The contact mentioned that there was a waiting period before being able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000. Engine has been replaced. At time of the incident on 9/17/21, no DTC code was registered.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the shoulder of the road after the failure. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The contact was then informed by the dealer that the engine had locked up and needed to be replaced. The dealer contacted the manufacturer and she was informed that since an engine software update was not performed on the vehicle, they would not assist with the repair of the vehicle. The contact spoke directly to the manufacturer and the manufacturer again declined to assist. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was 90,423.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact’s dad stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and had the vehicle towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the starter replaced. The vehicle was repaired but continued to experience failure. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under a recall for the starter. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle came to a complete stop at a stop sign and loss motive power. The contact towed the vehicle to his residence. The contact who works as an independent mechanic, self-diagnosed the failure as the engine seized and was not moving with the crankshaft. There was no metal found in the oil or oil filter. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
There has never been any problems with the vehicle. No clicking no lights . I took it before time for an oil change and tune up. The car just stopped at the red light . I had it towed to Kia. It’s been there now a week shy of 2 months. I have to call for updates no one would call me back. I called kia recall department. A lady told me car has 2 recalls on it but they will NOT FIX IT due the time me no having warranty!
I was driving my car and was hearing a clicking/thumping sound, until I turned left into a street where the motor just started shaking and making a louder noise. I started to press on the brakes because the sound and feeling of the car was very unusual. I came to a complete stop and put my car in park and waited where finally the engine just cut off even though the lights stayed on. I turned my key back to turn of the car and tried to turn it back on but my motor would just shake and my car would not turn on. i stepped outside and noticed there was oil spilling from under my car. I got it towed to a mechanic where they informed me my rod bearing came lose and punctured a hole in my engine. I called the KIA assistance center and said this was due to the recall SC212, but when i called a KIA dealership they said they could not cover the damage. Turns out this issue was part of a product improvement campaign which KIA would update the ECU in my vehicle.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact had initially taken his vehicle to a local dealer to be serviced under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). Upon return of the vehicle, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the alternator was replaced. The independent mechanic also informed him that the battery would charge to full capacity and referred him back to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but the dealer could not find a failure after an inspection. After a few weeks, the contact stated that the failure returned as the ABS warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that while his son was driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled while on the highway. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and had the battery checked by another independent mechanic. The contact’s son was informed that the battery was not linked to the failure. The contact’s wife had called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. The vehicle has been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The VIN was not available. Consumer would like to withdraw the complaint since it has been repaired.
I was driving on the highway going about 55 miles per hour when suddenly the dashboard lights illuminated and car seemed to power down quickly. I barely had time to pull over to the shoulder of the road when the car completely shut down. I could not get the car to start backup and I had to call a towing company to the scene to tow the car to the Kia dealership. My safety and the other occupants safety were put in grave danger, especially driving on a highway where the speed limit is minimum 55 miles per hour. The car dealership confirmed the problem with me, but there is a significant wait time of 2 weeks or more before they can begin performing necessary repairs to the vehicle. Their excuse was an abnormally high number of other Kia Optimas ahead of my vehicle, waiting on parts from Korea, and the warehouse being backup due to the parts shortage. There were no warning lamps or noises prior to the car completely shutting down while driving 55 miles per hour on the highway. It was sudden and caught me off guard and I tried not to panic during the entire dangerous and scary situation. I have been without a replacement vehicle for over two weeks because you cannot get the rental/loaner coverage until the car has been formally diagnosed by a technician. I am paying out-of-pocket until I get the rental car coverage that Kia told me I would qualify for once the car is officially diagnosed and a timeframe is given for estimated date of full repair and pick up of the vehicle.
While traveling on a city street at approximately 40 miles per hour, the engine seized and stalled. After coasting to the shoulder without power, the engine would not restart. Vehicle was towed to local dealership and I was informed it has complete engine failure. Dealership stating Kia corporate refusing to repair vehicle despite multiple complaints of engine failure in this model.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at 15-20 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled and she saw smoke coming out from underneath of the hood of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated she was able to exit the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence, then it was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine had ceased. The dealer informed the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer (Kia of Riverdale 1 Windbeam Rd, Riverdale, NJ 07457). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not provide any assistance due to the fact that the previous owner of the vehicle had not completed the software update of the vehicle. The contact stated the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V331000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately at 40 mph when the vehicle lost motor functionality. The contact was able to pull over and smelled a burning odor coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that they spoke to a local dealer and was advised to not bring the vehicle in for a diagnosis. The manufacturer was informed of failure and told the contact they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 96,127.
Driving on the freeway at 60-65. car started slowing down. bumper to bumper traffic. car stops. KIDS in car. most terrifying moment in life. get towed finally they took to KIA dealer Cleveland Ohio.. engine locked. $4K to repair. KIA would not warranty any of it. 102K miles on engine. frequent oil changes. 2015 was not covered on the recall. This is un acceptable they know its a problem.
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