The headlights and brake lights have been VERY dim for a while. I've had to replace both headlights and brake lights an excessive amount in the last several years. This year alone since December 2024, I've had to replace my headlights 3 separate times. I do not drive more than 10,000 miles per year, or use my vehicle on roads that would lead me to believe the issue is from road conditions.
2016 Kia Optima electrical complaints
Page 2 of 5: complaints 11 to 40 of 104, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Window regulator assembly failed twice within 20k miles. Attached is the first repair. Dealership only repaired motor but not full assembly and it failed again.
Complaint Message – 2016 Kia Optima Engine Failure Without Oil Light Warning I am the owner of a 2016 Kia Optima (VIN: [XXX] ). My vehicle suffered complete engine failure due to oil starvation — without any prior oil warning light or indication. The engine died while driving, and it was only afterward that I discovered the engine oil was extremely low. The oil pressure light never illuminated at any point to warn me. I am aware that Kia previously recalled earlier model years (2011–2014) for similar engine issues under Recall SC147 and others, related to the Theta II engine and oil pressure-related failures. Many owners reported the exact same symptom — catastrophic engine failure without oil light warnings — that I am now experiencing in my 2016 Optima. Although my model year is not included in the existing recall, the failure pattern appears identical. I believe this presents a significant safety issue that should be investigated. A critical warning system (oil pressure light) failed to function properly, which directly led to engine damage. I am requesting that this issue be reviewed and investigated by the federal safety agency and Kia for potential expansion of the recall or warranty coverage to include the 2016 Optima. I have already contacted Kia and am pursuing further review through the dealership and customer support. Please note that other 2016 Optima owners have reported similar complaints online and in forums, and this issue may affect a broader number of vehicles than currently acknowledged. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 56,276. and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 114,000.
1) Rear passenger window failed a couple months ago. I believe it was regulator, not 100% sure. Cost me a couple hundred to fix. Now, few months later, the driver side rear window has failed. I rarely use the windows so I believe the failing parts are Kia known manufacturing defect. The dealer acknowledged that it’s a known problem with the vehicles like mine and even suggested the other one is going to fail soon. Now it has. If the dealership is aware then it’s likely a Kia flaw. If it’s a know manufacturing flaw, shouldn’t Kia should be fixing them instead of making customers spend upwards of $1k+ to fix both windows? 2) cruise control cuts off or doesn’t set and menus won’t go back to speedometer. While trying to set cruise control, it gets into the menu and won’t go back to the speedometer. Sometimes I have to pull over and stop to get the cruise control to work again. It gets stuck in the menu and can’t see the speedometer. Might get stuck on the trip screen, or the range. This has been happening since about 75k miles. It also doesn’t work with the pedal to set sometimes. Messing with it while driving can be a real hazard and sometimes I need to have cruise control to work. It’s deforming more than just inconvenient
Several safety-critical systems failed on this vehicle. The engine (Theta II 2.4L GDI) failed due to rod bearing wear, causing sudden power loss on the highway. The vehicle entered limp mode, once at 50 mph in 2018 and again at 70 mph in 2025, and had to be pulled over quickly to avoid collision. Additional issues: all four windows failed at different times, leaving them stuck open and creating safety risks in weather or emergencies. The trunk latch failed, causing unsecured cargo risk. ABS, TPMS, and traction control warning lights illuminated repeatedly, indicating possible loss of critical safety systems. A loose wiring harness caused the turn signal bulb to burn out repeatedly, reducing visibility and signaling. The dealership performed the KSDS software update after I reported engine trouble but did not resolve the issue. The engine soon failed completely while driving. Other issues, such as the fuse box blowing fuses from a standard USB charger have also been documented by a Kia dealership but not always fully repaired. The most recent engine failure and electrical defects are being inspected by a Kia dealership, and Kia Consumer Affairs is reviewing the warranty claim. Prior to the engine failure, I smelled burning oil and topped it off monthly due to excessive consumption. The oil level light and check engine light only appeared during limp mode right before the failure. These repeated safety-critical defects, particularly sudden engine failure at highway speed, created a significant safety hazard for myself and others on the road. At the time of this report, I am in the process of seeking warranty coverage for the catastrophic engine failure through Kia. The failure behavior (limp mode, flashing check engine light, and rod knock) is consistent with the safety defect described in the Theta II engine settlement. I am concerned that despite this being a known issue, there may be delays or denials in honoring the safety-related warranty repair.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving in inclement weather on several occasions, all four windows of the vehicle became intermittently inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
3 of windows do not roll up.
A month in after purchasing the check engine light came on. My car did not want to accelerate, started shaking and having jerking movement while driving on the freeway with my newborn and 3 other children in the car with me. Got stranded 3 hours away from home. Car has been in the shop going on 30 days. Spark plugs changed, coolant thermostat changed and now the engine was reported that it has failed. Still in the shop currently.
All 4 of the window regulator motors blew in my windows at the same time, only about 9 years into the vehicle's life. The little plastic pulleys that move the cables degrade over time and then ruin the rest of the window motor when they break, and since they decided not to make this an easily repairable part it requires the entire window regulator assembly which is half of the door to be replaced, not just this plastic part. I had to replace all 4 of them out of my own money, KIA REFUSED to replace something that is completely 100% their fault and it cost me over $3,500 to repair all four windows that went out pretty much at the same time. It's insane silly that anyone's windows can just break at anytime and be stuck in the down position. I can't just put up trash bags and then not be able to see a thing while I wait to get it fixed if it happens again. I was lucky enough to be in a position to get it looked at quickly, but it is absolutely insane that KIA would refuse to cover such a defect. There is already a class-action lawsuit over this I believe but they haven't even attempted to remedy the situation. Not everyone has time to wait for a lawsuit to settle. There should absolutely be some kind of recall/extended warranty on their windows. My engine blew at 57,400 miles only a few months later which is separate and was replaced but it's just insane that I was promised a car but got a piece of trash that consistently breaks while all I can get is a replacement engine with the same exact problem and no confirmation that the same thing won't just happen again while they continue to use the same defective engine over 10 model years. I want them to fix their issues not slap a band-aid over them and hope for the best. This company has been knowingly selling cars built to end up in a landfill within 10 years and they don't care.
Vehicle went into emergency mode while in the highway system completely locked could not drive lost power and was forced to pull over and have vehicle towed, mechanic took a look indicated new alternator was required there for we purchased new alternator and new battery car turned on and same issue happened with in 20 minutes of test driving vehicle, this happened twice and could have cost our life’s! I am extremely disappointed and frustrated I have no means to fix the vehicle we used out saving to finally replace what we though was the issue but I’ve come across many same issues from other parties who experienced the same issue. The vehicle is paid off and we need assistance in fixing this issue it appears the engine or electrical issue at this point but I am scared to get on the road we have tried charging it back on but steering wheels locks up and dies a few minutes after please help
The front and rear windows come down unexpectedly. The power controls do not control the windows. This is especially dangerous when younger children are riding in the car and can reach their hands out the windows because the windows just come down. I have to manually lift my windows up
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the front driver’s and passenger’s side windows and the rear driver’s side and passenger’s side windows were inoperable and would not open or close. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the window regulators for each window had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failure. The contact also stated that the exterior door handles on the front and rear passenger’s side doors had fractured. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 85,000.
I purchased a 2016 KIA Optima from eCars in Wichita Ks in November of 2022. The car had no major issues until the Optima was stolen this last March. I recovered the car quickly but it was damaged. Had ignition pulled out steering column broken, window broken and lots of cosmetic damage. Was towed twice and in the shop twice. All has been fixed with auto insurance funds. I am part of the KIA theft settlement and waiting for funds to be dispersed. Second part of my issue is that on 07/22/24 the check engine light came on while I was driving to work. It was blinking which indicates a serious engine issue. I turned around and went home and parked it. I started researching KIA engine issues and found that my car is also eligible for the KIA Theta II engine class action settlement but the submission deadline was 12/07/23. Since I was not the original owner, I was never notified of this class action settlement so could not submit a claim. I contacted Midwest KIA in Wichita KS to see about their "Buy Back program" I found online that KIA will sometimes buy certain vehicles back due to quality or safety issues. They want me to drive the car over 30 miles from my house to their lot so they can see the car in person, which I am not comfortable with. My question is what kind of legal recourse do I have with KIA? Am I still covered under Kansas Lemon Law? I still owe over $15k on the Optima. I ended up buying a new car on Saturday from Rusty Eck Ford but didn't trade the Optima in because they told me it had a salvage title, which I wasn't aware of when I bought it. It caught on fire apparently. All the damage was fixed, which could have been covered under the settlement as a qualifying fire.
My vehicle has been having engine & electrical issues, I originally took the vehicle to a secondary mechanic after Kia Baltimore stated it would be a couple months before they could diagnose the issue. The secondary mechanic was changed spark plugs, and other fixes but advised the vehicle engine was still shutting down and he believe it was related to the Kia engine recall issues. Thereafter, I had the vehicle towed to Kia Towson on 5/22/23..they have had the vehicle ever since I call daily, leave messages with managers, and essentially pay car insurance and car note, and use ride share services while getting no response about my vehicle. The rental manager at the dealership doesn't return my calls, no one. This is unacceptable.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that on four occasions while the vehicle was parked and the window switches were depressed on all the windows, the windows failed to roll up or roll down as intended. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the driver's side window regulator had become dismantled, allowing the glass to move up and down. The contact was informed that the window regulator and panel assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired each time. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, there was a loud knocking sound coming from the engine, with the check engine, oil, and battery warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed that all four windows failed to function properly and failed to roll up. The dealer was contacted; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacture was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
our ac keeps blowing relays. every month. and they other day we have to force power bank to the blower motor just to get it to work. half the inside and sometimes the even the outside lights works.
The Hybrid Battery continues to malfunction and, randomly shuts down at any speed (even after short engine block was "repaired" by Kia Dealership). Also, an odor of burnt oil happens often while driving the car. It is available for inspection, if need be. Safety of all drivers at risk because car shuts down on freeways and highways. It's dangerous where cars driving at speeds of 65 mph are unable to break and avoid collision. Kia calls their RECALLS "CAMPAIGNS". The Kia dealer has acknowledged this problem and has performed maintenance, however the problem still persists. I have the recent receipt of service/ maintenance on my 2016 Kia Optima Hybrid on hand. The first time it happened was on September 25, 2021. There were no warning lights or messages, the car simply shut down and had no power and was not drivable. I took it to a hybrid mechanic who ran a diagnostic test. The hybrid mechanic repaired my car. 6 months later, while I was driving my car seized on me while I was driving on the freeway going 65 miles an hour. This time a warning on my dashboard showed that there was a problem with the hybrid control system on the car. We took it to a Kia dealership and they performed a diagnostic test and said that I needed a new short engine block and hybrid battery replacement. (I have the receipts for the maintenance performed by Kia Dealership) It took 3 months for The Kia dealership to rebuild the engine block and replace the Hybrid battery. On March 7, 2024, my 2016 Kia optimal hybrid seized on me while I was driving 40 miles an hour. The message/ warning now says "Battery Management System Failure" "Possible BMS Condition." "Check Hybrid System". Kia does not acknowledge that there is a problem with the hybrid system in the Kia Optima hybrids. I've called and tried to file a complaint, however they tell me there are no problems with the Kia Optima hybrids. Please investigate. Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.
The engine almost caught on fire. Windows are all down .
Engine failure; oil consumption, misfire, smoking, losing sped, no acceleration. Problem has been diagnosed by 3 mechanics in a mechanic shop. Only warning was the check engine light
The high voltage battery and the ability to drive or turn on completely
Heavy oil consumption , unintended acceleration , car jerks . Back window occasionally won’t roll down .
Since 08/07/21 I’ve been having intermittent issues with my oil light and engine light coming on. I have had all repairs recommended by the Mark KIA Scottsdale, AZ dealership yet my oil consumption has increased significantly and the oil light continues to come on: On 02/14/24 I took my car to a local auto repair shop to get a second opinion due to the oil light coming off and on; they found the engine oil very low and only 1 quart came out when doing the oil change; they also recommended injection induction service which I’ve had done twice previously with the KIA dealership
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she became aware that the driver's side window was not functioning. After which, all the windows in the vehicle failed to operate as needed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with all four window regulators. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
My Kia Optima randomly stops working while driving. I get a notice that says, "HEV: Check Hybrid System. Stop Vehicle and Turn Off Engine." Also the gas pedal stops working, leaving me to try to coast to safety. The car essentially stops working in the middle of driving, without warning. Once this happened and blew out the spark plug, requiring a new one. Then, a day or two later, the car returns to normal. The Kia dealership could not reproduce the problem, nor could my service center. They say it's fine. I took my car in for previous recalls, and it is currently "up to date." This appears to be the same electrical issue as a recent recall for electrical failure, but the dealership told me the spark plug was fine and that I should change the battery. I did and this still happened. I do not feel safe driving this car, and Kia won't help me find the problem.
We have had two motor replacements in less than 6 months that we have owned this vehicle for the first one started started a knocking noise right after a flashing check engine light both Kia is by us totus will we can't get it in today wouldn't give us a rental and was going to charge us for a diagnostics fee right up front and told us it would still be a few days before they could get it in so we had no choice but to continue driving it not even 2 days later left my fiance on the side of the road wouldn't start wouldn't do nothing engine seized Kia dealer number one put the motor put it back together wrong and then when it seized again in less than 5,000 mi try telling us that they weren't responsible well if we did the engine again give it back to us notice that the ignition coils were not put on properly and orbital down properly You're still an electrical issue and the engines are starting to do the engine is starting to do the same as engine one and two. What I don't understand is why don't Kia just completely recall the entire car and take it off to fucking market and replace the people replace the cars that have that still have people owning them
The body shop later informed me that there is a recall for engine fire recently,but my year/make is not listedin the info obtained online. The car started stalling while driving down the off. Smoke started coming through the vents. I pulled over to the side of the highway. A passerby told me that the car was on fire. Called 911. To note I had just picked the car up from Jim marsh Kia for battery replacement and problems with steering after the car was stolen in July. I had no previous issues with my car other than routine maintenance which I have records for.
At 95000 car had problem accelerating and then all of a sudden on the side of the road did that 2 had 2 engine rebuilds done no but the problem is still there and the fuses all look burnt and half my lights don't work.
The engine was has blown twice the first day 95000 miles and again at under 6000 miles. And there is still a bad knock and major vibration and ticking noise coming from the car. We told the car we no longer have faith in this car and didn't want it no more and all he did was see if he could get us another loan to trade it in. We're now scared to really ride in to and can't get no one to help us on this my man is about to lose his job over this car
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