2017 Kia Optima

Component: LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH

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."

Consequence: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: 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.

Full recall detail →

Engine issues started the third month after sales. Jerking, shaking, declining performance, metal clicking noise, loss of power while driving. Kia has been working on the car for a year.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 67 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of drive power, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The check engine and HEV warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The contact entered the vehicle settings, and the ECU message was displayed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred three times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

“My vehicle, a 2017 Kia Optima, had repeated safety issues documented in service records. Despite multiple repair attempts (per attached records), the problem remained unresolved and put my safety at risk. I’m seeking further investigation or resolution.”

My fiancée and I just recently bought this car with the 1.6T-GDi engine I immediately replaced the oil even though the dealership said that he just replaced it. I put 7 quarts of oil topping off from awk consumption after I initially changed the oil filter. Those 7 quarts were added over the period of three weeks and it’s just progressively gotten worse. I’m putting a quart to 1.5 quarts of oil in here every other day. Worried about it causing total failure & being at risk of being stranded with 2 kids due to the only engine I’ve been able to find that Kia doesn’t have any recall touched base on is the GAMMA 1.6 engine. The turbo GAMMA 1.6. The N/a 1.6 was covered but it has ungodly pop/clunking backfiring sound coming from either intake manifold or valve train please help. Times are hard enough as it is to be without a vehicle due to a fault other than none of my own the dealership extended powertrain warranty isn’t being honored by Kia even though they said it would just don’t want something to happen to me or the car that’s beyond my capabilities and knowledge and ultimately result in my spouse not having a reliable and/or safe means of transportation to/from work and commuting kids as well. Thanks in advance

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The vehicle is consuming excessive amounts of oil. The dipstick was completely dry before 5000 miles were up. I had to add some oil to the engine to avoid engine failure. I have reported this to Jim Ellis dealership in Kennesaw GA but I was told to drive the vehicle until it knocks or the knock sensor goes.

The engine in my 2017 Kia Optima (VIN: [XXX] ) seized and locked up, a known defect associated with Kia’s Theta II 2.4L GDI engines. When I contacted Kia regarding engine replacement, I was told coverage would not apply because a required KSDS ECU update recall was not completed. During multiple phone calls with Kia Customer Care, Kia admitted that they did not have my contact information on file and added it during my call. Because Kia did not have my information, I never received any recall notification and was denied the opportunity to comply with the KSDS update. Kia has also provided conflicting information regarding whether recalls were open on my VIN while still relying on recall completion status to deny coverage. I believe Kia failed to properly notify me of a safety recall and is unfairly denying coverage for a known engine defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Kia Engine Settlement-Kia America and Grand Forks KIA dealership is refusing a mandatory diagnostic test for excessive oil consumption under the Kia Theta II Engine Class Settlement, despite the vehicle having the required KSDS software update installed. The vehicle is consuming 1 quart of oil every 1000 miles, requiring constant topping off to prevent engine seizure. Vehicle was brought to Kia Grand Forks on 7/21/25 was told that the valve gasket needed to be changed. Engine light illuminated 10/2025 and car was unable to make it back to dealership from 58369. Vehicle was brought to local mechanic where I was told that the has failed and that the spark plugs had oil on them. Mechanic changed the spark plugs to make it to Grand Forks Kia on 10/14/25 I was told that the Turbo needed to be replaced for $3300 before they can do an oil consumption test. There were no issues with the turbo before it was driven to Grand Forks on 10/14/25. Kia America refuses to cover the engine warranty which will lead to "sudden engine stall, loss of power, or vehicle fire," which are primary safety concerns monitored by NHTSA.

The contact called on behalf of her daughter who owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound, the cruise control was inoperative, the infotainment screen darkened, and the charging outlet was inoperative. The Check Engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the contact's residence, and the contact used a vehicle scanner to scan the vehicle. The contact stated that DTC: P1326 for the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) was found, which detected excessive engine vibration. A dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. No further information was available. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

Vehicle experiences sudden and dangerous loss of power while driving, including hesitation during acceleration, consistent with connecting-rod bearing failure risk known in this model’s GDI engine. Dealer estimate found timing and oil-flow component failures connected to internal engine damage. Vehicle is unsafe to drive and stalls/lacks power unexpectedly, creating a high risk of crash.”

I own a 2017 Kia Optima with a major internal engine defect. Starting shortly after purchase, the car lost power and consumed fuel unusually quickly. Over time, the engine began burning excessive oil and now produces a loud knocking sound (bearing knock), indicating internal bearing failure. These symptoms are consistent with known Kia engine defects (bearing wear / piston ring failure). The defect is a serious safety concern: because of weak bearings and high oil consumption, the engine could stall, seize, or catch fire. The dealership has refused to repair or replace the engine. I am reporting this as a safety defect and request NHTSA investigation.

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that upon routine maintenance with a local independent mechanic, it was discovered that the vehicle had low engine oil. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was determined that an oil consumption test was needed to determine any failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that engine oil was added almost every 2 weeks. The message to "Contact the Dealer" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to Team Kia of El Cajon (541 N Johnson Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020), where it was determined that there was engine oil leaking onto the catalytic converter. The contact related the failure to a Kia recall related to a connecting rod bearing failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,400.

I purchased the 2017 Optima Hybrid from Huntington Beach Hyundai on [XXX]. I made sure to double check with the dealer if the engine and hybrid battery were in good condition, in which the salesman reassured me everything is good. The car was driving okay for a while, and I had oil change and tires/alignment changed recently. Just barely 4 months in after I owned the car, the incident happened on the night of [XXX]. I was driving on the highway near the Getty going roughly 70 mph up the mountain roads while all of a sudden the "check hybrid system" warning came on in the car. The car immediately went into limp mode, and I did everything I could to slow the car to a complete stop, and stop on the freeway shoulder safely. It was a traumatizing experience to me, as this is a major safety issue with the vehicle, and other cars were travelling really fast in LA mountain areas. I had the car towed to a auto repair shop the next day, the mechanics did a deep inspection and informed me the hybrid inverter has failed. I paid $2,177 to replace the hybrid inverter with the mechanic. The mechanic also informed me while they were test driving they heard a knocking sound from the engine. I did a look up and found out there is a class settlement and safety campaigns on the engine for 2017 Optima Hybrid due to the faulty factory rod bearings, and the 150K miles extended warranty from Kia should apply to replace my faulty engine free of charge. I will be getting my car towed to Car Pros Kia in Huntington Beach on October 15th, 2025, and request the dealer to replace my engine per Kia's extended warranty. I am filing the complaint because the car is having problems after problems in barely 4 months of ownership, in which I believe I have purchased a lemon, or Huntington Beach Hyundai knowingly hid the facts the components were faulty. I have also filed a case with Kia corporate. Attached is the repair invoice for the hybrid inverter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)