Recalls (5)
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Kia Optima. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Trunk Emergency Release May Fail/FMVSS 401
- Summary
- 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.
High Pressure Fuel Pipe May Leak
- Summary
- 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.
- Consequence
- 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.
Driver Air Bag may not Fully Inflate
- Summary
- Kia Motors America (Kia) has recalled one 2016 Optima vehicle. In this vehicle, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- The affected vehicle was remedied on January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC143.
Right Front Axle Driveshaft may Fail
- Summary
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 13, 2015, to April 23, 2016 and equipped with a 2.4l engine. The right front axle driveshaft may crack and fail.
- Consequence
- If the driveshaft cracks and separates from the vehicle, it will not be able to move forward. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied upon exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC139.
Air Bag Second Stage may not Inflate Properly
- Summary
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. In these vehicles, a chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's frontal air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating crashes.
- Consequence
- If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC131.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (756)
756 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 756 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 425 | 56.2% |
| Unknown or other | 122 | 16.1% |
| Electrical system | 103 | 13.6% |
| Power train | 73 | 9.7% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 53 | 7% |
| Exterior lighting | 47 | 6.2% |
| Structure | 40 | 5.3% |
| Visibility | 30 | 4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 29 | 3.8% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 24 | 3.2% |
How 2016 compares with other Optima years
Best and worst Optima years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 593 | 5 |
| 2012 | 919 | 5 |
| 2013 | 1,383 | 9 |
| 2014 | 586 | 7 |
| 2015 | 1,009 | 4 |
| 2016 | 756 | 5 |
| 2017 | 256 | 3 |
| 2018 | 232 | 2 |
| 2019 | 210 | 1 |
| 2020 | 148 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2016 Kia Optima 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 36 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $1,850
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 247 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 36 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 35 / 38 / 36 | $1,850 | 247 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 28 / 37 / 31 | $2,150 | 286 |
| 2.4 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 36 / 29 | $2,300 | 308 |
| 2.4 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 / 34 / 28 | $2,400 | 320 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 / 31 / 25 | $2,700 | 360 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 / 31 / 25 | $2,700 | 355 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 Optima for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2016 Kia Optima FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Kia Optima have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns: 23V594000 (latch), 18V907000 (engine), 17V007000 (air bag), 16V705000 (power train), 16V231000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Kia Optima problems?
Owners filed 756 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (425), Unknown or other (122), Electrical system (103) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Kia Optima get?
EPA rates the 2.4 L 4-cyl · Automatic version at 35 city, 38 highway and 36 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2016 Kia Optima get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Kia Optima 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 5 stars rollover (9.8% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 Optima compare with other years?
Among the 2011–2020 Kia Optima model years at least five years old, the 2020 drew the fewest complaints (148) and the 2013 the most (1,383). The 2016 drew 756. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.