29 complaints reported

2014 Kia Optima Structure

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
29
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Aug 2025

Paint is peeling off in big chunks down to the metal. On the hood, trunk, and over the doors.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022
Jun 2025

My vehicles paint is chipping off. It’s chipping off on the hood the top of the car and on the trunk some spots have rusted over. As I was looking into a possible repaint, I’ve heard that there has been an issue with this type of color is associated with my vehicle on other Kia Optimus, as well as some Hyundai vehicles. There were no warning lamps associated with this issue. No component or system has failed that related to the vehicle. The safety confirm would be that the rush gets deeper into the vehicle and causes other parts of the vehicle to rush to and messes up with the vehicles operating systems that could cause greater issues in the future with the operation of my vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the Kia dealership, as well as inspected by other paint and body shops.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2025
May 2025

Driving down the road several large pieces of pain flaked off on the driver side door. This is a 2014 Kia Optima with 61,000 miles on it. None of the other questions apply. I am filing this because I see on other forums that both KIA and Hyundai cars with the Snow White Pearl paint have this problem, so it seems to be a failure by the manufacturer.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2025
Nov 2024

White paint is peeling all over the car, in spots as large as 6 inches by 4 inches.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2024
Aug 2024

Pearl white paint is chipping and falling off all over the car. The paint isn't sticking to the factory primer, causing paint chips to fly off while driving. This issue also exposes the unprotected steel to the elements, causing rust and weakening the car body.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Aug 2024

Pearl White Paint is peeling off the car in multiple locations. Several areas are beginning to rust and damage the body The problem is well known online through multiple Kia/Sorrento Owners. We've taken the vehicle to several car painting companies who confirmed the defect. The problem began about 2020.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Apr 2024

My paint is delaminating all over my vehicle and is flying off in large sheets. My car now has metal exposed which is susceptible to rust which poses a risk to the structure of my vehicle and the potential of my windshield flying off as a result. This first started occurring less than 2 years after purchasing my vehicle in 2019. KIA fails to recognize this manufacturer defect and it continues to delaminate at an alarming rate.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2024
Nov 2023

Paint (Pearl White) has been peeling and delaminating for a number of years. Tried working w/Kia directly. Their Customer Care center told us they have a memo stating the known issue with the pearl white paint and told us to send in pictures, get it repaired and send in the bill. We didn't want to do this directly so received an estimate from the body shop. Kia then recanted and said we weren't under warranty. We've seen many other complaints across Kia and Hyundai cars related to this pearl white paint. We just want them to cover repainting. The body shop has 50 photos to include the actual paint thinness measured with digital measurement device.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2023
Nov 2023

paintKIA Kia optima lx SNOW WHITE PAINT PEELING CHIPPING AND DELAMINATION! it started about a few months ago in oct 2023 and now its starting to peel in different places please help this is not fair!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2023
Nov 2023

The pain is delaminating (peeling) throughout the vehicle. The pain color is white pearl, it starts bubbling up then peeling off in large areas.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Oct 2023

I have snow white pearl color car. I noticed that the there is painting peeling off my car. I also had my windshield replaced by safelite and they took a chunk of paint off my car as well and are refusing to pay for damage.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2022
Mar 2023

Paint on vehicle on top of trunk has chipped off like a whole section out of no where.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2023
Dec 2022

Paint started peeling on both sides of front windshield and has gotten worse over the years

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2018
Aug 2022

The White paint is chipping on the hood and roof of the car.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2021
May 2022

The paint on my car is just falling off. I cant even wash my car because its peeling off so easily.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2022
Apr 2022

Pearl white paint has been rapidly chipping. Dealership has refused to do anything.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2022
Feb 2022

Pearl White paint peeling around windshield, paint bubbling and lifting on roof and trunk lid.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2021
Feb 2022

Snow White paint is chipping and peeling on random parts of the car

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2021
Sep 2021

PAINT HAS BEGUN BUBBLING AND PEELING IN SEVERAL AREAS. BODY SHOPS HAVE SAID IT IS DELAMINATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2021
Jul 2021

I noticed that the pain on the hood had a chip in it. About two months or so later there were a few spots where the paint has bubbled and peeled off. Later I noticed the the paint was doing the same along both sides of the windshield and above both doors. The spots are continuing to bubble and peel.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2021
Jun 2021

My car has 80,000 miles and the paint chipping on the bumper, hood, and roof is starting to cause rust on the car body.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2021
Feb 2021

I noticed a small spot of paint chipping one day. Then I was washing my car and noticed a lot of spots chipping. As I started watching them they kept chipping all over from my hood which is the worst to side of doors sides and roof around front window and front and back bumper. I looked online to research it and if anyone had this problem and it seems to be just the white kia that has this problem. I have contacted kia mutable times. I sent pictures of my car and 3 estimates. All I keep doing is getting the run around about what there going to do. It is now getting worse and starting to rust real bad.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2021
Apr 2020

THE ANTENNA FIN SCREWS SHEERED OFF AND PLASTIC SCREW HOLDER BROKE INTO PIECES CAUSING THE FIN TO COME LOOSE AND FALL OFF, EXPOSING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INTERFERENCE WITH THE FIN, I OBSERVED THE FIN SLIGHTLY LIFTED ON THE FRONT END AND IT PULLED RIGHT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARKED POSITION AFTER JUST DRIVING IT 5 MINUTES. THERE IS NO EASY WAY OF FIXING THIS ISSUE, RAIN DAMAGE MAY OCCUR CAUSING ISSUES WITH RADIO AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO THEIR KIA OPTIMA ANTENNA FINS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2020
Oct 2019

2014 KIA OPTIMA SHARK FIN RADIO ANTENNA COVER BROKE OFF AFTER EXITING THE FREEWAY. ALL FIVE SCREW HOLDERS CRACKED INSIDE THE HOUSING, OBVIOUSLY A FAULTY DESIGN. THE 2016 KIA OPTIMA SHARK FIN RADIO ANTENNA WAS RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE IS STORED IN A GARAGE EACH NIGHT AND HAS NEVER SUSTAINED ANY DAMAGED TO THE ROOF AREA. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE PROBLEM HAPPENING TO MANY KIA OPTIMAS, GOD FORBID MY ANTENNA FLEW OFF AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE BEFORE I EXITED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2019
May 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF ALHAMBRA (1247 W MAIN ST, ALHAMBRA, CA 91801, (626) 478-1012) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM A LOOSE LICENSE PLATE IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER UNKNOWN DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Kia Optima has 29 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.