14 complaints reported

2018 Kia Optima UNKNOWN OR OTHER

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

Reports
14
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2025

Trunk latch broke leaving it impossible for someone in the trunk to get out and very difficult for someone on the outside to open the trunk

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2025
Mar 2025

Paint on all four door handles are bubbling and chipping. I rarely use the backseat handles and passenger door, which makes it more likely to be a malfunction in whatever paint was used for the handles. There is no fading, chipping, or bubbling on other parts of my car.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2025
Jun 2024

Sudden loss of acceleration at freeway speed. Unable to start after incident. Unknown cause. Shop unable to diagnose.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2024
Dec 2023

When we drive the car it hesitates as if it’s going to cut off and it keep burning oil. We have to put in at least 2-3 quarts in per week.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2023
Jun 2023

Trunk latch is broken. Car doesn’t alert that trunk is open.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2023
Aug 2022

My car was stolen

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

Hello, My Kia was stolen lastnight. The criminals apparently the “KIA BOYS” took my car, it wasn’t until after I spoke with my daughter she expressed to me that she saw a video on social media about Kia’s and another car, being stolen excessively. So after doing my research I was sent to this page to share my story. I am sure Kia is aware of the situation, so much so to where they are/have made a change in their 2022 model. But those of use who have a Kia model that is not a 2022, we are screwed. I make monthly payments on a vehicle engineered by adults, but what I’ve just found out is the criminals are mainly middle school age children who takes the cars for a joy ride. It is hard to process this oversight by Kia, I love my car, I’ve had 2 Kias. But this will be my last. Especially if they (Kia) doesn’t own this oversight. To have my car stolen hurts, I didn’t leave the key in, nor the door unlocked. I parked my car, activated my alarm, only to wake up and my car gone. I see there is a lawsuit in a state (I forgot the state) against Kia. I hope and pray the state of Georgia can start one as well. My car wasn’t the only Kia, taken lastnight. There were 3-4 others taken from this complex.

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

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2018 KIA OPTIMA EX.ALL THE WINDOWS EXIBIT DISTORTION SO BAD ,AS TO INTERFERE WITH LINE OF SITE FROM THE DRIVER SEAT.THERE ARE RIPPLES IN THE GLASS FRONT REAR AND SIDES. AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY COULD BUFF THEM OUT,I MADE A BET WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER HE COULD NOT AS THE PROBLEM WAS BETWEEN THE PLATES OF GLASS.THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELDAND HE SAID HE WOULD REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW.BUT THAT WAS SERVERAL MONTHS AGO.I CAN NOT SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW AT NITE.IF IT RAINS ALL VISIBILITY IS SCARY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2021
Apr 2022

I got out of my car to talk to someone and my car was running With my purse and phone in the car and the trunk open.i was meeting someone to buy a vacuume from Facebook marketplace. I decided to put the vacuum in the back seat instead so closed the trunk. When I went to open the door all the doors were locked. I was locked out in the rain for an hour. The person I bought the vacuum from called kia and they sent someone out to unlock my car. Several people have said the car is supposed to recognize that the key is inside the car and not lock it. And that this is an issue. I do know it has only started doing this recently because I live 8n the country and never lock my car in my garage. And recently I have noticed it is licking itself now every time I get out. So I have been leaving the windows down at home but it was raining today when I got out and I didn't think about or remember that it is locking itself .... Also I have never gotten out of the car to get something with it running and the windows closed since this issue came up.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2022
Nov 2021

While driving at highway speed my children (11, 7, & 5) and I were almost rear-ended when my Kia Optima 2018 (79k) without ANY warning loses power, jerks and then regains power. A number of vehicles behind us had slam on their brakes to avoid a pileup. My Optima almost resembled the feeling when a vehicle runs out of gas but much more abrupt. The drink my son was holding was thrown out of hand due the vehicle jerking to an almost stop and jerking back to power. No warning light, battery & alternator both test good and tank was half full. Two days pass and the same system fail while driving with the same similarities (no warning lights). My Optima is no longer under warranty and I have no financial resources for repairs.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2021
Jan 2021

BOTH OF MY BACK DOOR SENSATORS ARE SAYING THE BACK DOORS ARE OPEN BUT THEY'RE LOCKED

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Sep 2020

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT THE LIGHTS WILL CUT COMPLETELY OFF. YOU HAVE TO SWITCH FROM AUTO TO THE ON POISTION. ITS A VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2020
Feb 2020

FIRST OFF MY CAR IS FINE. AGAIN MY CAR IS FINE NO COMPLAINTS. NHTSA HAS MISS IDENTIFIED MY 2018 OPTIMA LX WITH 2.4L ENGINE HYBRID. NHTSA WITH THIS SCREW UP HAS OHIO BMV THINKING MY CAR IS HYBRID AND WANTS AN EXTRA $100 DOLLARS AS A FEE FOR LICENSE BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS ELECTRIC. OHIO BMV OR APPARENTLY NHTSA DOSE NOT HAVE A PROCESS TO FIX THE PROBLEM OR FIGURE OUT MY CAR IS GASOLINE ONLY. OHIO BMV WILL WILL ONLY GO ON WHAT NHTSA WEB SITE SAYS. IT APPARENTLY SAYS MY CAR COULD BE A HYBRID. AS I SAY NO PROBLEM WITH CAR BUT NHTSA HAS MISS CODED WHAT MY CAR IS. HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY HELP FROM KIA YET.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2020
Nov 2018

THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY. THERE IS NO EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE EXCEPT FROM INSIDE OF THE TRUNK. MY KEYS WERE STUCK INSIDE THE TRUNK THERE IS NO WAY TO OPEN IT. THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON FROM THE DRIVER SIDE DID NOT RESPOND. THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON FROM THE TRUNK ITSELF DOES NOT RESPOND. THE REAR SEATS CANNOT FOLD FROM THE INSIDE EITHER, BECAUSE IT CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED FROM THE TRUNK

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

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Kia Optima has 14 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.