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2020 Kia Optima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Kia Optima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 186.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 27 of 145 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 98 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

145 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 11, 2026
Unknown Or Other

My transmission failed the week I got it it was inspected by the dealership and I was told that they could not do anything about it I’ve been calling them for a whole year I’ve made notes and complaints I’ve contacted my lender they contacted the dealership to trade me in a new car and was told no I have been out of thousands of…

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My transmission failed the week I got it it was inspected by the dealership and I was told that they could not do anything about it I’ve been calling them for a whole year I’ve made notes and complaints I’ve contacted my lender they contacted the dealership to trade me in a new car and was told no I have been out of thousands of dollars paying every month I’ve been ubering I’ve been late to work this is costing me money and my job is on the line

NHTSA ODI #11743522

Mileage unknown · May 27, 2026
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

I was driving on the freeway and my check engine light started to flicker and I felt my car shake and going to limp mode. I made an appointment with the Kia dealership and they told me the engine is failing. They submitted a request for a Goodwill case to Kia corporation and it was denied since there’s no open recalls and is not…

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I was driving on the freeway and my check engine light started to flicker and I felt my car shake and going to limp mode. I made an appointment with the Kia dealership and they told me the engine is failing. They submitted a request for a Goodwill case to Kia corporation and it was denied since there’s no open recalls and is not covered by the extended warranty. the dealership recommended me to take my car and keep driving it even though it’s unsafe the vehicle will not go above 50 mph and it starts to shake when driving I have tried to call Kia corporate and explain this situation but they have yet to follow up with me in my case

NHTSA ODI #11740375

Mileage unknown · May 11, 2026
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

Car is consuming oil every three weeks. Engine is going to burn if it does not stop. It’s not in a class action but probably should be. It’s been 4 months and over 1,000 spent.

NHTSA ODI #11737059

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2026
Engine

Out of town July 12th 2025 my 2020 Kia Optima engine started having problems. I tried to get to my hotel but it was obvious I was not going to make it. I pulled into the nearest station and was told my car had no oil. There were no signs of leaking oil and no warning lights so they changed my oil and I was able to made it hom…

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Out of town July 12th 2025 my 2020 Kia Optima engine started having problems. I tried to get to my hotel but it was obvious I was not going to make it. I pulled into the nearest station and was told my car had no oil. There were no signs of leaking oil and no warning lights so they changed my oil and I was able to made it home. Shortly after I broke down again at night and pulled into a parking lot again no warning and no oil. I had to call someone to get oil and from that point on I had to put oil in my cart every other day with no signs of a leaks and no warning lights. It has become to dangerous to drive and the engine has now failed and knocking and shaking has caused me to park my car and not drive it. I am deeply concerned about the risk of catastrophic engine failure and the potential for fire, which has been documented in similar cases. Despite having the Knock Sensor Detection System installed, my vehicle continues to exhibit these dangerous symptoms. I sought assistance from Landers Crain dealership and KIA; however, they declined to properly evaluate or service my vehicle along with KIA declining according to the KIA Regional Manager. This lack of support has left me with an unsafe, undrivable car and no clear path toward resolution. The Center for Auto Safety Key Affected Vehicles (2.4L GDI) Kia Optima 2011–2018 (some 2019) exact same engine in 2020 Optima Kia Sorento 2012–2019 Kia Sportage 2011–2018 (some 2019) Details of the Recall and Settlement The Problem Manufacturing debris and tight tolerances can cause connecting rod bearings to fail, causing knocking, seizure, and potential engine fires. The Fix Dealers will update the software with a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) to detect rod bearing issues before failure. My Optima has the KSDS installed but failed. Warranty Extension As part of a class action settlement, Kia extended the warranty on these engines to 15 years or 150,000 miles, provided the KSDS update is installed.

NHTSA ODI #11736366

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2026
EngineFuel/propulsion System

My vehicle burns oil too quickly. I schedule my regular oil change based on the feedback from the auto repair shop. During my last oil change he said I practically had no oil left, but it has been less than 5,000 miles since my previous oil change. The tech informed me he's seen this happen a lot within Kia's including the optim…

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My vehicle burns oil too quickly. I schedule my regular oil change based on the feedback from the auto repair shop. During my last oil change he said I practically had no oil left, but it has been less than 5,000 miles since my previous oil change. The tech informed me he's seen this happen a lot within Kia's including the optima that I currently drive. Fast forward a few months i noticed my oil light illuminate for a moment and immediately turn off. I still want to get it checked out just in case so i brought it back to the same shop. They informed me my oil was very low even though, but I still have another 1,500 miles before my next due oil change. He looked around and confirmed there were no leaks or damage that would affect the consumption rate. He highly recommended me look to see if there were any recalls on my specific model of vehicle that would warrant both an explanation and reason for replacement. In the meantime he topped off my oil and i was all good to go.

NHTSA ODI #11733038

69,751 miles · Apr 20, 2026
Engine

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, and while the vehicle was parked, there was a loud banging sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The RPM failed to operate as intended while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independe…

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The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, and while the vehicle was parked, there was a loud banging sound coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The RPM failed to operate as intended while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that there were metal shavings inside the engine, causing engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic referred the contact to a dealer for additional assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,751.

NHTSA ODI #11732390

Mileage unknown · Apr 6, 2026
Engine

The rod barring failed in my engine. I broke down in the middle of the parkway with my daughter. This is my third Kia optima that has had this issue but the dealership is stating there is not a recall on this model. The check engine light did not come on except when the car lost all power.

NHTSA ODI #11729509

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2026
EnginePower Train

My engine has failed. This is the second car I’ve had from Kia that the rod barring has failed.

NHTSA ODI #11728508

Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2026
Engine

My car burns oil. I had to have my spark.plugs and engine coils replaced. I was driving and my check engine light came on. Also, my car was sputtering like you wouldnt believe. When i had the spark plugs and ignition coils replaced, the spark plugs were covered in oil. Last year, I got an oil change and within a few weeks the oi…

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My car burns oil. I had to have my spark.plugs and engine coils replaced. I was driving and my check engine light came on. Also, my car was sputtering like you wouldnt believe. When i had the spark plugs and ignition coils replaced, the spark plugs were covered in oil. Last year, I got an oil change and within a few weeks the oil was empty. A neighbor told me my car was burning oil. I also took it to an independent mechanic and he said that was an issue with the kia optima.

NHTSA ODI #11726778

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2026
Unknown Or Other

It either has issues shifting gears like its stuck or the transmission may be slipping, it's had this issue since I bought the car. However I wasn't aware until my uncle drove the car and said something might be wrong.. I have no idea what's causing it. It shudders when I make turn or speed up to pass. Not all of the time but at…

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It either has issues shifting gears like its stuck or the transmission may be slipping, it's had this issue since I bought the car. However I wasn't aware until my uncle drove the car and said something might be wrong.. I have no idea what's causing it. It shudders when I make turn or speed up to pass. Not all of the time but at least twice per my normal trip

NHTSA ODI #11723595

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing.  There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.