YearToAvoid

2009 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

27/100

#12 most-complained of 16 Optima years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2009 Kia Optima has 116 owner complaints and 1 safety recall on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 27 out of 100 — #12 highest of 16 Optima model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (33 complaints, 28% of the total). Complaints report 5 crashes, 4 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 death.

Complaints
116
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
5 / 4
Injuries / deaths
5 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
25
22 city / 32 hwy

Top 2009 Kia Optima problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain33 (28%)
  2. Airbags28 (24%)
  3. Engine27 (23%)
  4. Brakes24 (21%)
  5. Electrical System23 (20%)
  6. Steering7 (6%)
  7. Structure & Body4 (3%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (3%)
  9. Other3 (3%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers2 (2%)
2009 Kia Optima complaints: complaints filed per quarter142009 Q32011 Q12012 Q42014 Q32016 Q12017 Q32019 Q32023 Q4
157 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q3 to 2024 Q4; peak 2014 Q3 (14).

2009 Kia Optima recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

2009 Kia Optima fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22 MPG
Highway
32 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2009 compared with other Optima years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007Best20167225
2008Good47144325
2009Good27116125
2010Best1375125
2011Caution73593527

All Kia Optima years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Kia Optima a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Kia Optima ranks #12 of 16 among Optima model years (Complaint Index 27/100, verdict: Good). It has 116 complaints and 1 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Kia Optima?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (33 complaints), airbags (28 complaints), and engine (27 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 64,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Kia Optima have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2009 Kia Optima, most recently reported 2013, covering electrical system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2009 Kia Optima?
EPA rates the 2009 Kia Optima at 25 MPG combined (22 city / 32 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.