2010 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
0/100
#11 most-complained of 11 Optima years
The 2010 Kia Optima ranks best among 11 model years, with a Complaint Index of 0 and 75 complaints logged with NHTSA. It carries just 1 recall, making it the strongest year for this model based on owner complaints and recalls.
- Complaints
- 75
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 7 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 25
- 22 city / 32 hwy
Top 2010 Kia Optima problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain24 (32%)
- Airbags17 (23%)
- Engine16 (21%)
- Electrical System14 (19%)
- Other6 (8%)
- Brakes5 (7%)
- Structure & Body5 (7%)
- Seat Belts2 (3%)
- Steering2 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (3%)
What owners report
- Some drivers report the gear shift locking up in park, preventing the key from being removed from the ignition.
- A few owners describe sudden unintended forward surges without pressing the accelerator, leading to collisions.
- Multiple owners report that airbags failed to deploy during rear-end and rollover crashes, even with significant vehicle damage.
- One driver described the transmission jerking with a hard downshift from 2nd to 1st gear near 20 mph.
- One owner reported the vehicle overheating with a loud engine noise traced to a hole in the radiator.
2010 Kia Optima recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- 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.
2010 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.
2010 compared with other Optima years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Kia Optima reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Optima ranks best among the 11 model years covered, with a Complaint Index of 0 and only 75 total complaints.
- What is the top problem area for the 2010 Kia Optima?
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints lead, making up 32% of reports, with a median failure mileage of 70,500 across the model.
- Does the 2010 Kia Optima have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2010 Optima, covering the electrical system, reported in 2013, with no do-not-drive designation.
- How does the 2010 Optima compare to other model years?
- The 2010 model ranks 11th, meaning it has the fewest reported problems, while years like 2013 (Complaint Index 100) and 2012 (Complaint Index 80) rank as Avoid.