2011 Kia Optima Fuel System Problems
NHTSA lists 27 Fuel System complaints for the 2011 Kia Optima, 5% of that year's 593 total complaints. Median mileage at failure is 88,171. No related recalls are listed for this problem area.
- Fuel System complaints
- 27
- 5% of 593
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 4
- Injuries reported
- 3
- Median mileage
- 88,172 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical fuel system symptoms owners report
- Owners report a strong raw fuel smell near the left rear of the vehicle when outside temperatures exceed 100 degrees, first noticed around 50,000 miles.
- Some describe the car stalling after refueling, then taking about 30 minutes before it will restart.
- Drivers report a jerking motion while driving that appeared alongside the post-refueling stall issue; a dealer replaced the carbon canister without resolving it.
- A few owners report a check engine light tied to an engine timing issue, raising concern given the mileage on the vehicle at the time.
- One report describes ongoing steering veering left and right that a dealer attempted to correct with a front-end alignment, though this was logged under the Fuel System category.
When 2011 Kia Optima fuel system complaints were filed
First complaint Nov 27, 2011, latest Sep 7, 2026.
Fuel System recalls for the 2011 Kia Optima
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Fuel System complaints by Optima model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many fuel system complaints does the 2011 Kia Optima have?
- NHTSA lists 27 Fuel System complaints for the 2011 Kia Optima, which is 5% of the 593 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a fuel system recall for the 2011 Kia Optima?
- No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the Fuel System problem area on the 2011 Kia Optima.
- At what mileage do fuel system problems typically show up on the 2011 Optima?
- The median mileage at failure for Fuel System complaints on the 2011 Kia Optima is 88,171 miles.
- What fuel system symptoms do owners describe most on the 2011 Optima?
- Owners describe a fuel odor near the rear of the car in hot weather, stalling that requires about 30 minutes to restart after fueling, and jerking motion that a carbon canister replacement did not fix.