YearToAvoid

2016 Kia Optima Recall List

5 safety recall campaigns on file with NHTSA for the 2016 Kia Optima, affecting structure & body, engine, airbags, and transmission & powertrain. Recall repairs are free at any authorized Kia dealer.

Recall campaigns
5
Do Not Drive
0
Park Outside
0
Over-the-air fixes
0
Latest report
Aug 24, 2023
Owner complaints
754

All 2016 Kia Optima recalls

Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA’s own wording.

  1. NHTSA 23V594000Aug 24, 2023Structure & Body319,436 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch

    Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

    Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.

  2. NHTSA 18V907000Dec 19, 2018Engine71,653 vehicles

    Engine

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

  3. NHTSA 17V007000Jan 6, 2017Airbags1 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Kia Motors America (Kia) has recalled one 2016 Optima vehicle. In this vehicle, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy: The affected vehicle was remedied on January 10, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC143.

  4. NHTSA 16V705000Oct 3, 2016Transmission & Powertrain12,214 vehicles

    Power train:axle assembly:axle shaft

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 13, 2015, to April 23, 2016 and equipped with a 2.4l engine. The right front axle driveshaft may crack and fail.

    Risk: If the driveshaft cracks and separates from the vehicle, it will not be able to move forward. Additionally, if the parking brake is not applied upon exiting the vehicle, the vehicle may roll. Either scenario can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front axle driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC139.

  5. NHTSA 16V231000Apr 21, 2016Airbags17 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. In these vehicles, a chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's frontal air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating crashes.

    Risk: If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC131.

Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the 2016 Kia Optima have?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Kia Optima, covering structure & body, engine, airbags, and transmission & powertrain.
Are 2016 Kia Optima recall repairs free?
Yes. Under U.S. law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls free of charge at authorized dealers, regardless of the vehicle’s age or how many owners it has had. Use the VIN check to see which campaigns are still open on a specific car.
What is the most recent recall on the 2016 Kia Optima?
The most recent campaign is NHTSA 23V594000, reported Aug 24, 2023, concerning the structure & body.

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.