YearToAvoid

2016 Kia Optima Visibility & Wipers Problems

NHTSA lists 36 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2016 Kia Optima, 5% of that year's 754 total complaints — the highest share among Optima model years shown. No related recall exists. Median failure mileage is 70,000; reports mostly involve exploding sunroofs and failing power window regulators.

Visibility & Wipers complaints
36
5% of 754
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
70,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical visibility and wiper symptoms owners report

  • Sunroof glass shatters or 'explodes' without warning while driving or parked, sometimes with a loud bang heard first.
  • Rear power windows drop down on their own and won't go back up, often described as a window regulator or motor failure.
  • All four windows can fail at once, leaving the car exposed to weather.
  • Rear windows sometimes roll down independently while driving at highway speed and can't be rolled back up.
  • Owners report window regulators found corroded when door panels were removed for inspection.

When 2016 Kia Optima visibility and wiper complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 14, 2017, latest Aug 13, 2026.

2016 Kia Optima visibility & wipers complaints: complaints filed per month3Mar 2017Aug 2020Sep 2021Nov 2022Sep 2023Jul 2024Jun 2025Aug 2026
36 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2017 to Aug 2026; peak Nov 2022 (3).

Visibility & Wipers recalls for the 2016 Kia Optima

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Visibility & Wipers complaints by Optima model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20102 (3%)
  2. 201111 (2%)
  3. 201228 (3%)
  4. 201321 (2%)
  5. 201412 (2%)
  6. 20158 (1%)
  7. 201636 (5%)
  8. 20174 (2%)
  9. 20181 (0%)
  10. 20193 (1%)
  11. 20201 (1%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Kia Optima have a lot of visibility and wiper complaints?
NHTSA lists 36 complaints in this area for the 2016 Optima, which is 5% of the 754 total complaints filed for that model year — the highest percentage among Optima years shown in this data.
Is there a recall for the 2016 Kia Optima sunroof or windows?
No related recall is listed in the NHTSA data for this component area on the 2016 Optima.
At what mileage do these window and sunroof problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure for Visibility & Wipers complaints on the 2016 Optima is 70,000 miles, based on NHTSA complaint data.
What kinds of problems do owners describe most?
Owners most often describe sunroofs shattering unexpectedly and power window regulators failing, causing windows to drop and not close.
Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries linked to the 36 Visibility & Wipers complaints for the 2016 Optima.

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.