2018 Kia Optima Phev: recalls and complaints
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Optima Phev. The newest campaign is 23V594000. NHTSA received the report on 24 Aug 2023. The NHTSA record gives the component Latches/Locks/Linkages / Trunk Lid / Latch. NHTSA has 8 complaints on file for this model year. 3 NHTSA investigations name this model year.
The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.
This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.
Remedy of the newest campaign, 23V594000, in the NHTSA record
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.
Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on . Complaint file through . Recall file through .
Since the last update
No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks
Recall campaigns
2 campaigns, newest first. 330,167 units in total.
23V594000Received . 319,436 units.
Latches/Locks/Linkages / Trunk Lid / Latch
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
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."
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by Kia America, Inc.. Manufacturer campaign number SC278. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
21V844000Received . 10,731 units.
Engine
- Defect, in the NHTSA record
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.
- Consequence, in the NHTSA record
A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC218.
Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC218. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: .
The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.
Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.
Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.
Complaints by component
8 complaints, 12 component mentions.
A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. This model year has fewer than 50 component mentions, so the table shows the number of mentions only.
| Component | Mentions |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Unknown or Other | 2 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
- Complaints that report a crash
- 0
- Complaints that report a fire
- 0
- Injuries in the complaints
- 0
- Deaths in the complaints
- 0
- Date of the newest complaint
- 21 Jul 2025
These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.
Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.
Investigations
| Number | Type | Subject | Component | Opened | Closed | Campaign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DP22005 | Defect petition | Pedestrian alert sounds | Electrical System / Propulsion System | 27 Jan 2023 | 7 Aug 2023 | 22V063000 |
| DP22003 | Defect petition | Loss of Motive Power | Engine | 12 Sep 2022 | 12 Dec 2023 | |
| EA21003 | Engineering analysis | Engine Fires | Engine | 22 Dec 2021 | 5 Feb 2024 | 23V877 |
Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.
Other model years
The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.
- 20172
- 20182
- 20190
- 20200
A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.
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Official channels
- NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
- NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
- NHTSA page of the 2018 Kia Optima PhevThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.
Cite this page
Recall Register. 2018 Kia Optima Phev: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/kia/optima-phev/2018/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through .
Sources
- Source
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
- Licence
- US government work, public domain
- Recall file through
- 30 Sep 2026
- Complaint file through
- 30 Sep 2026
- First complaint in the file
- 1 Jan 1995
- Manufacturer in the recall file
- Kia America, Inc.
The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.
Questions
- How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Optima Phev?
- 330,167 units in 2 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
- How many recall campaigns does the Kia Optima Phev have for all model years?
- NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the Kia Optima Phev, model years 2017 to 2020. 2 of them name the 2018 model year.
- Which component do the complaints about the 2018 Kia Optima Phev name most often?
- Engine: 3 of 12 component mentions.
- Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2018 Kia Optima Phev open?
- No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.