2015 Kia Optima: recalls and complaints

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All updates to the register

• 23V65200025 Sep 2023Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModuleAdvisory
• 21V33100010 May 2021Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModuleAdvisory
• 20V51900027 Aug 2020Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModuleAdvisory
• 18V90700019 Dec 2018Engine

1. 23V652000Received 25 Sep 2023. 1,730,192 units.

   Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModulePark-outside advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

   Report filed by Kia America, Inc.. Manufacturer campaign number SC284. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Mar 2024.

2. 21V331000Received 10 May 2021. 440,370 units.

   Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModulePark-outside advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   An electrical short in the HECU increases the risk of a fire while parked or driving.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.

   Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC212. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 2 Jul 2021.

3. 20V519000Received 27 Aug 2020. 440,370 units.

   Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip / Control Unit/ModulePark-outside advisory

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

   If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.

   Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC197. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Oct 2020.

4. 18V907000Received 19 Dec 2018. 71,653 units.

   Engine

   Defect, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Consequence, in the NHTSA record

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

   Remedy, in the NHTSA record

   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.

   Report filed by Kia Motors America. Manufacturer campaign number SC172. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 17 Jan 2019.

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.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

• 2015 Kia Optima
• All 2015 vehicles

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 18.

Complaints that report a crash

6

Complaints that report a fire

11

Injuries in the complaints

3

Deaths in the complaints

1

Date of the newest complaint

15 May 2019

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.

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.

1. 20013
2. 20023
3. 20032
4. 20041
5. 20050
6. 20062
7. 20072
8. 20083
9. 20091
10. 20101
11. 20115
12. 20125
13. 20139
14. 20147
15. 20154
16. 20165
17. 20173
18. 20182
19. 20191

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

• Kia Optima: all model years
• Kia: 34 model lines

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• 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 2015 Kia OptimaThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2015 Kia Optima?

2,682,585 units in 4 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.

How many recall campaigns does the Kia Optima have for all model years?

NHTSA lists 22 recall campaigns for the Kia Optima, model years 2001 to 2019. 4 of them name the 2015 model year.

Which component do the complaints about the 2015 Kia Optima name most often?

Engine: 102 of 226 component mentions, or 451.3 per 1,000. For all 2015 vehicles the figure is 126.5 per 1,000.

Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2015 Kia Optima open?

1 investigation has no closing date in the NHTSA file, of 4 that name this model year.