Kia OPTIMA HYBRID transmission problems
17 complaint narratives mention transmission terms.
Key facts
274 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
76,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 to 2020 model years. Data snapshot: . 238 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Transmission and shifting evidence
17 of 274 complaints match this topic (6.2%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10992076 · 2017-05-29 (May 29, 2017)
WHEN DRIVING MY KIA, AS I APPROACH A STOP AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS, THE CAR WILL LURCH FORWARD - ALMOST AS IF A CAR IS HITTING US FROM BEHIND. IT IS FORCEFUL AND HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. NOW, AFTER ONLY 5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, THE CAR HAS SERIOUS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE STREETS.
Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10992076 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11061074 · 2018-01-07 (January 7, 2018)
CAR STALLED ALL OF SUDDEN WITH SHUDDER ON ROUTE 7 IN VIRGINIA AND THEN IMMEDIATELY WAS YAKEN INTO PARKING LOT FOR SAFETY REASONS. IN TRYING TO PARK CAR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE CAR WAS ON FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES THEN RANDOMLY STOPPED. AFTER ANOTHER TEN MINUTES CAR WOULD NOT START AND THEN RANDOMLY STARTED. CAR WAS ASAP DRIVEN WITH ENGINE SHUDDER BACK TO HOME DRIVIEWAY AND PARKED FOR SAFETY. CAR NOW AGAIN WOULD NIT SHUT DOWN AND KEPT RUNNING. ON BITH TIMES WHILE CAR REFUSED TO SHUT DOWN THE GAUGE SHOWED CEHCK ENGINE EPS LIGHT AND INDICATED…
Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11061074 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11204091 · 2019-04-27 (April 27, 2019)
MY ACTIVE AIR FLAPP SYSTEM IS DEFAULTING AND TRANSMISSION GOING OUT. NOT TO MENTION THE HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING
Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11204091 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10712278 · 2015-04-22 (April 22, 2015)
WE FIRST TOOK IT TO EDWARDS KIA IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA ON 2/11/15. WHEN I ORIGINALLY TOOK IT TO THEM, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAD JUST COME ON AND THE CAR HAD JUST STARTED DOING THE LUNGING AND HESITATING WHEN SHIFTING IN LOWER GEARS. IT WAS AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS STICKING. THEY DOWNLOADED A COUPLE UPDATES AND TURNED THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT OFF. THEY ADVISED THE LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE OF THE UPDATE THAT WAS NEEDED AND SAID THAT THE SHIFTING /IDLING ISSUE WAS BETTER. AS SOON AS I DROVE IT, I NOTICED IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. ON …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10712278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10778126 · 2015-09-28 (September 28, 2015)
OUR CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR THE 4TH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. LAST SPRING THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE MESSAGE "HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING! SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE". THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY (REGULAR, NOT HYBRID) SO WE HAD THAT REPLACED (OUT OF WARRANTY - WE PAID FOR THAT). THIS PAST AUGUST, THE WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN - THE DEALER SAID THERE HAD BEEN A TECHNICAL BULLETIN, AND THEY PERFORMED AN UPDATE (COVERED BY WARRANTY). WE HAD THE CAR BACK FOR A FEW DAYS AND THE MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN, AS WELL AS TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10778126 at NHTSA ↗