2018 Kia OPTIMA PHEV problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
18,800 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 8 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 25.0% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 12.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 3 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Power Train | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 |
Engine: 3; Electrical System: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Power Train: 1; Steering: 1; Visibility/Wiper: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 2; 2024: 1; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11396321 · 2021-02-15 (February 15, 2021)
WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M…
Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11675096 · 2025-07-21 (July 21, 2025)
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima PHEV. The contact's daughter stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the high systems temperature switching to hybrid mode message was displayed. The contact stated that there was a two-hour delay for a full charge. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the fluids in the vehicle needed to be changed. The vehicle wasn’t repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or …
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11675096 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11660146 · 2025-05-10 (May 10, 2025)
The plastic coupling for the steering is broken in my 2018 Kia optima the same Issue that the 2011-2014 issue optima’s have my car has this same issue.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11660146 at NHTSA ↗