2016 Kia OPTIMA HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
4 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
38,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 3 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 2 of 4 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 50.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 25.0% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 25.0% |
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 | 2 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
Engine: 2; Power Train: 2; Electrical System: 1; Exterior Lighting: 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 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 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 (1). 1 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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2017: 1; 2019: 2; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Engine operation 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11052599 · 2017-12-05 (December 5, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (1945 S FIGUEROA ST, LOS ANGELES, CA 90007) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO KIA DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO KI…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11052599 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11183935 · 2019-03-04 (March 4, 2019)
FOR THE 2ND YEAR, MY KIA WOULD NOT START IN 32 DEGREE WEATHER IN BIG BEAR, CA. THIS IS AN ANNUAL TRIP & TOOK MY KIA.THE LIGHTS, RADIO ALL TURN ON BUT THE ENGINE WILL NOT START. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NOON FOR THE SUN TO WARM UP THE CAR & THEN IT'S BACK TO NORMAL. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP & HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY CANNOT FIND ANY MALFUNCTION & NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE EXPERIENCE WHAT I HAVE. THERE ARE MANY FORUMS WITH KIA OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME, BUT CANNOT GET A FIX OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THE PROBLEM EXISTS. IT'S BEYOND FRUSTR…
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11183935 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11209586 · 2019-05-23 (May 23, 2019)
THE RIGHT PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WON'T WORK I CHANGED THE LIGHT BULB AND IT'S COMPLETELY OFF. AT FIRST WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE BULB THE LIGHT FLICKERED AND I THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT'VE NOT BEEN PUT ON ALL THE WAY OR IT MIGHT'VE BECAME LOOSE. BUT THEN IT WENT COMPLETELY OUT CAUSING A ROAD HAZARD AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS LIGHTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. IT ALSO HAS CAUSED ME TO BE PULLED OVER BY MANY POLICE WHEN I SHOULDN'T BE GOING THROUGH THIS OR ANYONE'S ONE ELSE THAT IS GOING THROUGH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH KIA. THIS FIRST OCCURRED WHEN I WAS DRIVING…
Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11209586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11694645 · 2025-10-21 (October 21, 2025)
Dear NHTSA, I am writing to formally report a serious safety incident involving my 2016 Kia Optima Hybrid, which caught fire and was completely destroyed on October 5, 2025. Incident Summary: While driving on a highway at approximately 65 mph, I noticed that the vehicle was not entering Hybrid Mode, which is abnormal for its typical operation. I reduced my speed to 45 mph, then down to 35 mph as I began to observe smoke coming from the vehicle. At no point did the vehicle show signs of overheating, and there was no Check Engine Light until s…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11694645 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.