2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
37
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
7
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
The 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID has received a total of 37 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 3 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH, ENGINE. 7 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (15 complaints), Electrical System (5 complaints), and Service Brakes (4 complaints).
Recalls for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
NHTSA has recorded 3 recalls for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID, potentially affecting up to 649,603 vehicles.
Recall 23V594000 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
| 319,436 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 23V594000 — LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
| 319,436 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
View full details →Recall 21V844000 — ENGINE
| 10,731 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
37 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention Sensing System Camera | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 70 MPH, there was an abnormal amount of smoke coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that DTC: P1326 was displayed on the instrument panel, with the message, “For Your Safety – Please Pull Over” displayed. The contact pulled over and opened the hood and there was a green liquid sizzling on the heat on top of the engine. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was inspected; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the upper radiator hose had melted, and that the battery was an OEM part. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.
The contact’s son owns a 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle started leaking oil. The vehicle was not taken to a mechanic or the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but failed to accelerate as intended or change gear as intended. The vehicle was then taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed that the triaxle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but failed to accelerate as intended or change gear as intended. The vehicle was then taken to another dealer where it was diagnosed that the triaxle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V844000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH the "Hybrid" warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving in a rainstorm, the windshield wipers failed, and the contact pulled over. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle returned to normal functionality; however, the "Hybrid" warning light remained illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed that the main propulsion battery needed to be replaced; however, the parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle could no longer be started. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Safety Rating for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
The 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
Kia America, Inc. has issued 7 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
WTY023_OWNR_JFE — STEERING
WARRANTY EXTENSION: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the notification to owners of the warranty extension program for WTY023. Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage for repairs related to the Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) unit, also known as Electronic Power Steering (EPS) unit, due to illumination...
TSB_ELE192 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: BMS/OPU/MCU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA411) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Battery Management System (BMS), Oil Pump Control Unit (OPU) and Motor Control Unit (MCU) on some 2017-2019MY Optima (JF P/HEV) vehicles, produced from August 25, 2016 through September 13,...
PS494_R1 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
PITSTOP: HIGH VOLTAGE (HV) BATTERY AND BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (BMS) PART NUMBER CHANGE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information.This Pitstop provides information regarding a running change to the High Voltage (HV) Battery and Battery Management System (BMS) control unit assemblies on 2017MY Optima Hybrid (JF HEV...
TSBTRA072A_R2 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TSB - SERVICE ACTION: INHIBITOR SWITCH - REPLACEMENT (SA317A) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. - This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the inhibitor switch on some 2017MY Optima (JFa), Sorento (UMa), Optima Hybrid (HEV), Optima Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), Sportage (QL), Forte (YD), and Sedona...
PS508 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
PITSTOP: ?FILL INVERTER COOLANT? MESSAGE AFTER REPAIR - Some technicians may report seeing the ?fill inverter coolant? message on the cluster after performing an HEV system service requiring the coolant to be drained. The logic for this message is such that it will be displayed when the RPM of the...
PS508 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
PITSTOP: ?FILL INVERTER COOLANT? MESSAGE AFTER REPAIR - Some technicians may report seeing the ?fill inverter coolant? message on the cluster after performing an HEV system service requiring the coolant to be drained. The logic for this message is such that it will be displayed when the RPM of the...
PS497R2 — VISIBILITY
PITSTOP - UVO ESERVICES MIRROR BUTTONS (CUSTOMER GUIDE) - This pitstop provides information regarding the functionality of the UVO eServices buttons located on the rear view mirror in some 2016-2017MY K900 (KH), 2017MY Optima Plug-in Hybrid (JF PHEV) and 2017MY Soul EV (PS EV) vehicles.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the KIA OPTIMA HYBRID
- 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 151 complaints
- 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 80 complaints
- 2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 51 complaints
- 2015 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 17 complaints
- 2016 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 6 complaints
- 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID (current)
- 2018 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 7 complaints
- 2019 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 0 complaints
- 2020 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID — 3 complaints
Other KIA Models
- KIA SORENTO — 13,451 total complaints
- KIA OPTIMA — 10,045 total complaints
- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA SPORTAGE — 6,540 total complaints
- KIA FORTE — 3,450 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA SEPHIA — 3,080 total complaints
- KIA TELLURIDE — 2,109 total complaints