2016 Kia Optima: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
754 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Optima shares the Sonata's Theta II engines and the same recall history, and its 2013 and 2015 model years carry the highest counts — engine knocking, stalling and fire risk, addressed by the 2017 recall and the extended engine warranty. From 2017 the Optima improves sharply, and the 2018–2020 cars score around 90. Read the full note on the model page. 2016 specifically: 754 complaints on record, score 53/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used Kia Sorento, Sportage and Soul: the recall years and the good years after them, including 2016 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 754 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 75.4
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
While driving at highway speeds on the freeway in San Diego, the engine of my 2016 Kia Optima catastrophically seized without warning. I instantly lost all power steering, brake assist, and electrical power, creating an immediate life-threatening emergency. The vehicle was towed to a Kia dealer. Corporate Techline and the dealership are refusing to perform the mandated settlement rod bearing test and are falsifying p…
Blower motor is drawing excessive electricity, which in turn burns the fuse and junction pin, which in turn can start a fire in the car. Kia of Irvine suggested redoing all electrical wiring in the car, but that will not solve the issue. As soon as you turn on the AC, the blower motor will use so much electricity and amperage, so the blower motor fuse and junction pins on the fuse box starting to burn. Wanting to c…
Window falls into the door. The rear two windows have been repaired 3 times. They are currently both broken again along with the front drivers side. I currently have three windows being help up by tape. They are taped to the frame of the door to stop the window from falling into the door. I don't know why this wasn't a recall. I see there is a TSB BOD300. The dealership repaired once but never informed me about the …
Recalls: 5 campaigns (3 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V705000 | Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 13, 2015, to April 23, 2016 and equipped with a 2.4l engine. The right front axle driveshaft may crack and fail. |
| 17V007000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module | Kia Motors America (Kia) has recalled one 2016 Optima vehicle. In this vehicle, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash. |
| 18V907000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 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… |
| 16V231000 | Air Bags:Frontal | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. In these vehicles, a chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's frontal air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating crashes. |
| 23V594000 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:Latch | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 31 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine424 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Unknown Or Other121 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System102 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train73 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Fuel/Propulsion System53 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Exterior Lighting47 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
Other Kia Optima years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Kia Optima?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (424 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2016 Kia Optima a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 53/100, computed from 754 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2016 Kia Optima's most common problem?
424 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2016 Kia Optima sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2016 Kia Optima cost to run per year?
About $5,602 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $28,010 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2016 Kia Optima have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2016 Kia Optima, 3 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 03/10/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2016 Kia Optima really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 754 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 754 NHTSA complaints on record (75.4/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (44.1/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 3 touching safety-critical systems