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EnginePart report

2014 Kia Optima Engine Problems

Complaints
284about this part
Share
48%of 591 total for the year
Median mileage
85,000miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 284 complaints about the engine of the 2014 Kia Optima, 48% of the 591 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 85,000 miles. 7 of these say a crash was involved and 30 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“The car has lifetime engine warranty and Kia dealership confirmed the same and they are still rejecting me to fix my engine even I offered to pay a fair part of the repair, the engine is consuming oil like crazy 1 quart per 250 miles its makes ticking sound when accelerating and Kia seems like they dont care even if it has a lifetime engine warranty”

NHTSA complaint #11399847, filed 2021-03, 112,000 miles

“My check engine light will come on and off and when I went to go get it checked, it came up and transmission range sensor circuit (pnrdl) input. When I put my car in park, I can't take it out until I turn my car off and turn it back on. My car has a little over 87,000 miles and should not have transmission/engine issues.”

NHTSA complaint #11321149, filed 2020-04, 85,000 miles

“While driving on the interstate, my Kia Optima stopped accelerating, we were luckily near an exit and were able to pull over to the side of the road. The lights and music stayed on but the car would not start again. There was nothing happening up to the point that would have warned us this was going to happen, the check engine light never came on. I had to get the vehicle towed home.”

NHTSA complaint #11298894, filed 2020-01, 92,000 miles

“After beginning to accelerate to make a left turn through an intersection, the acceleration cut out and the engine began making a grinding/ cranking noise. I rolled to a stop just past the intersection (luckily no one hit me) and had to turn the car completely off. It reset and everything began working again after restarting it.”

NHTSA complaint #11203527, filed 2019-04, 55,562 miles

“As I was driving on the freeway my started to make a weird noise. As I accelerated to get over to eventually pull over my car started making a loud knocking sound. As I opened the hood you could definitely tell the noise was coming from the engine I looked online and their was a recall for the same exact issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11210657, filed 2019-05, 49,000 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202010268%
20199243%
201813257%
201716564%
201642656%
201562362%
201428448%
201361444%
201239843%
201125643%
2010912%
20091412%
20081913%
20071610%
200675%
200431%
200321%
200244%
200121%

Other parts of the 2014 Kia Optima

Steering
97 complaintsOther or unknown
90 complaintsElectrical system
60 complaintsFuel system
48 complaintsBody and structure
48 complaintsBrakes
42 complaintsVehicle speed control
21 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
20 complaintsExterior lighting
18 complaintsAir bags
16 complaintsEngine cooling
16 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
12 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2014 Kia Optima

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology