2019 Kia Optima Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year centre on engine trouble, especially oil consumption and loss of power, usually appearing between roughly 30,000 and 130,000 miles. A second cluster covers the forward collision-avoidance system, with owners describing warning messages, unintended braking and cases where the system did nothing in a crash. Smaller groups of complaints involve brakes, starting and electrical problems, and some early-mileage body issues such as a fracturing sunroof and paint peeling.

1. 1
   Engine

   Excessive engine oil consumption and engine failure

   • 93 complaints (44%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 5.1 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $3,100 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe the oil warning light coming on soon after an oil change, low oil on the dipstick and having to add oil frequently. Some report flashing check engine lights, knocking or ticking noises, shuddering, stalling and loss of power, with dealers sometimes diagnosing worn piston rings or internal engine damage and in some cases saying the engine needed replacement. Several owners say an oil consumption test was done or requested and results were inconclusive or repairs were declined for warranty reasons. Spread from about 15,000 to 130,000 miles, with most reports between roughly 30,000 and 100,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and condition on a cold engine and ask for service records showing oil changes and any oil consumption test. Ask whether the ECM software updates described in the emissions and oil consumption service bulletins have been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2019 Kia Optima purchased brand new. Kia released a service bulletin on 3/1/22 citing “excessive oil consumption for 2011-2021 Optima's”. I took it in for the updates for said service bulletin for the engine and was told that my engine is good and covered now for the life of the engine even past the 100k miles (mind you no one mentioned doing an excessive oil consumption test at this time). On 3/22/24 car had 104k miles on it and the oil light came on. I had an oil change just 2500 miles or so prior. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11650841, filed 2025-03

   “Smart choice auto financial in Indiana sold me a vehicle with a defaulted engine. Purchased car 9/20/2022 I have been consistently changing an add oil, to up keep the vehicle til I receive help . Vehicle have been attempted to be fix 6times, 3 by dealership I purchased from, an three different kia dealership. Not yet acknowledged the so call life time warranty, I was told engine had to go out . At this point 9/14/ 2023 the engining knocking, smoking, engine light on. So I took it to another kia dealership am it's there as we speak. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11544556, filed 2023-09
2. 2
   Forward collision avoidance

   Forward collision warning and automatic braking faults

   • 38 complaints (18%)
   • median 19,312 mi at 2.1 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe the forward collision and blind spot warning lights coming on with messages telling the driver to check the system, sometimes clearing and returning. Some owners report the automatic braking engaging with nothing ahead, and others report no braking assistance when a collision occurred. Dealers are described as unable to duplicate the problem, blaming sensor obstructions, replacing wheel speed sensors, or saying the vehicle was not covered by the recall. Mostly reported under about 60,000 miles, often within the first two years of ownership.

   Recall 19V539000

   What to check: Ask whether recall 19V539000 applies to the vehicle's VIN and whether the software update was performed; during a test drive, watch for warning messages and confirm the system is not repeatedly asking to be checked.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving on 8/28/2020 and a warning light came across the dashboard that read my forward collision camera was not working and it stayed lit for about 3 minutes while driving and eventually went off before I parked the car. I am afraid to drive the car if the braes may fail.the vehicle was in motion initially approaching a stop light when the message came across the dashboard. I was on a city street driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #11351939, filed 2020-08, 19,312 miles

   “From day one I've been complaining about the driver assist front camera shutting off by itself while I'm driving. I was told by my Kia dealer that there is no problem. It has reoccurred many more times since. It happened again. The orange display light goes off.”

   NHTSA complaint #11372414, filed 2020-10, 15,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Intermittent no-start and electrical glitches

   • 55 complaints (26%)
   • median 32,450 mi at 1.9 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe the car hesitating or failing to start intermittently, with no stored codes, and dealers testing the battery and starting system without finding a fault. Some owners report dash warning lights all illuminating, loss of power steering after a restart, or the infotainment screen going blank when a phone is plugged in. Mostly reported under about 35,000 miles, sometimes within months of purchase.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Start the car several times cold and warm and watch for slow cranking or hesitation, and check whether the Kia Connect modem reset service action was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I've had this car going on three years sometimes not all the time I will go to start it and it will barely start so I took it to the dealership three times when I got my oil change and they checked the battery but they're saying the battery is good and the starting system the car will just be sitting in my garage and I try to start it it just sounds like it's barely starting and then the next time I started it's fine”

   NHTSA complaint #11415708, filed 2021-05, 30,000 miles

   “I purchased on my 2019 Kia Optima on 6/19. And since then off and on the car has experience intermittent starting issues. Now I have taken the car to two different dealers and neither one can find the problem. When pressing the stop/start button the car would hesitate to start no lights or codes are stored in the computer. I have contacted Kia about the issue all I was ever told was take it to the dealer and let them inspect it. The dealer would reset and update firmware. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11377227, filed 2020-11, 100 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brakes grabbing, locking or slow to engage

   • 20 complaints (9%)
   • median 18,662 mi at 1.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe the brake pedal kicking back or the brakes locking during normal stops, and in some cases the car not slowing as expected. A few link it to pedal behaviour after braking on an incline, and some report near-misses or low-speed rear-end impacts. Complaints mention dealers not reproducing the condition on inspection. Reported from very low mileage up to about 35,000 miles.

   What to check: During a test drive, brake firmly at low speed on a straight road and on a slight incline and note any pedal kickback, grabbing or delayed engagement; ask for brake service history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving up a hill and as I reached the top of the incline, my car stopped accelerating. I then attempted to use my brakes and I barely tapped them, but they reacted as if I slammed on my breaks. I took my foot off of the brakes and I began rolling backwards even though my car was still in drive. My brakes were then locked, I put my car in park and then turned off & then back on my car without removing the key. I then put my car back into drive, however, my gas pedal was still not working. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11414358, filed 2021-04, 20,000 miles

   “When my phone is plugged into the charger, my screen will go black all of a sudden, and I have to turn the car off and unplug my phone and turn the car back on for the screen to come back on. Also, there have been several occasions where my brakes lock up on me, and I almost hit the person in front of me. Especially in the rain, and I have even had to swerve off the road to avoid a collision. It happens when I am in motion driving and go to stop. The radio screen though has turned off on me whether I am driving or in park.”

   NHTSA complaint #11310756, filed 2020-02, 9,000 miles
5. 5
   Other or unknown

   Body and glass problems: sunroof, paint, fixed glass

   • 27 complaints (13%)
   • median 10,479 mi at 1.7 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners report the panoramic sunroof shattering while driving, rear fixed glass fracturing, and paint peeling on the roof and hood. One owner said the dealer attributed the paint issue to a mileage limit on the warranty and noted the pearl white finish drew the most complaints. The hood latch release cable was also reported to fail, preventing the hood from opening. Reported from very low mileage up to about 70,000 miles, with several cases under 12,000 miles.

   What to check: Inspect the roof and hood paint in daylight for bubbling or peeling, look over the sunroof glass for cracks or prior replacement, and try the hood release before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The paint on the roof of the 2019 Kia Optima is peeling back. Also, have paint that has let go around the hood. I inquired at the dealer at around 40,000 miles. The employee said that the paint was only warranted through the first 36,000 miles. I drive a lot of miles to work, and this was within the first year I purchased the vehicle. The employee said that the pearl white color was the one color that they saw the most complaints with the paint.”

   NHTSA complaint #11488374, filed 2022-10

   “The contact owns a 2019 Kia Optima. While driving 40 MPH, the fixed pane glass abruptly fractured. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was 3,100. The VIN was invalid.”

   NHTSA complaint #11240697, filed 2019-07, 3,100 miles

Buying note. Give this model year a careful mechanical inspection, particularly an oil consumption check and a scan for stored codes, since engine-related complaints dominate the sample. Confirm which recalls and service campaigns were completed for the specific VIN, and test the driver-assistance and brake behaviour on a proper test drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.