Car · Kia problems

2019 Kia Optima problems

212 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Optima. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (44% of them). NHTSA also lists 67 service bulletins and 1 recall campaign.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 16. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 212 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling94 · 44%
• Other or unknown43 · 20%
• Forward collision avoidance36 · 17%
• Electrical system23 · 11%
• Service brakes19 · 9%
• Fuel system18 · 8%
• Power train (transmission and drive)17 · 8%
• Body and structure14 · 7%

13 smaller areas not shown (55 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 67 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2019 Kia Optima. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. SC367Received September 19, 2026

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Electronic Control Module 'ECM' system software for certain 2019-2020 MY Optima vehicles manufactured from...

2. SC367_POCReceived September 19, 2026

   Electrical system

   SC367_poc: proof of correction card.

3. SC367_QAReceived September 19, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: question and answer (SC367) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding Voluntary Emissions...

4. SC367_STKRReceived September 19, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   SC367_stkr: voluntary emissions service campaign completion label/sticker.

5. SC340_TSB_R5Received May 1, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

6. SC340Received December 2, 2025

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: theta II 2.4L GDI EMISSIONS ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Electronic Control Module 'ECM' system software...

7. SC340_POCReceived October 24, 2025

   Electrical system

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: SC340_poc: proof of correction card.

8. SC340_QAReceived October 24, 2025

   Electrical system

   Voluntary emissions service campaign: question and answer (SC340) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Emissions...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2019 Kia Optima. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer.

1. 19V539000July 19, 2019

   Forward collision avoidance

   A software error in the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) system may cause the braking assist function to not engage when a stationary vehicle is detected.

See all 1 recall for the 2019 Kia Optima, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Optima will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 94 complaints · 44%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Forward collision avoidance 36 complaints · 17%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 23 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Service brakes 19 complaints · 9%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2019 Kia Optima: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2019 Kia Optima?

Of the 212 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Optima, 94 (44%) name engine and engine cooling, and 36 (17%) name forward collision avoidance. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2019 Kia Optima reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 20 of the 212 complaints as involving a crash and 7 as involving a fire. They also reported 16 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2019 Kia Optima have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2019 Kia Optima. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 67 repair bulletins for the 2019 Kia Optima.

More

• 2018 Optima problems
• 2017 Optima problems
• 2016 Optima problems
• 2015 Optima problems
• 2014 Optima problems
• 2013 Optima problems
• 2012 Optima problems
• 2011 Optima problems
• 2019 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.