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2011 Kia Optima Hybrid Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 34 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid, most often about the engine (56% of complaints, typically around 99,500 miles). It is the 3rd most complained-about Optima Hybrid model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a park-outside warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid problems
Engine
19 complaints · 56%Half of these problems showed up before 99,500 miles.
Ecu malfunction causing misfire in cylinder one resulting in ignition coil melting and and causing electrical fire in engine bay while in motion on local street. Vehicle is now inoperable.
Engine misfire in cylinder # 1. The engine began to smoke, check engine (p0301) illuminated. Ignition coil was melted now car does not start. Engine failure. This happened on a short trip to the store limped the car back home. Kia refuses to recall this optima engine because its a hybrid although it has failed and has…
Electrical
6 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 58,000 miles.
My vehicle don't start every time I tried to start it the electrical sit moves back and forward, I have to towed my car to the dealer for the third time, I am getting so frustrated that a new car has to be towed to the dealer because something its wrong, next month I will be out of warranty and then what I going to…
Car stalled all of sudden with shudder on route 7 in virginia and then immediately was yaken into parking lot for safety reasons. In trying to park car would not shut off. The car was on for about fifteen minutes then randomly stopped. After another ten minutes car would not start and then randomly started. Car was…
Brakes
5 complaints · 15%While driving (in forward motion), without any pressure being applied to either the brake or parking brake, the vehicle begins to slow itself rapidly; an audible rumble can be heard and the vehicle begins to vibrate slightly; a yellow triangle with an exclamation point and the words 'check brake' appears in the…
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 50-60 MPH, there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The check engine warning light and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the engine was cleaned and…
Transmission
4 complaints · 12%When driving my Kia, as I approach a stop and the automatic transmission downshifts, the car will lurch forward - almost as if a car is hitting US from behind. It is forceful and happens frequently. Now, after only 5 years of ownership, the car has serious transmission problems. It is no longer safe to drive on the…
Car stalled all of sudden with shudder on route 7 in virginia and then immediately was yaken into parking lot for safety reasons. In trying to park car would not shut off. The car was on for about fifteen minutes then randomly stopped. After another ten minutes car would not start and then randomly started. Car was…
Air bags
4 complaints · 12%While travelling at approximately 50 - 55 MPH on a highway a deer had ran across the road, in order to avoid a collision head on with the deer I took an evasive maneuver and unfortunately collided with the guardrail on the drivers side at approximately 40 - 50 MPH. Impacting the entire drivers side of my vehicle.…
Takata recall--I was involved in a motor vehicle accident with my 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid. As the impact was pretty hard, the air bags did not deploy. My daughter was jerked forward and hit her face on the dashboard.
Speed control
3 complaints · 9%I was driving on the freeway at roughly 60-70mph when the car suddenly began decelerating and not responding when the acceleration was pressed. This has happened 3 times since I have been on the roads. Kia is unable to find error codes or diagnose the issue even after providing them with video evidence.there have been…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2011 Kia Optima Hybrid recalls
Brakes: control unit/module
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the hecu fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed november 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed march 29, 2024 through june 18, 2024. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc284.
Full defect summary
Kia america, inc. (kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 borrego, 2014-2016 cadenza, 2010-2013 forte, forte koup, sportage, 2015-2018 k900, 2011-2015 optima, 2011-2013 optima hybrid, soul, 2012-2017 rio, 2011-2014 sorento, and 2010-2011 rondo vehicles. The hydraulic electronic control unit (hecu) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Engine
Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, kia dealers will update the knock sensor detection system (ksds) software, free of charge. The recall began january 27, 2021. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc200.
Full defect summary
Kia motors america (kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 sorento, 2012-2015 forte and forte koup, 2011-2013 optima hybrid, 2014-2015 soul, and 2012 sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Risk: If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Fix: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 sedona vehicles, kia will instruct dealers to verify the acu part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the acu connector and the vehicle harness connector. For all other affected vehicles, kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began september 28, 2018. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc165.
Full defect summary
Kia motors america (kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 kia forte, forte koup, 2011-2013 kia optima and 2011-2012 kia optima hybrid and sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (acu) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Hyundai and kia ABS module fires
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) has received eight hyundai motor america (hyundai) and eight kia america, inc. (kia) part 573 recall reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or hydraulic electronic control units (hecu) manufactured by the equipment supplier mando. The part 573 recall reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by mando. Safety recalls included in this audit query (aq) review include: hyundai recalls 20v-520, 20v-543, 21v-161, 21v-160, 21v-303, 22v-056, 22v-810, and 23v-651. Kia recalls 16v-815, 20v-518, 20v-519, 21v
Pedestrian alert sounds
Summary
Nhtsa received a petition on or about july 18, 2022, requesting that federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the united states. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under odi number 11486072. Fmvss 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after march 1, 2021.on january 27, 2023, NHTSA opened defect petition (dp) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Loss of motive power
Summary
The national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated july 13, 2022, petitioning the agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain hyundai motor america, inc. And kia america, inc. Vehicles spanning model years (my) 2005-2021. The petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Engine fires
Summary
On march 29, 2019, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened two preliminary evaluations (pe19-003 on hyundai and pe19-004 on kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year hyundai and kia vehicles.â during the pe investigations, hyundai and kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types.â the remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement.â additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modif
Non-crash vehicle fires
Summary
During this preliminary evaluation (pe), the office of defects investigation (odi) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (my) 2011-2014 kia optima, my 2011-2014 kia sorento and my 2010-2015 kia soul vehicles equipped with theta II, gamma, nu and lambda II engines (approximately 1.7 million vehicles). Odi also reviewed field and other data on other kia vehicles (approximately 3.6 million additional vehicles) equipped with the same engines used in the above-mentioned vehicles.as a result of this pe, kia has issued NHTSA recalls 20v-750 and 2
Non-crash vehicle fires
Summary
In a letter dated june 11, 2018, the center for auto safety (cas) petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (my) 2011-2014 kia optima and sorento, and hyundai sonata and santa fe vehicles. In a letter dated july 24, 2018, cas requested that my 2010-2015 kia soul vehicles be added to the petition. Cas stated that there is a higher number of complaints to NHTSA regarding non-crash fires on these vehicles compared to other similar vehicles. The office of defects investigation (odi) had already opened recall queries (rq17-003 and rq17-004) on all kia and hyundai vehicles equipped
Questions about the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid
- What are the most common problems with the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (19 complaints, typically around 99,500 miles); electrical (6 complaints, typically around 58,000 miles); brakes (5 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 25, 2023 (brakes). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2011 a bad year for the Kia Optima Hybrid?
- It is the 3rd most complained-about Optima Hybrid model year since 2000, with 34 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.