Problems · by component
2011 Kia Optima power train problems
25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Optima cite power train, 4% of all 594 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
25
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“While driving on the road, I came to a stop at an intersection. While waiting for the green light the engine stopped running. I tried starting the car by pressing the brake and the push start button and the car only clicked and did not start. I pushed the car off the road. After several attempts to start the car it wouldn't start and it started smoking it looked like it was coming from the starter location. It appears that the engine seized and it won't turn over.”
“18V363 17220 IT HAS MADE A LOUD CLANKING/KNOCKING NOISE. IT STALLED THEN COMPLETLY DIED ONCE I GOT OFF THE MAIN HIGHWAY AND WOULDNT CRANK AGAIN. IT USES AN AWFUL LOT OF OIL. UPON FIRST OIL CHANGE IT HAD SHARDS OF METAL IN IT. THE PLACE I GOT THE VEHICLE FROM SAYS THEY PUT NEW MOTOR IN IT AMONG OTHER THINGS BUT I HAVENT SEEN IN CHANGE IN THINGS OTHER THAN IT DOESNT SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD WHILE IDLING.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF WITHOUT WARNING. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT ENGINE HAD SEIZED. THE CONTACT THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO JTS KIA OF ROCK HILL (840 N ANDERSON RD, ROCK HILL, SC 29730) WHERE THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THEIR POSSESSION. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
“RECENTLY WHEN I HIT ABOUT 103,000 MILES MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA 2.0 TURBO TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN ACTING STRANGE. WHEN DRIVING FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AS I'M PULLING OFF ACCELERATING THE CAR JERKS MAKE AND WON'T ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH. AFTER DOING ACOUPLE RESEARCH I WAS TOLD IT'S THE TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE SENSOR. I. BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM DUE TO THE FACT AS YOUR PULLING OFF AFTER THE COMPLETE STOP IT JERKS SO HARD YOU JERK SO HARD WITH THE CAR. ALSO IF ANYBODY IS BEHIND YOU AND IT DOES THAT SUDDEN JURK IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE DRIVER BEHIND YOU ISN'T AWARE BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE YOUR HITTING THE BREAKS. I ALSO SEARCHED ONLINE THAT THIS MODEL AND YEAR CAR HAS TWO OPEN RECALLS FOR ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS (UNKNOWN).”
“WHILE ON MY WAY TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER FROM SCHOOL AT AROUND BETWEEN 1 AND 2 OCLOCK PM I WAS STOPPED AT A 4 WAY STOP AT GA HWY 225 IN SPRINGPLACE , AS I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE 4 WAY WHILE IN MOTION I HEAR AND FEEL A SUDDEN JOLT TO MY VEHICLE AND I SKID TO A STOP THANK GOD IT HAD JUST WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND DID NOT GAIN ANY SPEED. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND GLANCED UNDERNEATH THINKING THAT I HAD HIT SOMETHING, INSTEAD I NOTICED THAT MY MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION WHERE NO LONGER CONNECTED TO MY VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE BUT THEY WHERE LAYING ALMOST ON THE GROUND. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED HOME AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MY DAUGHTER. MY VEHICLE WAS ONE ON THE LIST THAT HAD A RECALL ON THE MOTOR THE REPLACEMENT MOTOR WAS INSTALLED AROUND MARCH OF 2017. IT HAS NOT SHOWED ANY SIGNS OF TROUBLE UNTIL THIS.”
“VEHICLE WILL NOT START. ENGINE AND IGNITION REPLACED DUE TO BEARING WEAR RECALL. TRANSMISSION REPLACED 2 WEEKS AGO FOR REBUILT ONE, AND NOW CAR WON'T START. IT'S BEEN 2 DAYS AND KIA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. THE REASON I WANTED TO SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT IS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON TRANSMISSIONS INSTALLED IN THESE VEHICLES. KIA WANTED ME TO WAIT FROM 10 SEP TO MID DEC BECAUSE THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE ON BACK ORDER. WHICH MEANS THERE'S SO MUCH DEMAND THAT DEC IS THE EARLIEST THEY COULD RECEIVE IT. THEIR SHOP IS FULL, MOSTLY OF THESE CARS (OPTIMA). THEY EXPECTED ME TO WAIT 3 MONTHS WITHOUT A CAR IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM TIME. IT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND THAT THEY COULD DO THIS. THE CRAZIEST THING IS THAT EXPECT EVERYONE TO WAIT THIS LONG. I TALKED TO 3 DIFFERENT COSTUMERS WHO ARE ALL HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THE SAME CARS, AND THEY WERE TOLD THE SAME THING. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2014 USED, ONLY ONE PREVIOUS OWNER, NEVER HAD ANY ACCIDENTS, NOW HAS 111,000+ MILES. ALWAYS DID ALL MAINTENANCE CHECKS, OIL & FILTER CHANGES, TUNE UPS, FLUIDS CHANGE AND YEARLY INSPECTIONS. ONLY USED FOR GOING TO WORK AND COMING HOME 5…”
Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.