2016 Kia Optima electrical system problems
99 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 2016 Kia Optima — 13% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The Kia had a problem with the check engine light coming on and it gently went into limp mode. I had it repaired at Darlings Ford and it worked for about 600 miles. I had it repaired again and it worked for about 7,000 miles. The light recent came on and the car immediately hard banged andwent into…”
filed May 29, 2026
“My rear passenger side window would not go up or down & the motor would run when the button was pressed. That was in January 2026. Now April 2026, my driver's side rear window will not go up or down.”
filed Apr 7, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC340 FLIGHT 104 ) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the emissions…
SC340_OWNR_JF&JFA_104 · Emissions · issued Mar 17, 2026
Electrical System problems in other Optima years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Optima | 12 | 9% |
| 2019 Optima | 22 | 11% |
| 2018 Optima | 33 | 14% |
| 2017 Optima | 25 | 10% |
| 2015 Optima | 135 | 13% |
| 2014 Optima | 59 | 10% |
| 2013 Optima | 145 | 11% |
| 2012 Optima | 122 | 13% |
| 2011 Optima | 61 | 10% |
| 2010 Optima | 13 | 17% |
| 2009 Optima | 16 | 14% |
| 2008 Optima | 15 | 10% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2016 Kia Optima
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.