U.S. public vehicle records

2018 Kia OPTIMA PHEV: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

8 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

18,800 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 model year. Data updated: 2026-09-30 (September 30, 2026). 6 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 8 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	2	25.0%
Steering behavior	1	12.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery

Engine And Engine Cooling

Power Train

Steering

Visibility/Wiper

Engine: 3; Electrical System: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Power Train: 1; Steering: 1; Visibility/Wiper: 1

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2018

2019

2020

2021

2024

2025

2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 2; 2024: 1; 2025: 2

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11131603 · 2018-09-25 (September 25, 2018)

THE CAR WAS PARK IN THE HOUSE AND WHEN I GET BACK I SAW A LONG CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD SO I CHECK THE SURROUNDING IF THERE IS SOMETHING FELL ON IT BUT THERE'S NO EVEN AN IMPACT ON IT IT'S JUST CRACK FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD UP TO THE MIDDLE CENTER. IT'S A BRAND NEW CAR SO HOW WILL THE WINDSHIELD GET CRACK LIKE THAT. I ASK AROUND TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD AND MOST OF THEM TOLD ME THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW VEHICLE LIKE MINE AND THEY EVEN ASK THE DEALER IF IT'S AVAILABLE AND THEY SAID IT WILL TAKE ABOUT A MONTH TO HAVE IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11131603 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11219554 · 2019-06-12 (June 12, 2019)

ERROR MESSAGE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. TURN OFF ENGINE" WITH YELLOW CAUTION TRIAGLE SHOWING EXCLAIMATION POINT AND HEV" CAME ON, AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE DROPPED TO FROM 65 MPH TO 40 MPH SUDDENLY, EXITED FREEWAY, TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED...VEHICLE HAD LOSS OF PROPULSION, WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. STOP, AT STOP SIGN, AND WHEN I APPLIED GAS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 10 MPH...ONCE SAFELY OFF THE ROAD, I TURNED ENGINE OFF, TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 1 DAY AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE FROM DEALER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. …

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11219554 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11384136 · 2020-12-18 (December 18, 2020)

I LEASED A NEW #KIA #OPTIMA #PHEV FROM YOU IN JULY OF 2018. IN JULY OF 2020, THE CHARGING CABLE LODGED IN THE CAR AND IT TOOK 4 HOURS FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO REMOVE IT. ON DECEMBER 2, 2020, I GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE, BUT BEFORE I COULD BRING IT ON DEC 3, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BECAME A TURN ENGINE OFF NOW LIGHT, AND THE CAR STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH A WISP OF SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD, A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD IT TOWED TO KIA OF DELRAY. IT'S STILL THERE, THEY HAVEN'T TOLD …

Owner-reported narrative. 18,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11384136 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11396321 · 2021-02-15 (February 15, 2021)

WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M…

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11398068 · 2021-02-26 (February 26, 2021)

I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11609737 · 2024-08-20 (August 20, 2024)

See attached document for complaint.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11609737 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11660146 · 2025-05-10 (May 10, 2025)

The plastic coupling for the steering is broken in my 2018 Kia optima the same Issue that the 2011-2014 issue optima’s have my car has this same issue.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11660146 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11675096 · 2025-07-21 (July 21, 2025)

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima PHEV. The contact's daughter stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the high systems temperature switching to hybrid mode message was displayed. The contact stated that there was a two-hour delay for a full charge. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the fluids in the vehicle needed to be changed. The vehicle wasn’t repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or …

Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11675096 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

21V844000 · Engine

Reported: 2021-10-29 (October 29, 2021)

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.

Consequence: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC218.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

23V594000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:Latch

Reported: 2023-08-24 (August 24, 2023)

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

Consequence: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

Explore the data

Vehicle analysis explorer

Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.

Data completeness

8 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.

75.0%Usable mileage6 / 8 records

100.0%Valid incident date8 / 8 records

100.0%Valid filing date8 / 8 records

100.0%Ordered incident and filing dates8 / 8 records

Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.

Problems by model year

Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.

From model yearThrough model year

Component complaint heatmap
Component	2017	2018	2019	2020
Engine	1147.8% ODI 11193782 I HAVE 2017 KIA PLUG IN I HAD TO REPLACE BATTERIES SYSTEM TWICE WITHIN A YEAR. I ALSO HAVE A ENGINE KNOCKING AT 26000 MILES THAT THE DEALER CLAIMS IS A THAT WAS CAUSE BY SERVICE DONE TO OIL FILTER THAT DON'T MAKE NO SENSE. NO OIL LIGHT OR ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. FURTHER MORE AFTER THAT HAPPENED THE ELECTRICAL WENT OUT. THE KIA COMPANY'S REFUSE TO FIX IT. THE VEHICLE HAS 5 YEAR WARRANTY. Look up ODI 11193782 at NHTSA ↗	337.5% ODI 11219554 · 11,000 mi ERROR MESSAGE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. TURN OFF ENGINE" WITH YELLOW CAUTION TRIAGLE SHOWING EXCLAIMATION POINT AND HEV" CAME ON, AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE DROPPED TO FROM 65 MPH TO 40 MPH SUDDENLY, EXITED FREEWAY, TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED...VEHICLE HAD LOSS OF PROPULSION, WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. STOP, AT STOP SIGN, AND WHEN I APPLIED GAS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 10 MPH...ONCE SAFELY OFF THE ROAD, I TURNED ENGINE OFF, TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 1 DAY AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE FROM DEALER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. … Look up ODI 11219554 at NHTSA ↗	1100.0% ODI 11657677 For several years my 'check hybrid engine' followed by turn off engine. The dealership can not figure out the cause. Twice in the last month the engine has automatically shut off when the "check hybrid engine' warning light displays. I nearly had an accident because the brakes are much weaker when the engine shut off. Kia dealership is unable to find the source of the problem and says the car is functioning normally and to continue to drive it. Look up ODI 11657677 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Electrical System	834.8% ODI 11064175 · 2,000 mi WHILE DRIVING MY KIA HYBRID A NOTICE CAME UP ON THE DASH BOARD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER AND SHUT OFF MY ENGINE AND I WAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 75 WHEN I LOST TOTAL POWER AND MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY DEALER. I HAD KNOW ABOUT THIS BECAUSE A RELATIVE AND I BROUGHT THE CARS THE SAME DAY AND SHE EXPERIENCE THIS 3 TIMES.THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A SWITCH THAT GOT STUCK WHEN THE CAR GOES FROM ELECTRIC TO GAS. I SPOKE WITH KIA AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO FORMAL RECALL. BUT THIS … Look up ODI 11064175 at NHTSA ↗	225.0% ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Unknown Or Other	417.4% ODI 11110703 BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT ACTIVATE ON THE NAVIGATION SCREEN WHEN WE PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN BUT NOT EVERY SINGLE TIME. Look up ODI 11110703 at NHTSA ↗	225.0% ODI 11384136 · 18,600 mi I LEASED A NEW #KIA #OPTIMA #PHEV FROM YOU IN JULY OF 2018. IN JULY OF 2020, THE CHARGING CABLE LODGED IN THE CAR AND IT TOOK 4 HOURS FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO REMOVE IT. ON DECEMBER 2, 2020, I GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE, BUT BEFORE I COULD BRING IT ON DEC 3, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BECAME A TURN ENGINE OFF NOW LIGHT, AND THE CAR STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH A WISP OF SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD, A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD IT TOWED TO KIA OF DELRAY. IT'S STILL THERE, THEY HAVEN'T TOLD … Look up ODI 11384136 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11459106 Vehicle dash warning light started flashing and told me to turn off vehicle. There were no shoulders on the road where I was. I smelled a burning smell (like a belt -not brakes). I stopped and turned the car off. Very dangerous!!! Not impressed that the dealership or manufacturer allowed this vehicle to be re-sold! I turned the vehicle into the service department. Do NOT want this vehicle back! Lemons should not be on the road!!! Look up ODI 11459106 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train	28.7% ODI 11445028 While driving the car on the highway, when I try accelerating, the car suddenly acts as if it's in neutral and the engine roars without engaging a higher or lower gear and the car start losing power/speed. It takes like three to five seconds to engage a gear again; I have to lift my foot from the pedal a little bit and wait for it to lock on a higher or a lower gear for me to accelerate again. Look up ODI 11445028 at NHTSA ↗	112.5% ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Air Bags	28.7% ODI 11432935 · 57,000 mi The contact owns a 2017 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the air bag and seat belt warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer for a scheduled repair of NHTSA campaign number: 18V161000 (Hybrid Propulsion System). After performing the recall repair the mechanic cleared the warning light however, the warning light returned soon after. The contact took the vehicle back to the same local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the driver’s and passenger’s side frontal airbags needed to be r… Look up ODI 11432935 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Fuel/Propulsion System	28.7% ODI 11192587 · 16,000 mi KIA WON'T SERVICE THE ELECTRICAL LOSS RECALL Look up ODI 11192587 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Hybrid Propulsion System	28.7% ODI 11118109 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V161000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (JIM BONE KIA, 1255 SANTA ROSA AVE, SANTA ROSA, CA 95404, [phone removed]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. Look up ODI 11118109 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	00.0% No examples available for this selection.
Service Brakes	14.3% ODI 11219845 · 60,000 mi TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA OPTIMA PHEV. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE "CHECK BRAKES" WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT TRAVELED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN PARK AND THEN TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO GERALD KIA OF NORTH AURORA (201 HANSEN BLVD, NORTH AURORA, IL 60542) TO… Look up ODI 11219845 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.	1100.0% ODI 11657677 For several years my 'check hybrid engine' followed by turn off engine. The dealership can not figure out the cause. Twice in the last month the engine has automatically shut off when the "check hybrid engine' warning light displays. I nearly had an accident because the brakes are much weaker when the engine shut off. Kia dealership is unable to find the source of the problem and says the car is functioning normally and to continue to drive it. Look up ODI 11657677 at NHTSA ↗	00.0% No examples available for this selection.

Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.

Failure mileage by component

Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.

Component failure mileage distribution
Component	Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)	Median	Usable records	Examples
Engine	Too few reports for a range	19,000 mi	3 (sparse)	ODI 11219554 · 11,000 mi ERROR MESSAGE "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM. TURN OFF ENGINE" WITH YELLOW CAUTION TRIAGLE SHOWING EXCLAIMATION POINT AND HEV" CAME ON, AT HIGHWAY SPEED VEHICLE DROPPED TO FROM 65 MPH TO 40 MPH SUDDENLY, EXITED FREEWAY, TURNED CAR OFF AND RESTARTED...VEHICLE HAD LOSS OF PROPULSION, WOULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH. STOP, AT STOP SIGN, AND WHEN I APPLIED GAS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO OVER 10 MPH...ONCE SAFELY OFF THE ROAD, I TURNED ENGINE OFF, TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 1 DAY AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE FROM DEALER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. … Look up ODI 11219554 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System	Too few reports for a range	19,000 mi	2 (sparse)	ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗
Unknown Or Other	Too few reports for a range	18,800 mi	2 (sparse)	ODI 11384136 · 18,600 mi I LEASED A NEW #KIA #OPTIMA #PHEV FROM YOU IN JULY OF 2018. IN JULY OF 2020, THE CHARGING CABLE LODGED IN THE CAR AND IT TOOK 4 HOURS FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO REMOVE IT. ON DECEMBER 2, 2020, I GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE, BUT BEFORE I COULD BRING IT ON DEC 3, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BECAME A TURN ENGINE OFF NOW LIGHT, AND THE CAR STOPPED DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY WITH A WISP OF SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD, A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD IT TOWED TO KIA OF DELRAY. IT'S STILL THERE, THEY HAVEN'T TOLD … Look up ODI 11384136 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	Too few reports for a range	35,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11675096 · 35,000 mi The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima PHEV. The contact's daughter stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the high systems temperature switching to hybrid mode message was displayed. The contact stated that there was a two-hour delay for a full charge. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the fluids in the vehicle needed to be changed. The vehicle wasn’t repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or … Look up ODI 11675096 at NHTSA ↗
Power Train	Too few reports for a range	19,000 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗
Visibility/Wiper	Too few reports for a range	7,500 mi	1 (sparse)	ODI 11131603 · 7,500 mi THE CAR WAS PARK IN THE HOUSE AND WHEN I GET BACK I SAW A LONG CRACK ON THE WINDSHIELD SO I CHECK THE SURROUNDING IF THERE IS SOMETHING FELL ON IT BUT THERE'S NO EVEN AN IMPACT ON IT IT'S JUST CRACK FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD UP TO THE MIDDLE CENTER. IT'S A BRAND NEW CAR SO HOW WILL THE WINDSHIELD GET CRACK LIKE THAT. I ASK AROUND TO REPLACE MY WINDSHIELD AND MOST OF THEM TOLD ME THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW VEHICLE LIKE MINE AND THEY EVEN ASK THE DEALER IF IT'S AVAILABLE AND THEY SAID IT WILL TAKE ABOUT A MONTH TO HAVE IT. Look up ODI 11131603 at NHTSA ↗

Complaint and recall timeline

Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.

ComponentPeriod

Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.

Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples

Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month	Complaints	Campaigns announced	Examples
2024-10	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2024-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-04	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-05	1	None	ODI 11660146 The plastic coupling for the steering is broken in my 2018 Kia optima the same Issue that the 2011-2014 issue optima’s have my car has this same issue. Look up ODI 11660146 at NHTSA ↗
2025-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-07	1	None	ODI 11675096 · 35,000 mi The contact owns a 2018 Kia Optima PHEV. The contact's daughter stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the high systems temperature switching to hybrid mode message was displayed. The contact stated that there was a two-hour delay for a full charge. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the fluids in the vehicle needed to be changed. The vehicle wasn’t repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was not diagnosed or … Look up ODI 11675096 at NHTSA ↗
2025-08	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-09	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-10	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-11	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2025-12	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-01	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-02	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-03	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-04	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-05	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-06	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-07	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-08	0	None	No examples available for this selection.
2026-09 (partial)	0	None	No examples available for this selection.

Emerging complaint spikes

Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.

This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.

No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.

Equal-age model-year comparison

Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.

Observation windowFirst model yearSecond model year

2019: 0 complaints · 2020: 1 complaints

Equal observation windows
Model year	Through age 0	Through age 1	Through age 2
2019	0	0	0
2020	0	0	1

Date coverage across each selected cohort

Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year	Incident dates used	Filing date fallbacks	Excluded dates
2019	1	0	0
2020	1	0	0

Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.

Components reported together

Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.

Component co-occurrence matrix
Component	Engine	Electrical System	Unknown Or Other	Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	Engine And Engine Cooling	Power Train	Steering	Visibility/Wiper
Engine	—	2 ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗	0	0
Electrical System	2 ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗ ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗	—	1 ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	1 ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗	0	0
Unknown Or Other	1 ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 2/14/2011 A "CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM" WARNING CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT, A RED BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR LOST ENGINE POWER. AFTER MY VEHICLE SLOWED TRAFFIC DOWN DUE TO NOT HAVING POWER I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY COASTING THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHAT SO EVER NOT EVEN WITH JUST THE ENGINE POWER. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE BIG CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING DISSAPEARED AND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND TRIANGLE HEV LIGHT STAYED ON. I HAD M… Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗	—	0	0	0	0	0
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery	0	0	0	—	0	0	0	0
Engine And Engine Cooling	0	0	0	0	—	0	0	0
Power Train	1 ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗	1 ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY 2018 KIA OPTIMA PHEV WAS REPAIRED BUT AFTER I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT AND GOT ON THE FREEWAY THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND LOST ALL POWER. I ALMOST GOT INTO ANOTHER ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY WORKED WITH KIA TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO FIX MY CAR BUT APPARENTLY KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEIR OWN CAR. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 19K MILES. I'M AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND MY FAMILIES THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗	0	0	0	—	0	0
Steering	0	0	0	0	0	0	—	0
Visibility/Wiper	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.

Recurring narrative patterns

Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.

Search patterns

1 patterns with matching reports.

Warning lights and dashboard alerts

3 mentions · 37.5% of complaints

Median mileage: 19,000 mi (3 usable records).

ODI 11384136 · 18,600 mi

Look up ODI 11384136 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11396321 · 19,000 mi

Look up ODI 11396321 at NHTSA ↗

ODI 11398068 · 19,000 mi

Look up ODI 11398068 at NHTSA ↗

Matching rule

\b(warning light\w*|check engine|dashboard warning\w*|malfunction indicator)\b