Every 2014 Kia Optima recall
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA 23V652000
Sep 25, 2023Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/ModulePark outside
- Problem
- 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.
- 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 recall details for 23V652000 →Fuel System, Gasoline · NHTSA 22V093000
Feb 17, 2022Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
- Problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 20V-100. The low pressure fuel hose may be damaged, or missing heat-protective tape, which can result in a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak can increase the risk of a fire.
- Fix
- Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel hose, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 2, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-33-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC228.
Full recall details for 22V093000 →Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA 21V331000
Oct 5, 2021Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/ModulePark outside
- Problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
- Risk
- An electrical short in the HECU increases the risk of a fire while parked or driving.
- Fix
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
Full recall details for 21V331000 →Service Brakes, Hydraulic · NHTSA 20V519000
Aug 27, 2020Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/ModulePark outside
- Problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
- Risk
- If the HECU short circuits, there is an increased risk of an engine compartment fire.
- Fix
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
Full recall details for 20V519000 →Fuel System, Gasoline · NHTSA 20V100000
Feb 21, 2020Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
- Problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles equipped with 2.4L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) or 2.0L GDI Turbo engines. The low pressure fuel hose may deteriorate and crack over time due to heat generated within the engine compartment.
- Risk
- If the fuel hose cracks, a fuel leak can occur, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Fix
- Kia will notify Owners, and Dealers will inspect the low pressure fuel hose for damage or leaking, replacing it as necessary. If no damage or leaking is found, a heat-protective tape will be installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began June 12, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC187.
Full recall details for 20V100000 →Fuel System, Gasoline · NHTSA 18V907000
Dec 19, 2018Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings
- Problem
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Fix
- Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Full recall details for 18V907000 →Engine and Engine Cooling · NHTSA 17V224000
Mar 31, 2017Engine and Engine Cooling:Engine
- Problem
- Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
- Risk
- Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Full recall details for 17V224000 →
2014 Kia Optima complaints and service bulletins
Owners filed 620 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Optima, reporting 25 crashes, 44 fires, 24 injuries, 2 deaths. Kia has issued at least 268 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
Most-reported components
- Engine300
- Steering99
- Unknown Or Other93
- Electrical System71
- Structure48
- Fuel/Propulsion System45
Service bulletins by component
- Electrical System (148)
- Engine and Engine Cooling (109)
- Equipment (108)
- Steering (54)
- Engine (51)
- Power Train (30)
Read Kia Optima owner complaints and bulletins, every year
NHTSA defect investigations covering the 2014 Kia Optima
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation lists this model year in 9 investigations. An investigation is not a recall; it is how NHTSA decides whether one is needed.
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
AQ23002Opened Nov 17, 2023Open
- Pedestrian alert sounds
DP22005Opened Jan 27, 2023Closed Aug 7, 2023
- Loss of Motive Power
DP22003Opened Sep 12, 2022Closed Dec 12, 2023
- Engine Fires
EA21003Opened Dec 22, 2021Closed Feb 5, 2024
- Throttle control system vulnerabilities
DP21003Opened Nov 12, 2021Closed Jun 20, 2023
- Electrical overstress
EA19001Opened Apr 19, 2019Closed Sep 19, 2024
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires
PE19004Opened Mar 29, 2019Closed Dec 22, 2021
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires
DP18003Opened Aug 21, 2018Closed May 10, 2019
- Scope and Timeliness
RQ17003Opened May 18, 2017Closed Dec 22, 2021
What people reported
Owners have filed 620 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Optima. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
Fire
“I was driving normally on I-76 when suddenly, I couldn't feel the gas working. Everything was fine with the car until then, but all of a sudden, I saw all the lights on the dashboard. I could slowly smell the smell of flames, and later, it caught fire!”
2014 KIA OPTIMAOct 5, 2026 · PA
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11769113
FireCrash
“MY 2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID BLEW-UP GOING DOWN THE ROAD! THE ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE MOTOR WHICH IS THE EXACT MOTOR IN THE RECALL.. IT'S JUST THE HYBRID SO KIA SAYS IT'S NOT RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE EXACT RECALL OF THE SAME MOTOR IN THE GAS CAR!! THIS CAR FALLS IN THE EXACT RECALL!”
2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRIDOct 9, 2017
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11032346
Injury reportedFireCrash
“I owe a lady made a complete stop in front of me and I hit her. I wasn't traveling close behind her. Her car was not damaged at all, but my Kia was totaled from the front. They had to cut the car off because it was smoking like it was gonna catch a fire.”
2014 KIA OPTIMAAug 30, 2026 · AR
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11760787
Crash
“I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET (35MPH) WHEN I WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER CAR MAKING A TURN IN FRONT OF ME AND WE COLLIDED. I T-BONED HIS CAR AND MY AIR BAGS DIDNT GOT OFF. MY CAR STALLED COMPLETELY AND NOTHING ABOUT THE VEHICLE SAFETY EQUIPMENT REACTED TO THE CRASH.”
2014 KIA OPTIMA HYBRIDMay 12, 2017
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 10985410
Injury reportedFire
“On 7/13/26 around 0715 my son was driving our 2014 Kia optima when it caught fire and burned from the engine to the back of the car. Fire dept and law enforcement had to respond and the vehicle along with thousands of dollars of property was destroyed by the fire.”
2014 KIA OPTIMAJul 13, 2026 · TN
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11750155
Check your Optima by VIN
Not every 2014 Kia Optima is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any Kia dealer.
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