P0128 on Kia vehicles The engine is not reaching its normal operating temperature in the expected time — usually the thermostat
P0128 is named on 11 Kia model years (2016–2020): 13 manufacturer filings and 1 owner report in NHTSA’s files, across Niro, Forte, Optima, Rio, Soul and 1 more.
Which Kia model years name P0128
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Kia Niro | Electrical System | 2 | — |
| 2018 Kia Niro | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2017 Kia Niro | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2020 Kia Forte | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2019 Kia Forte | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2019 Kia Rio | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2019 Kia Soul | Electrical System | 1 | — |
| 2017 Kia Forte | Equipment | 1 | — |
| 2017 Kia Optima | Electrical System | 1 | — |
| 2017 Kia Sportage | Engine | — | 1 |
| 2016 Kia Optima | Engine | 1 | — |
A model year is listed because the code is named in its own record — a bulletin filed against it, or an owner’s complaint about it — not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are documents in NHTSA’s files, not failure rates.
What Kia owners said
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners’ own words, scrubbed of anything identifying. Unverified reports filed with NHTSA — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The vehicle was taken to the Auto Zone and connected to a diagnostic machine, and DTC: P0128, P1326, and P0014 were retrieved
Kia filings that name P0128
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsBulletins and campaigns Kia filed with NHTSA whose summary names P0128. Quote the document number at the service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
- TSB_ENG211 Service bulletin2020-01-31 · Electrical System
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HEV/PHEV P0128 LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Module (ECU) on some 2017-2019MY Niro (DE HEV/PHEV) vehicles, produced from November 1, 2016 through November 25, 2019 and equipped with Kappa 1.6 GDI engine, regarding DTC (P0128) judgement logic. To correct this concern, apply the improved logic to the EC
- TSB_FUE045 Service bulletin2020-04-15 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: GAMMA 1.6L-T GDI ULEV MIL ON DTC P0128 AND/OR DTC P0300~304 JUDGEMENT LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA419) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) on some 2019-2020 Forte GT (BDm) vehicles equipped with Gamma 1.6L-T GDI ULEV engines, produced from February 15, 2019 through March 11, 2020, which may exhibit check
- TSBENG176 Service bulletin2017-09-25 · Equipment — Electrical
- TSB - SERVICE ACTION: ELECTRIC THERMOSTAT REPLACEMENT (SA308) - This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the electric thermostat on 2017MY Forte (YDm) 2.0L MPI vehicles, produced from May 23, 2016 through March 15, 2017, which may exhibit a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) ON with DTC P0128.
- TSBENG206 Service bulletin2019-07-16 · Electrical System — Software
- TSB: 1.6T GDI ULEV MIL ON LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR P0128 - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) on some 2016-2017MY Optima (JFa) 1.6T GDI ULEV DCT vehicles, produced from September 28, 2015 through September 03, 2016, which exhibit a MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp) illuminated with DTC P0128, even though there are no system faults.
- TSBENG202 Service bulletin2019-04-05 · Engine And Engine Cooling
- TSB: SERVICE ACTION: ECU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P0128 (SA374) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) on some 2019MY Rio (SC) vehicles, produced from August 27, 2018 through March 4, 2019, which may experience a malfunction indicator light (MIL) ON with DTC P0128.
- TSBENG196 Service bulletin2018-11-13 · Electrical System
- TSB: SERVICE ACTION: 1.6GDI ECU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P0128 (SA363) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) on certain 2019MY Soul (PS) 1.6GDI vehicles, produced from April 2, 2018 through November 7, 2018, which may experience a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) ON with DTC P0128. To correct this concern, apply the improved logic to the Engi
What P0128 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIThe engine is not reaching its normal operating temperature in the expected time — usually the thermostat.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. The record above is what Kia and its owners have filed about it; the code’s page across every make has the whole file.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardIs P0128 a known problem on Kia vehicles?
It is a documented one: NHTSA's files hold 13 manufacturer filings and 1 owner report naming P0128 on 11 Kia model years (2016–2020). Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count — but a bulletin that names the code on your model year is the place to start.
Which Kia models does P0128 appear on most?
2019 Niro (2 documents), 2018 Niro (2 documents), 2017 Niro (2 documents).
Does P0128 on a Kia mean it is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN; no recall is triggered by a scan tool. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or open the model year's page here for the campaigns filed against it.