2019 Kia Optima engine problems
94 of the 211 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Optima name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 88 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database0 of the 94 reports a crash · 5 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 15 · 2024: 25 · 2025: 30 · 2026: 16
Half of the 20 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 30,000 and 112,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
211 complaints in all about the 2019 Kia Optima, 16 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Optima engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I been having problems with the oil I do the regular maintenance on vehicle I have all the repair paperwork from Dealer and Montebello Lube I put synthetic oil so that 5000 miles at 2500 oil is empty I already replaced the head gasket oil is being consumed fast constantly filling with oil every time I Drive engine light came on 2 times…
Oil consumption issues, did an oil consumption test in august of 22 at Web Chevy, which is the dealership the car was bought from
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact's husband replaced the battery; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the starter was replaced.
Good Afternoon, I have a recall on my 2019 Kia Engine but since I’m over my mileage Kia does not want to help with it but i read that there is a lifetime warranty on the cars with this type of engine I got a disgusted test done and they are still not wanting to fix the problem
My 2019 Kia Optim is starting to consume oil every 15 miles this is a problem that Kia have with thousands of 2019, 2020 and 2021 they have bad engines in them and Kia knows about the problem and refusing to do anything with the custom, you all need to make them have a recall and fix the problem with all those engines some vehicles only…
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsNHTSA investigation
- DP22003 Loss of Motive Poweropened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
88 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SC340_TSB_R5 EmissionsApr 4, 2026
- VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: THETA II 2.4L GDI EMISSIONS: ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SC340 REVISION 5) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Electronic Control Module ‘ECM’ system software for certain 2016-2020MY Optima, 2016-20
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2019 Kia Optima names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2019 Kia Optima?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 94 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (45% of everything owners filed about it), and 88 manufacturer bulletins, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2019 Kia Optima?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 1 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2019 Kia Optima?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 74,800 miles; half of them between 30,000 and 112,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.