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2019 Kia Optima Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Serious

317 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.55 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious19V539000

Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking

Improper intervention of the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist can raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the FCA software, free of charge. The recall began August 27, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC179.

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Optima vehicles equipped with Gamma 1.6L Turbo-GDI or Theta II 2.0L Turbo-GDI engines. A software error in the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) system may cause the braking assist function to not engage when a stationary vehicle is detected.

Complaint volume

317 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

30Crashes
9Fires
22Injuries
0Deaths

Across 317 complaints. Severity Index 0.55.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine86 · 27%Unknown Or Other41 · 13%Forward Collision Avoidan…30 · 9%Electrical System21 · 7%Service Brakes18 · 6%Power Train16 · 5%Fuel/Propulsion System15 · 5%Structure · Body14 · 4%
  1. Engine — 86 reports
  2. Unknown Or Other — 41 reports
  3. Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings — 30 reports
  4. Electrical System — 21 reports
  5. Service Brakes — 18 reports
  6. Power Train — 16 reports
  7. Fuel/Propulsion System — 15 reports
  8. Structure:Body — 14 reports
  9. Air Bags — 12 reports
  10. Vehicle Speed Control — 10 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2001 (3) · 2002 (3) · 2003 (2) · 2004 (1) · 2005 · 2006 (2) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (3) · 2009 (1) · 2010 (1) · 2011 (5) · 2012 (5) · 2013 (9) · 2014 (7) · 2015 (4) · 2016 (5) · 2017 (3) · 2018 (2) · 2019 · 2020

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.