The 2019 Kia Optima has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 11,423 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 315 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 20, 2026.
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.
Consequence
Improper intervention of the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I was driving down the highway when I kinda noticed speed changed. Abs lights, foreword collision light, and rear end lights, so I turned around went back home. I rarely drive my car and I never had any problems with it. I purshased it brand new.”
“I was driving down the highway when I kinda noticed speed changed. Abs lights, foreword collision light, and rear end lights, so I turned around went back home. I rarely drive my car and I never had any problems with it. I purshased it brand new.”
“I was driving down the highway when I kinda noticed speed changed. Abs lights, foreword collision light, and rear end lights, so I turned around went back home. I rarely drive my car and I never had any problems with it. I purshased it brand new.”
“Engine failure, metal leaking into oil which caused engine to fail”
“Unknown was just driving to go to my husband to work and it came on when I was coming back home and when I went to pick my husband up from work and was stopped at a stop sign the lights came back on”
“Unknown was just driving to go to my husband to work and it came on when I was coming back home and when I went to pick my husband up from work and was stopped at a stop sign the lights came back on”
“Unknown was just driving to go to my husband to work and it came on when I was coming back home and when I went to pick my husband up from work and was stopped at a stop sign the lights came back on”
InvestigationDP22003 Opened 2022-09-12 · closed 2023-12-12
Loss of Motive Power
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…
InvestigationEA19001 Opened 2019-04-19 · closed 2024-09-19
Electrical overstress
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect. During the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2019 Kia Optima as of
July 20, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.