2010 Kia Optima: raw data

Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.

vehicle	2010 / kia / optima
known issues	6 clusters (reviewed 2026-09-07)
complaints	75 on file (2010-06-03 → 2026-03-07)
recalls	1
investigations	2
fars	37 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
indexed	yes
license	CC BY 4.0 (derived)

Known Issues clusters all years →

Hard downshift and lurch near 20 mphPOWER TRAIN26 complaints2012-02 → 2022-02kia-optima-2010-hard-downshift-lurch

11452917 The car lurches or jerks when slowing down or stopping at about 20 mph . Lurch or jerking is enough to jerk to the driver . Has anyone got answer to why the Kia Optima 2010 does this
10661821 WHILE DECELERATING, EITHER BRAKING OR COASTING, THE CAR WILL LURCH VIOLENTLY WHEN REACHING APPROXIMATELY 22 MPH. THE SEVERITY OF THE LURCH VARIES BUT IN MOST INSTANCES IT IS HARD ENOUGH TO SNAP MY NECK FORWARD. *JS
10503776 VEHICLE KICKS FROM SECOND GEAR TO FIRST GEAR WHEN SLOWING DOWN FROM 20MPH. *TR

Power door lock failureELECTRICAL SYSTEM9 complaints2013-04 → 2017-04kia-optima-2010-power-door-lock-failure

10861988 POWER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT WORK AT TIMES BOTH INSIDE AND WITH THE REMOTE PREVENTING ALL ABILITY TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IS AT A STOP BOTH WHILE RUNNING AND NOT RUNNING
10759089 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOUR POWER DOOR LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK WHEN ACCESSING WITH THE KEY FOB, AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS, OR MANUALLY
10638485 OUR VEHICLE STARTED ONLY UNLOCKING THE 3 PASSENGER SIDE DOORS, WHEN USING THE KEYFOB TO UNLOCK. THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL STAY LOCKED AND YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK VEHICLE WITH KEY

Engine seizure and rod-bearing knockENGINE5 complaints2021-03 → 2026-03kia-optima-2010-engine-seizure-rod-knock

11722673 The engine on my 2010 Kia Optima suddenly seized without warning around 150,000 miles. The vehicle had no knocking sounds or warning signs prior to failure. A mechanic diagnosed the vehicle with a seized engine
11483785 Rod bearing knocking noise. Vehicle stopped running when slowing down. Car is available for inspection. No warning lights come on
11466668 At 134000 miles car got a knock on interstate. 5 miles to next exit a loud bang. Then the knock went to a loud loud bang. Pulled over to find rod thru block

Airbag warning light and occupant sensor replacementAIR BAGS10 complaints2012-10 → 2020-06kia-optima-2010-airbag-warning-light-sensor

11331104 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED
11079104 THE PASSAGE SEAT AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON STEADY CODE STORED B1448 OCS MAT IS DEFECTIVE CAR WAS PARKED IN YARD
10731880 NOTICED AN AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON ON THE DASH. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR HAD FAILED AND THE COST TO REPAIR WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $1800. REPAIR WAS NOT PERFORMED

Airbag non-deployment in collisionAIR BAGS6 complaints2010-06 → 2018-07kia-optima-2010-airbag-nondeployment-crash

11112204 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE DRIVER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS IT INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE
10562773 TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES
10497669 THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 1 CAR ACCIDENT WHERE IT WENT OFF THE ROAD, INTO THE DITCH AND ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BUT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED

Engine stall while drivingENGINE4 complaints2016-04 → 2025-03kia-optima-2010-engine-stall-while-driving

11646102 1.We were driving and the car just cut off. Not from the lack of fuel but cut off in the middle of traffic. (Available for inspection) 2.The car stopping in traffic running about 65 mph causes the safety of all on the highway
11195570 DRIVING CAR JUST SHUT OFF IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON RD AVERAGE SPEED 40 NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON RESTARTED STALLED ALL THE WAY HOME AND HUGE KNOCKING SOUND
10861976 WHILE DRIVING HOME ONE DAY IN DECEMBER 2015, EACH TIME I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT, YIELD SIGN OR SLOWED TO A LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 15 MPH), MY VEHICLE WOULD SHUT-OFF MULTIPLE TIMES

NHTSA complaints (summary) all years →

count	earliest_date	latest_date	crash_flagged	fire_flagged	top_components
75	2010-06-03	2026-03-07	7	2	POWER TRAIN:24; AIR BAGS:17; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:13; ENGINE:9; VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:6

Recalls all years →

campaign_number	report_received_date	component	summary	consequence	remedy
13V114000	01/04/2013	EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH	Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.	Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.	Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Investigations all years →

action_number	status	subject	components	opened	closed	recall_campaign	summary
DP21003	closed	Throttle control system vulnerabilities	VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:THROTTLE	2021-11-12	2023-06-20	·	The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can b
DP22003	closed	Loss of Motive Power	ENGINE	2022-09-12	2023-12-12	·	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 indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complain

FARS occupant deaths all years →

crash_years	occupant_deaths	match_type	vpic_recovered
2010-2024	37	legacy-code	0

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.

Cite this

Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.

Wrench.Pro (2026). 2010 Kia Optima vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2010/kia/optima

@misc{wrenchpro_2010_kia_optima_2026,
  author = {Wrench.Pro},
  title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2010 Kia Optima},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2010/kia/optima}},
  note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}

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