2010 Kia Optima: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 98 complaints
98
Total Complaints
70,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN
Top Issue
11
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

40,000 25th Percentile
70,000 Median Mileage
81,700 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN
23
AIR BAGS
16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
13
ENGINE
9
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
6
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
4
SERVICE BRAKES
4
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
3
STRUCTURE:BODY
2
SEAT BELTS
2

Severity Assessment

11
Crashes
2
Fires
9
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL* THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A RENTED 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN DRIVE, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT IT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE GEAR SHIFT HAD LOCK UP AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR INTO NEUT..."
"TL* THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A RENTED 2010 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN DRIVE, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, BUT IT WOULD NOT RELEASE. THE GEAR SHIFT HAD LOCK UP AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR INTO NEUT..."
"I WAS PARKING MY CAR IN A LOT WHEN IT SURGED FORWARD (ACCELERATED SUDDENLY) WITHOUT MY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, SEVERELY DAMAGING THE OTHER VEHICLE AND MINE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. *TR"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28