Model year 2017 · Large Cars, Midsize Cars

2017 Kia Optima: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2017 Kia Optima at 25–42 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 306 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

25–42

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as OPTIMA HYBRID, OPTIMA PHEV.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2017 Kia Optima recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 4 safety recalls for the 2017 Kia Optima, newest first.

Latches/locks/linkages: Trunk lid: Latch

NHTSA 23V594000 Reported Aug 24, 2023

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC278)
Units affected: 319,436 (estimate)
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Engine

NHTSA 21V844000 Reported Oct 29, 2021

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC218)
Units affected: 10,731 (estimate)
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-In Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which can result in engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC218.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Engine and 1 more component

NHTSA 18V907000 Reported Dec 19, 2018

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC172)
Components: Engine; Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Units affected: 71,653 (estimate)
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Hybrid propulsion system

NHTSA 18V161000 Reported Mar 8, 2018

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC162)
Units affected: 1,710 (estimate)
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Optima hybrid vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with a Voltage Protection Device (VPD), designed to protect the high voltage battery module, that may activate inadvertently.
Risk: If the VPD activates while the vehicle is being operated in Electric Vehicle (EV) mode, there may be a loss of power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will remove the VPD switch and install two newly designed Battery Management Systems (BMS) that contain Overvoltage Protection Devices (OPDs), free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC162.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2017 Kia Optima fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination; electric figures are in MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent). Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2017 Kia Optima EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Electric range	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Optima	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 7-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	28/37/31 mpg	—	$2,150	286
Optima	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	22/31/25 mpg	—	$2,700	360
Optima	2.4L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	24/34/28 mpg	—	$2,400	321
Optima FE	2.4L 4-cyl	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/36/29 mpg	—	$2,300	310
Optima Hybrid	2.0L 4-cyl hybrid	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	39/46/42 mpg	—	$1,600	212
Optima Plug-in Hybrid	2.0L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid	Automatic 6-speed	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular Gas and Electricity / Electricity	38/43/40 mpg 103 MPGe on electricity	29 mi	$1,700	97

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2017 Kia Optima crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2017 Kia Optima NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2017 Kia Optima 4 DR FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	9.8%	Optional
2017 Kia Optima Hybrid 4 DR FWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	9.8%	Optional
2017 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid 4 DR FWD	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	Not rated	—	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2017 Kia Optima owner complaints

Owners have filed 306 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Optima, most recently on Oct 20, 2026. 6 mention a crash, 12 a fire, 8 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2017 Kia Optima complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	192
Unknown or other	41
Electrical system	37
Power train	26
Fuel/propulsion system	22
Exterior lighting	15
Vehicle speed control	14
Steering	12
Service brakes	11
Engine and engine cooling	9

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Kia Optima model years

Kia Optima by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2020 Optima	24–42 mpg	0	153	5/5
2019 Optima	24–41 mpg	1	213	5/5
2018 Optima	25–42 mpg	3	244	5/5
2016 Optima	25–37 mpg	5	764	5/5
2015 Optima	24–37 mpg	4	1,020	5/5

All Kia Optima years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2017 Kia models

2017 Kia Cadenza 2017 Kia Forte 2017 Kia K900 2017 Kia Niro 2017 Kia Rio 2017 Kia Sedona 2017 Kia Sorento 2017 Kia Soul 2017 Kia Sportage

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Kia.