VehicleVerdict

2007 Kia Optima engine problems

The 2007 Kia Optima has 20 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 9% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

20

Engine complaints

9%

Share of year

1

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Optima engine complaints by model year650 complaints2001: 27 complaints2002: 11 complaints2003: 9 complaints2004: 14 complaints2005: 6 complaints2006: 16 complaints2007: 20 complaints2008: 23 complaints2009: 16 complaints2010: 11 complaints2011: 260 complaints2012: 416 complaints2013: 650 complaints2014: 291 complaints2015: 645 complaints2016: 445 complaints2017: 168 complaints2018: 141 complaints2019: 87 complaints2020: 99 complaints
Optima engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PROCEEDED TO TURN LEFT WHEN I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AS I PULLED OVER THERE I NOTICED A THICK CLOUD OF BLUE SMOKE OUT OF MY REAR VIEW MIRROR. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AROUND THE TRANSMISSION AND AIRCONDITIONER AREA…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · June 15, 2012 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2007 Kia Optima have?

NHTSA has 20 complaints about the 2007 Kia Optima engine — 9% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.