2016 Kia Optima Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
White paint is chipping away excessively
The body paint is cracking and falling down. Since five years ago this problem started.
My paint has begun bubbling up and feeling out of nowhere. I’ve always taken good care of my car yet spots are beginning to pop up along the passanger side. The paint continues to peel more as time goes on. I’ve found many complaints online of people saying they’ve had the same issue with their kia in the Snow White Pearl color I have, but there’s no recall and kia refuses to pay for it.
paint peeling, chipping, and bubbling.
The antenna fin flew off while I was driving on the highway.
While driving on the highway, the roof antenna assembly flew off our car. Inspection of the area shows that the screws that were supposed to hold the antenna on had all become sheared off. It looks like there is a recall for this exact issue covering 2016 Kia Optimas produced through June 1, 2016 (SA272), but our Optima was produced on June 23, 2016 and is therefore not covered according to Kia.
I bought this car with just under 48k miles September 2023, it had a very small chip on the bumper that I assumed was from a rock. After driving this car for a while, I noticed that chip got bigger and eventually other parts of my bumper and hood started bubbling and chipping as well.90% of my bumper is now lacking paint and it’s starting to chip on my hood more. I’ve only driven it an additional 12k miles since I’ve bought it. Auto body shops are saying it’s delaminating and it’s common in this color.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving in a heavy rainstorm, the vehicle experienced water intrusion causing the sub frame undercarriage to become damaged and unsecured. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 14,000.
Window regulator replacement
Pearl White paint on hood is flaking/delaminating.
Three of the four windows stoped rolling up at the same time. One or two days apart to each other, the 4th one I’m not going to rolling down, it may stop working too.
The paint is peeling or delaminating from the car. It is happening in many places. The paint is Snow White Pearl. The car now has about 110,000 miles. The paint warranted for only for 36 months. But it is obvious that this is a quality issue and latent defect. The paint shop says he has seen this a lot with Kias. The paint is not sticking to the primer. I keep hoping there will be a recall on the paint. Even the dealer says it is a problem but Kia corp will not pay to fix the cars with this issue.
The trunk latch stopped working won’t lock
I have a 2016 Kia Optima Pearl White and the paint on the hood just started peeling! It looks awful. What should I do to get this problem fixed?
WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO THE CAR WASH, AS SOON AS I PULLED IN, I HEARD A SOUND THAT DIDN'T SOUND THE BEST. ONCE I GOT TO THE END OF IT, WHEN THE AIR WAS BLOWING OFF MY CAR, I SAW SOMETHING FLY OFF MY CAR. THIS WAS MY MANUFACTURE FIN SHARK ANTENNA THAT HAD SOME HOW BROKE OFF. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I HAVE DISCOVER THIS COMMON OCCURRENCE WITHIN THIS VEHICLE. BOTH, MOST COMMONLY WHILE IN CAR WASHES AND WHILE DRIVING. SO, IT THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE INSPECTED AND RECALLED, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
THE ANTENNA COVER ON MY CAR FLEW OFF ON THE HIGHWAY. I'VE NOTICED AS I WASH(HANDWASH ONLY) WHEN I WIPE AROUND THE ANTENNA IT MOVES. THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD, BUT ASSUMED IT WAS NORMAL. I WAS DRIVING BACK TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY(03/17/21) THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT(65MPH)WHEN A TRACTOR-TRAILER PASSED ME CAUSING A WIND GUSH. I HEARD SOMETHING HIT THE HOOD OF MY CAR. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK, I SAW THAT THE ANTENNA COVER WAS COMPLETELY GONE. NOTICED THE PLASTIC AROUND THE MOUNTING SCREWS WERE ALL BROKEN OFF PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY. I WENT ON THE INTERNET TO FIND A REPLACEMENT ANTENNA. I FOUND A GROUP CHAT WITH MANY KIA OWNERS COMPLAINING OF THE EXACT ISSUE. ONE OWNER POSTED A TSB(SA272) FOR 2016 KIA OPTIMA BEING RECALLED FOR DEFECTS IN THE ANTENNA FIN ASSEMBLY FOR SCREWS LOOSENING OR BREAKING. THE BULLETIN STATED THAT OWNERS OF SAID KIA OPTIMA COULD BRING THE VEHICLE TO A KIA DEALERSHIP AND THE ANTENNA WOULD BE REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE BY KIA MOTORS FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I CALLED TWO KIA DEALERSHIP AND LATER KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE. THE CSR SAID THAT SHE DID NOT PULL UP A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I GAVE HER THE TSB NUMBER. A POSTER SAID HIS KIA DEALERSHIP REPLACED HIS 2016 KIA OPTIMA BROKEN ANTENNA WITHOUT CHARGE. THE CSR SAID THAT YOUR ORGANIZATION WOULD HAVE TO INITIATE/ORDER THE RECALL AND LIST MY MODEL OF THE 2016 KIA OPTIMA IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ANTENNA AT NO COST. I HAVE THE EXPENSIVE MODEL, THE 2016 KIA OPTIMA(SXL TURBO) W/TECHNOLGY PACKAGE WHY WASN'T MY 2016 MODEL NOT LISTED WITH THE OTHER 2016 KIA OPTIMA? THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT COSTS OVER $500 TO REPLACE THE ANTENNA. SAID THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED. A CHEAP PLASTIC ANTENNA COVER FOR $600? YOUR QUICK REPLY AND SOLUTION TO RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS ISSUE WITH KIA ANTENNA WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU [XXX] CELL : [XXX] WORK: [XXX](MON-THU) EMAIL : [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
I BOUGHT MY 2016 PEARL WHITE KIA OPTIMA IN MAY OF 2016. RECENTLY, I NOTICED THE PAINT CHIPPING AND PEELING OFF MY HOOD. IT STARTED OUT THE SIZE OF A PEA BUT NOW IS BIGGER THAN A QUARTER AND CONTINUES TO GET BIGGER BY THE DAY. I NOW HAVE ANOTHER SPOT THAT IS CHIPPING ON THE HOOD DUE FROM HEAVY RAIN THIS PAST WEEK. THE PAINT IS ALSO PEELING OR CHIPPING ON THE ROOF RIGHT ABOVE WHERE THE FRONT WINDSHIELD MEETS. I EXPECT NICKS AND CHIPS FROM DEBRIS WHEN HIT WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED, BUT NOT PAINT PEELING OFF AND CHIPPING WHILE IT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH NO THREAT OF DAMAGE.
REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE FELL OFF, LOOKING ON THE INTERNET THIS SEEMS TO BE A HUGE PROBLEM WITH THIS 2016 KIA OPTIMA AND VEHICLES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. THE PART IS MADE WITH CHEAP PLASTIC. YOU CAN TELL IT IS MADE TO FAIL. I WAS JUST GOING TO LOAD GROCERIES BACK SEAT WHEN HANDLE FELL OFF. NOW CAN NOT USE THAT DOOR.
AS DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR POPPED OPEN (AS NOT FULLY CLOSED) AND THE OPEN DOOR LIGHT APPEARED ON A DASH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING. ONCE DURING NORMAL DRIVING AND ON THE SECOND OCCASION WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE. I ALSO NOTICED WHEN OPENING THE DOOR, IT DOESN'T OPEN AS SMOOTHLY. AS I PULL THE DOOR HANDLE, THE DOOR BASICALLY POPS OPEN AS IF THERE WAS A FORCE PUSHING IT TO OPEN. HAD THE CAR FOR 3 YEARS , NO ACCIDENTS AND THE PROBLEM STARTED TO APPEAR JUST NOW
THE HOOD IS STUCK. THE CABLE SEEMS TO BE STRETCHED. WHEN I DID GET IT OPENED THE CABLE WAS ATTACHED AND COULD SEE IT WORKING BUT IT'S NOT UNLATCHING HOOD. HOOD IS STILL STUCK.
WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR ABOUT 2.5 YEARS. 2 DAYS AGO I TOOK IT THROUGH A TOUCH LESS CAR WASH. TODAY I NOTICED THE ANTENNA COVER/ SHARK FIN IS MISSING. I'M NOT SURE IF IT CAME OFF DURING THE WASH OR WHEN I WAS DRIVING. IT APPEARS THE PLASTIC SCREW HOLES HAVE ALL BROKEN OFF. THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE ANTENNA IS EXPOSED. LOOKS TO BE A BIG FLAW IN MANUFACTURING.
SHARK FIN ANTENNA COVER EASILY COMES LOOSE OR COMPLETELY WHILE HAND WASHING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY WHILE WASHING.
ON MAY 30, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 1200HRS EST, WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. COMPLETE INSPECTION WAS NEGATIVE FOR THE ANY EXTERIOR DEBRIS AS CAUSE. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY. PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2016 Kia Optima has 23 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.