Worst 2010 Kia Optima Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Transmission / Drivetrain
Airbags
Electrical Faults
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Kia Optima.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 24 | 1 | — | 70,506 mi | |
| Airbags | 16 | 5 | — | 66,670 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 13 | — | — | 62,930 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 9 | — | — | 73,250 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 6 | 1 | — | 86,000 mi | |
| Brakes | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Latches / Locks | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Child Seat | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility:Windshield | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2010 Kia Optima. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2010 Kia Optima
1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~980,377 vehicles.
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.
Other Kia Optima Years
2010 Kia Optima — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2010 Kia Optima reliable?
What are common problems with the 2010 Kia Optima?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2010 Kia Optima?
How safe is the 2010 Kia Optima?
Does the 2010 Kia Optima have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2010 Kia Optima?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Kia Optima reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2010 Kia Optima
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