NHTSA campaign 18V161000 · Kia campaign SC162
Kia Recall 18V-161: Voltage Protection Device may Activate
NHTSA recall 18V161000 (Kia campaign SC162) was reported by Kia Motors America on March 8, 2018, with 1,710 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Kia Optima for model years 2017–2018. Owners were notified on May 3, 2018, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 18V161000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Kia VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 18V161000 (also written 18V-161 or 18V161)
- Filed by
- Kia Motors America
- Kia campaign number
- SC162
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 1,710 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Hybrid Propulsion System
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 81.71% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 18V161000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Kia
All Kia recallsNHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 18V161000.
Defect description
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.
Safety consequence
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.
Manufacturer 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.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 18V161000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.