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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2007 Kia Optima Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2007 Kia Optima has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 167 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2007 Kia Optima, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2007 Kia Optima owner complaints

Owners have filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about the 2007 Kia Optima, describing incidents dated April 13, 2007 to June 1, 2026.

Most-cited components

  • Air Bags 65 complaints
  • Visibility/Wiper 33 complaints
  • Exterior Lighting 27 complaints
  • Engine 20 complaints
  • Electrical System 14 complaints
  • Power Train 13 complaints

Of the 167 complaints on file, 11 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 167 complaints, owners report 6 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11760054 · Filed

    The contact owns a 2007 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving, the airbag warning light remained illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V014000 (Air Bags); however, the contact stated…

  • ODI #11677745 · Filed

    After adding oil..Car stopped while driving…Smoke and Fire occurred.. Now engine will not start.. 2 Mechanics Stated “Engine needs to Be Replaced”… A/C Front Blower Doesn’t Work Console Has a Short and Doesn’t Work

  • ODI #11618621 · Filed

    My headlights are preventing me from passing motor vehicle inspection low beam are on doesn't look like their on so I have to drive with high beams and with that no one flashes me. Because all four are on but u can't tell if the low ones on it looks like I just have my parking lights on.

Read all 167 complaints

Owner-reported

2007 Kia Optima mileage at failure

128 of the 167 complaints on file for the 2007 Kia Optima give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Air BagsMedian 75,000 milesMiddle half 40,000–105,000 milesBased on 46 complaints
Visibility/WiperMedian 65,000 milesMiddle half 45,000–85,000 milesBased on 30 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2007 Kia Optima in 3 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY

NHTSA #12V014000 · Air Bags — Frontal · NHTSA notice

Reported January 17, 2012 · KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

Potentially affected: 145,755 vehicles

Kia campaign SC094 · Owners notified July 11, 2012 · Vehicles built September 29, 2005 – January 29, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JANUARY 29, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 KIA RONDO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 13, 2006, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2008. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) MAY BECOME DAMAGED THROUGH USAGE OVER TIME. IF THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY BECOMES DAMAGED, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL EXPERIENCE A HIGH RESISTANCE CONDITION POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY.

Safety consequence

IF THE CLOCK SPRING DEVELOPS HIGH RESISTANCE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.

Manufacturer remedy

KIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Notes

KIA'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS SC094.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE INSPECTION

NHTSA #11V153000 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Lever and Linkage — Column Shift · NHTSA notice

Reported March 9, 2011 · KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

Potentially affected: 70,115 vehicles

Kia campaign SC088 · Owners notified March 23, 2011 · Vehicles built September 29, 2005 – June 13, 2007 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JUNE 13, 2007. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SHIFT CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, CAUSING TENSION IN THE CABLE. IF PRESENT, THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE CABLE TO DETACH FROM THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY'S DOWEL PIN PREVENTING THE TRANSMISSION FROM BEING SHIFTED. THE SHIFT LEVER CAN THEN BE MOVED INTO THE PARK (P) POSITION WHILE THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION IS STILL IN THE LAST USED GEAR BEFORE DETACHMENT.

Safety consequence

IF THE DRIVER LEAVES THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE VEHICLE CAN ROLL INJURE A PERSON IN ITS PATH OR CAUSE A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SHIFT CABLE AND REINSTALL IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 23, 2011. OWNER MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Notes

KIA'S SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS SC088.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

Other Kia Optima model years

Check your 2007 Kia Optima VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Optima at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Kia VIN