2016 Kia Optima Airbags Problems

UNKNOWN THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN THE CAR HIT OTHER DRIVER FROM BEHIND.

NHTSA ID

11738585

Incident

May 9, 2026

Dashboard shows a crack right where the passenger airbag is and Kia Motors wont change it, also the paint is flaking and noticed other Kia models with that same paint scheme that’s peeling off.

NHTSA ID

11682167

Incident

Aug 1, 2023

I have pictures

NHTSA ID

11678323

Incident

Apr 4, 2025

There is a clean slit on my dashboard where the passenger airbags are it’s started to form a complete square around the air bag placement and I’m worried it might have a problem with the airbags and its not just cosmetic. When I googled the issue there are tons of kia drivers with the same clean sit appearing over the passenger air bag. I contacted Kia dealership and they said I’d have to pay for a diagnostic fee to determine if it’s a problem but there’s clearly a problem with the 2016 kia so I’m sure all of us owners would appreciate it being recalled

NHTSA ID

11650603

Incident

Mar 25, 2025

The dashboard has a crack around the edge of the passenger airbag. I am trying to find out if this is a safety issue for airbag deployment.

NHTSA ID

11597688

Incident

May 1, 2024

I got into a frontal car accident the other car hit the front of my vehicle and no airbags deployed. I’ve researched today and seen people are having many issues with airbags on this vehicle and that there were many recalls regarding airbags from years ago. I was never informed of any issues with any of that when I got this vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11555648

Incident

Nov 14, 2023

Crack in dash along outline of airbag. Burns oil so it has to be refilled monthly Now mechanic says compression and combustion are problems Can’t get into Kia until February when warranty will probably be expired

NHTSA ID

11540503

Incident

Aug 1, 2023

A straight line crack about 4 inches long appeared suddenly on my dash. The crack is directly over the dash mounted airbag. The car has been parked in my garage since I bought it new in 2016. In addition, my work location has an employee garage so it is hardly parked out in direct sun. It is in mint condition. I took the vehicle to the local KIA dealer and they said it was not covered by the warranty. My concern is that the crack may impede the deployment of the airbag in a critical situation. I feel it should be investigated because there are a lot of exact same complains on the internet concerning a crack at the same location.

NHTSA ID

11536627

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

I have a 2016 Kia Optima within the 2nd year all my window motors fail within a 6 month timeframe. My car in the 4th year started to burn oil quickly the oil light would not appear until I begin to hear a knocking sound. Also, in the 4th year of having my car there has been cracking in my passenger side (I think it is where the airbag is located). All of the areas could put my life in some type of danger or a family member if KIA doesn't see fit to remedy these areas. In 2018, my warranty was out and I didn't know until I received my bill the service person didn't advise me of this issue. So, I ended up paying $700 for a battery installment when I advised him that it was the issue, he insisted I get a diagnosis done.

NHTSA ID

11488044

Incident

Oct 5, 2022

Suddenly, the warning lights on my dashboard resembled that of a christmas tree. I was seeing warning lights for the passenger airbag, blind spot warning/assist, auto-hold, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, etc - were all suddenly offline. After finally getting an appointment scheduled with my local dealership, I was told that the airbag module had gone bad and needed replaced. With that module out, the car could not communicate with the other systems and thus was the cause of the errors/warning lights.

NHTSA ID

11449418

Incident

Oct 1, 2021

Air bag light came on after I also began having issues with blind spot detection warning lights. ABS lights on as well. Took vehicle to Kia Dealer in Gainesville GA and they told me it was the left rear wheel sensor. Wanted $800 to repair ( no longer under warranty). Took vehicle to my mechanic, who ordered the part and replaced sensor. ABS lights & BSD lights went off for almost 2 weeks, then came back on. Air bag light has not gone off.

NHTSA ID

11437036

Incident

Sep 1, 2021

A straight line crack about 4 inches long appeared suddenly on my dash. Upon doing some online research, I found that the crack is directly over the dash mounted airbag. I took the vehicle to the local KIA dealer and they said it was not covered by the warranty. My concern is that the crack may impede the deployment of the airbag in a critical situation. I feel it should be investigated because there are a lot of exact same complains on the internet concerning a crack at the same location.

NHTSA ID

11432962

Incident

Sep 14, 2021

I WAS GOING WEST ON 210 IN REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA APPROXIMATELY AT 6:15 P.M. WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED BY A 2015 TOYOTA CAMRY. HIS RIGHT FRONT FENDER RAN INTO MY LEFT BACK FENDER CAUSING ME TO SPEND AND SETTLE ON THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. THE SIDE DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOYED THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DID NOT. MY CAR WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ID

11298501

Incident

Jan 8, 2020

Mileage

50,800 mi

I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR A MONTH AGO AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK IN IT AS A LYFT DRIVER BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN I'VE DROVE IT IT MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE AND I'M NOT SAFE IN THE VEHICLE I DID A HISTORY CHECK ON IT AND COME TO FIND OUT THEIR ARE A BUNCH OF RECALLS ON IT CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE?I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND HIGHWAYS.

NHTSA ID

11219131

Incident

May 19, 2019

AS I BEGAN CROSSING THE INTERSECTION (HIGHWAY) I ENDED UP GETTING T- BONED HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BY A PICKUP. HE WAS SPEEDING GOING ROUGHLY 60MPH IN A 45MPH ZONE MY KIA OPTIMA SUSTAINED PASSENGER SIDE/ AND FRONTAL IMPACT DAMAGE. THE IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT SENT ME SKIDDING ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND NONE OF MY FRONTAL AIRBAGS ACTIVATED NOR DID THE SEATBELT LOCK UP. THIS LEAD ME TO SUSTAIN HEAVY CHEST INJURIES FROM THE IMPACT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO THE CAR COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE STAYED RUNNING UNTIL EMT DISCONNECTED THE POWER TO IT.

NHTSA ID

11184995

Incident

Mar 6, 2019

Mileage

60,000 mi

I WAS INVOLVED UN A REAR END COLLISION. I WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND WHILE STOPPED @ A TRAFFIC LIGHT. SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE REAR END OF THE CAR. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FROM THE IMPACT. I ENDED UP HITTING MY HEAD VERY HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED @ ALL FROM THE COLLISION.

NHTSA ID

11173769

Incident

Jan 31, 2019

Mileage

61,000 mi

A CAR ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 25, 2016 IN WHICH THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURIES. KIA WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THAT A ACCIDENT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN A NEW VEHICLE THAT WAS PURCHASED, AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, ALTHOUGH IT HAD PASSED THE INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER WARRANTY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED A FEW MONTHS PRIOR. KIA FAILED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, ALTHOUGH INDICATING THEY WOULD SEND AN INSPECTOR OUT TO CHECK THE VEHICLE. LATER IT WAS INDICATED THE VEHICLE HAD 2 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH IT (#1. 16V7050000 AND #2. 16V231000), HOWEVER, KIA FAILED TO HONOR THE RECALLS OR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FAILING TO PROPERLY INFORM OF THE DEFECTS. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REACH SOMEONE AT KIA TO RESOLVE THE MATTER, BUT EACH TIME A DIFFERENT REPRESENTATIVE INDICATED MR. GUSTAVIO VALILA WAS THE PERSON HANDLING THE MATTER AND WOULD RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER. VOICE MAILS WERE LEFT UNRETURNED AND EMAILS WERE SENT, HOWEVER, MR. VALILA COULD NOT BE REACHED. A YEAR LATER A REPRESENTATIVE RESPONDED INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT MEANT TO DEPLOY AND THAT THE COMPANY WAS SORRY FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCE AND SITUATION. THE COMPANY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE OR RESPOND TO THE PREVIOUS RECALLS THAT WERE NOT HONORED, NOR DID THE COMPANY CORRECT OR RESOLVE THE CONCERNS OR MAKE AN EFFORT TO ASSIST OR PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THE INJURIES SUSTAINED DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING. DUE TO THE ACCIDENT AND INJURIES SUSTAINED DURING THE ACCIDENT THE DRIVER DIED A WEEK LATER. KIA WAS INFORMED OF EVERYTHING, ALONG WITH RECEIVING PHOTOS AND PAPERWORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCIDENT (THAT A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE COMPANY REQUESTED), AND HAS STILL CHOSEN TO ACCEPT NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SITUATION OR DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THE PREVIOUS MATTER / CONCERNS...*BF *TT

NHTSA ID

11100768

Incident

Sep 25, 2016

Mileage

4,000 mi

ONE CAR HEAD ON CRASH. PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER HAD MANY INJURIES RIGHT SIDE. HAPPENED IN CONSTRUCTION ZONE ON A HIGHWAY, IN MISSOURI.

NHTSA ID

11084464

Incident

Jul 19, 2017

Mileage

8,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 49 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS DETACHED FROM THE HINGE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE INJURIES SUSTAINED BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DEEMED THE VEHICLE DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT NOT TO LET ANYONE VIEW THE VEHICLE BECAUSE AN INVESTIGATOR WOULD BE SENT TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ID

11066481

Incident

Nov 14, 2017

Mileage

42,000 mi

I GOT CAR ACCDINET AND THREE AIRBAG JUST POP OUT SO THAT MEANT NEED REPLACE?

NHTSA ID

11039683

Incident

Oct 9, 2017

Mileage

1 mi

TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED OVER A POCKET OF WATER. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED FACIAL INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING LOT, AND WAS LATER TOWED TO ENTERPRISE CAR RENTAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,202. *LN *TR

NHTSA ID

11019598

Incident

Aug 7, 2017

Mileage

34,202 mi

WAS HIT HEAD ON BY A SLIDING VEHICLE WITH BALD TIRES. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD US IN PLACE.WE WERE DOING ABOUT 15 MI.PER HOUR OR LESS ON A MT PASS BECAUSE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS DOING ABOUT 45 MI. PER HOUR OR MORE WHEN HIT US. HIGHWAY PATROL INVESTIGATED ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

10944457

Incident

Jan 8, 2017

Mileage

22,960 mi

I WAS INVOLVE IN A BAD ACCIDENT WITH 10K IN FRONT END DAMAGE AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HALF OF THE AIR BAG SENSOR CAME APART IN THE DAMAGE

NHTSA ID

10837282

Incident

Jan 28, 2016

Mileage

800 mi