Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jul 19, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 230 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
8
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
7
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Kia Optima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jul 19, 2026
Crash reported1 injury reported
I was run off the road by a drunk driver I hit a tree at 35MPH MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID MY SEAT BELT LOCK!!!! I NOW HAVE MULTIPLE INJURIES I HAVE BROKEN BONES ALL THROUGHOUT MY FACE!!!!! A SEVERE CONCUSSION!!!!! Any time I call the the customer care center and try and get information or call someone I either get hung up or gave the run around and then hung up on my mother in law has also tried calling and have received the same response this is so unacceptable and unprofessional.
NHTSA ID
11751435
Incident
Jul 14, 2026
Airbags
Filed Nov 26, 2025
Crash reported1 injury reported
I was rearended, all air bags deployed except steeringwheel
NHTSA ID
11701751
Incident
Sep 27, 2025
Airbags
Filed May 22, 2025
Crash reported
The contact called on behalf of his son who owned a 2018 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the front of the vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle that was in front of him whom made a sudden stop. The contact was concerned that the air bags were not deployed. No warning lights was illuminated. A police report was filed. No medical attention was sought, and no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was pronounced totaled at the scene. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer however, received no response. The failure mileage was 96,145.
NHTSA ID
11662673
Incident
May 14, 2025
Mileage
96,145 mi
AirbagsEngine
Filed Sep 26, 2023
Unknown
NHTSA ID
11546598
Incident
Apr 16, 2023
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Nov 25, 2020
Crash reported1 injury reported
I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT AS I WAS DRIVING ON I65 AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK UP
NHTSA ID
11376266
Incident
Nov 20, 2020
Mileage
46,000 mi
AirbagsEngine
Filed Sep 3, 2020
Fire reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE AN UNKNOWN NOISE, THE CONTACT COSTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND CHECK UNDERNEATH AND AROUND THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHERE THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STATED THAT SHE WAS ON A WAY TO TAKEN THE VEHICLE FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE TECHNICIAN HEARD THE NOSE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WAS WOULD NEED TO CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE HE CAN COMPLETE AN OIL CHANGE. THE TECHNICIAN REMOVED THE PROTECTIVE SHIELD UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED OIL WAS ALL OVER AND METAL SHAVING WAS IN THE OIL AROUND THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT IT MAYBE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT CALLED NAPLETON'S MID RIVERS KIA, 4955 VETERANS MEMORIAL PKWY, ST PETERS, MO 63376, AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AND APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AUFFENBERG HYUNDAI, 1300 CENTRAL PARK DR, O'FALLON, IL 62269, AND THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD SEND AND ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED YET. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING ELECTRIC SHACK FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AND THAT THE ACCELERATOR WAS LOSING PRESSURE AND THAT SMOKE WAS COMING THROUGH THE VENT OF THE CABIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,573.
NHTSA ID
11353033
Incident
Aug 29, 2020
Mileage
27,573 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 5, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported
ON NOVEMBER 18, 2019 @ 6:38 PM IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA ON 59TH AVE HEADING WEST I WAS IN A VERY TERRIBLE CAR COLLISION WHERE I WAS AT A STAND STILL AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS REAR ENDED BY A TOYOTA TACOMA GOING 45-60 MPH, UPON IMPACT I WAS FORCED FORWARD AND HIT THE BACK OF A FLAT BED TOW TRUCK AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT.
NHTSA ID
11287036
Incident
Nov 18, 2019
Mileage
66,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureBrakes
Filed Nov 21, 2018
Crash reported1 injury reported
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, SLID ON WATER AND CRASHED INTO A STEEL POLE. THE BREAKS DID NOT WORK AT ALL AND WHEN I GOT OUT TO LOOK AT THE DAMAGE THE BREAK PADS WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET LIKE THEY HAD JUST FALL OFF. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY FRIEND'S HEAD CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD. CAR WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA ID
11153087
Incident
Oct 12, 2018
Mileage
7,418 mi
Airbags
Filed Aug 24, 2018
Crash reported2 injuries reported
TL* THE CONTACTS DAUGHTER WAS A PASSENGER IN A 2018 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE FRONTAL DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER AND THE DRIVER WERE INJURED AND TREATED AT A HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ID
11122109
Incident
Jun 4, 2018
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own