Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4 | 3% | 43,000 miles |
| 2019 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2018 | 5 | 2% | 46,000 miles |
| 2017 | 8 | 3% | 15,000 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 0% | 60,000 miles |
| 2015 | 2 | 0% | 62,000 miles |
| 2014 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2013 | 18 | 1% | 90,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 1% | 50,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 0% | 90,000 miles |
| 2010 | 2 | 3% | 71,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 1% | 115,000 miles |
| 2008 | 2 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 2% | 23,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 1% | 96,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 2% | 135,000 miles |
| 2004 | 6 | 3% | 101,000 miles |
| 2003 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2002 | 2 | 2% | 121,000 miles |
| 2001 | 5 | 3% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of New Vehicle Limited Warranty Extension (Illumination of Air Bag Warning Light); however, the part to do the repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The seat belt alarm chimed while the front driver seat belt was buckled. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 42,860.
Stable track control failed to work, the driver seatbelt did not tighten & stayed loose, & air bags did not deploy upon hitting the ditch & small trees resulting after hitting ice/water upon coming to a stop sign at a "T" cross road.
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.
While driving, car in motion, Front Passenger Seat belt Audio Warning Periodically goes off without reason. Indicating seat is occupied & seat belt needs putting on. When seat has been unoccupied / clear from any type of weight on seat to trigger sensor. Audio warning will continue until seat belt is latched over the empty seat. Local KIA Service Dept was informed & could neither confirm or deny its faulty behavior for it did not present itself during time of service. They said, wiring looked fine but did no further testing. To be honest they showed no interest into seeing any real importance for my concern for them to feel any further investigation was warranted. Its happened again twice since that service visit be it last incident Aug 7th. My concern is.... …
Bought this car 10 months ago with 16000 miles on it my enjine light is on car wouldnt start its 2017 kia optima also my passenger seatbelt sign on my dash keeps going off and nobody is in the seat so i have to fasten the seat belt just so it will stop dinging while i drive my front passenger side brakes sound like they are scrubbing when u stop i had mechanic look at it he said he dont see nothing he resurfaced my rotors and its still making that noise
Engine is burning 2 QT of oil every month and burning it in under 1000 miles. Kia dealership says it's a common issue but can't help me until the engine seizes up. The car has less than 85k miles on it. How can this be a common issue but they can't fix it till the engine dies? What if the engine dies out of warranty? Then I'm out 12k for a new engine that will die in 80k miles. This should be a recall.
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Optima years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (18), 2017 (8), 2004 (6), 2001 (5) and 2012 (5) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 1% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Kia Optima seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for any Kia Optima model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Kia Optima seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 77,000 miles; 40% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front (2 mentions), followed by the front › retractor (2).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.