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critical Owners of the 2016 Kia Optima have filed 19 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 Optima | 31 |
| 2013 Optima | 49 |
| 2014 Optima | 11 |
| 2015 Optima | 22 |
| 2016 Optima (this page) | 19 |
| 2018 Optima | 9 |
| 2019 Optima | 12 |
| 2020 Optima | 6 |
All 2 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not inflate fully increases the risk of injury.
If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
"VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN: DRIVERS FRONTAL AIRBAG MODULE REPLACEMENT (SC131) - THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES THE PROCEDURE TO REPLACE THE DRIVERS FRONTAL AIRBAG MODULE OF SEVENTEEN (17) 2016 MY OPTIMA VEHICLES, PRODUCED FROM NOVEMBER 10, 2015 THROUGH FEBRUARY 12, 2016. A SECONDARY CHEMICAL ENHANCER REQUIRED FOR THE PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF SECOND-STAGE FRONTAL AIRBAG WAS NOT LOADED DURING THE AIRBAG INFLATOR BUILD AT THE SUPPLIER. AS A RESULT, THE SECOND STAGE OF THE DRIVERS FRONTAL AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH THAT TRIGGERS THE SECOND-STAGE DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVERS FRONTAL AIRBAG. TO CORRECT THIS CONDITION, KIA IS REQUESTING THE COMPLETION OF THIS VOLUNTARY
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners report airbags failed to deploy in frontal, rear-end, and head-on collisions at impact speeds of 15–49 mph, with some incidents resulting in serious injury. One fatal case involved an owner filing recall numbers (16V7050000, 16V231000) and claiming the manufacturer refused to honor them. Several owners sustained facial, head, and torso injuries when airbags did not cushion impact, and at least one accident resulted in a fatality. In one rear-end collision at 49 mph, the passenger seat detached from its hinge while airbags failed to deploy simultaneously.
A separate, widespread issue involves spontaneous dashboard cracking directly above or along the outline of airbag modules—approximately 4-inch straight-line cracks on driver and passenger sides that owners report seeing in online forums across the model population. Owners note vehicles were stored in climate-controlled garages with minimal sun exposure when cracks appeared, and dealers have refused warranty coverage, claiming the damage falls outside warranty or demanding diagnostic fees without confirming any safety impact.
One owner reported complete airbag module electrical failure that disabled multiple dependent safety systems (blind spot warning, auto-hold, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking) simultaneously. The cascading system failure required module replacement.
Same Kia Optima airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2019
Airbags failed to deploy or partially deployed in multiple collision scenarios (frontal, rear-end, head-on impacts). Owners reported crash impacts ranging from 15–49 mph with no or incomplete airbag response despite impact severity, resulting in serious injuries.
When: During collisions at various mileages; one reported at 42,000 miles, another at 34,202 miles
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment in frontal collisions; No airbag deployment in rear-end collisions; Partial airbag deployment (steering wheel deployed but not front passenger; side curtain failed); Airbag sensor separation upon impact damage
Codes mentioned: 16V7050000, 16V231000
Repairs/costs cited: Recalls issued (16V7050000, 16V231000) but owners report manufacturer failed to honor or perform recalls. One vehicle was sent to independent mechanic and deemed destroyed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recalls 16V7050000 and 16V231000 issued; however, owner allegations include manufacturer refusal to honor recalls, failure to inform owners of defects, and claim that airbag 'was not meant to deploy' in one fatal case.
Straight-line cracks (approximately 4 inches long) appearing spontaneously on the dashboard directly above or along the outline of both driver and passenger airbag modules. Cracks described as clean slits forming squares around airbag placement. Owners report the vehicle stored in garage with minimal sun exposure, yet cracks appeared suddenly.
When: Multiple reports on vehicles purchased new in 2016; cracks appeared after purchase with no specific mileage correlation
Symptoms owners cite: 4-inch straight-line crack on dashboard above driver airbag; Clean slit on dashboard along passenger airbag outline forming square pattern; Cracks appear spontaneously despite vehicle storage in garage; Multiple identical complaints across owner forums
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers refused warranty coverage for crack repair, quoting warranty exclusion. One owner reported dealership demanded diagnostic fee without confirming if crack affects airbag function.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls issued for dashboard cracking. Dealers declined warranty coverage citing non-warranty condition.
Airbag control module malfunction disabling the airbag system and cascading failures across multiple vehicle safety and driver-assistance systems. Owner reported replacement was necessary.
When: Occurred at unspecified mileage
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple warning lights illuminating simultaneously (passenger airbag warning, blind spot warning, auto-hold, adaptive cruise, AEB, lane departure); Loss of communication between airbag module and other vehicle systems; Complete system malfunction requiring module replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Airbag module replacement performed at dealership; no cost information provided by owner.
Front passenger seat detached from hinge during rear-end collision while airbags simultaneously failed to deploy. Vehicle sustained $10,000+ in damage and was deemed a total loss.
When: At approximately 42,000 miles during collision
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger seat separation from hinge upon impact; Airbag non-deployment during 49 mph rear-end collision; Multiple injuries to driver and passenger
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to independent mechanic who declared it total loss. Airbag sensor partly separated in collision damage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer instructed owner not to allow vehicle inspection by third parties and dispatched investigator to perform inspection.
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
It's a serious issue. 19 complaints have been filed, including 12 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
Based on the 19 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 31,852 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Yes — 2 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.