KiaOptima Hybrid2016Overview/kia/optima-hybrid/2016/base/

2016 Kia Optima Hybrid

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Optima Hybrid.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (AM6)

The 2016 Kia Optima Hybrid is a passenger car pairing its gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain with an automatic (AM6) transmission, delivering EPA fuel economy of 35 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined. With just four owner complaints on record and zero recalls, this model year ranks among the quieter entries in the Optima Hybrid's 2011–2020 complaint history, well before the 2019 peak of 201 complaints. Those few complaints cluster in the power train, electrical system, and engine categories—the same areas that dominate the model's broader history—suggesting 2016 owners have experienced relatively trouble-free early ownership while still touching the model's known trouble spots.

Model year20182017201620152014201320122011

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy35/38/37 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 760 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 48 · 760 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215/55R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AM6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length191.3 in
Overall width73.2 in
Overall height57.9 in
Wheelbase110.6 in
Curb weight3225 lb
Track (front / rear)62.2 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined35 / 38 / 37 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume102 cu ft
Cargo volume11 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid75W-85 · GL-4
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.5-8.5
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity6.9
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity7.4

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts36
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts22.0-33.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)530-730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)540-740 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)540-740 rpm
Ignition Timing2 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance10 degrees
Ignition Timing6 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance10 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.38-1.50 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.05-3.71 oz
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance760 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)72-73 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)48-51 psi
Engine Compressionpsi 135-156 / max variation 15 psi
Engine Compressionpsi 171-192 max variation 15 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.0067-0.0090 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0126-0.0150 in
Intake Valve Lash0.0067-0.0090 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0106-0.0129 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront or rear: 16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 47-
ABS Sensor Torque6
Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt Torque58-72
Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 47-
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Do not allow oil on cylinder head bolts. Apply Loctite 5900H or equivalent on the front edge of the cylinder head gasket. Both the upside and the down side. Assembly of the cylinder head must be completed within five minutes of applying the liquid gasket compound.

124.0-27.0 ft. lbs.24–27 ft. lbs
290 degrees-95 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees-95 degrees90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 3,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 3,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Intake Duct (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 37,500 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2016 Kia Optima Hybrid sits at the absolute nadir of a downward trend in federal complaints, dropping steadily from a high of 107 complaints in 2012 to just 4 complaints in 2016. With zero recalls and a reduced count of 96 technical service bulletins, the 2016 model represents the most stable point within the generation's early-to-mid lifecycle arc. However, this trough precedes a dramatic resurgence in issues, as complaints spiked to 25 in 2017 and surged to a generation-worst 201 in 2019; the data does not specify whether these later failures are linked to the 2016 model's scattered complaints regarding the powertrain, electrical system, engine, and exterior lighting, or its single reported fire incident. Because the 2016 model year reflects the lowest complaint volume and zero recalls in the generation's immediate arc, it implies that early-production bugs were successfully ironed out before later-generation faults emerged. Consequently, the 2016 Optima Hybrid stands as a comparatively good year to buy used, offering the lowest statistical risk within this generation's volatile federal record.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
96
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
4
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 4 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Power Train,Electrical System,Engine1
Exterior Lighting1
Engine1
Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 96 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PI2104_OWNR_5012026-03-18Electrical SystemPRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2104 FLIGHT 501) - This document is…
PS7972025-12-09Back Over PreventionPITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop…
PI2104_OWNR_4012025-07-15Electrical SystemPRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2104) - This document is the owner…
TSB_TRA046_R52025-04-17Power TrainTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been…
SC269_OWNR_3012025-03-25Electrical SystemVOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC269) - This document is the owner…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Optima Hybrid. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Optima Hybrid have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Optima Hybrid get?

EPA figures are 35 city / 38 highway / 37 combined mpg.