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Service bulletins for the 2015 Kia Optima

A bulletin is a manufacturer's communication to its dealers, as NHTSA indexes it. The summary is NHTSA's. The document is the manufacturer's: read it at NHTSA. A bulletin is not a recall, and listing a model year does not mean every vehicle of it is concerned.

268 on file from NHTSA, as of 2026-10-19.

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Bulletins, newest first
VPI1802_WTY2018-10-09. Service bulletin. ENGINE. PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN (PI1802) - WARRANTY BULLETIN - KMA launched Product Improvement Campaign PI1802A on July 25, 2018 to perform a software update on certain vehicles with 2.4L GDI engines to alert vehicle drivers at an early stage of bearing wear to prevent severe engine damage.
VPI1802_TSB_R22018-10-09. Service bulletin. ENGINE; EQUIPMENT; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM). PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN (PI1802) - TSB - KNOCK SENSOR DETECTION SYSTEM - ECU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (PI1802) - This bulletin provides information related to a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to install the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) in order to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage.
VPI1802_TSB_R12018-09-10. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. TSB: PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: KNOCK SENSOR DETECTION SYSTEM - ECU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (PI1802) - This bulletin provides information related to a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to install the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) in order to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage. This update is for: * Some 2014MY Optima (TF) vehicles equipped with 2.4L GDI engines, manufactured at KMC from August 29, 2013 through April 25, 2014; * All 2015MY Optima (TF/QF) vehicles equipped with 2.4L GDI and 2.0L Turbocharged GDI (T-GDI) engines; * All 2014-2015MY Sportage (SL) vehicles equipped with 2.4L GDI and 2.0L Turbocharged GDI (T-GDI) engines; * All 2015MY Sorento (XMa) vehicles equipped with 2.4L GDI engines, manufactured from January 3, 2014 through December 11, 2014. The KSDS detects vibrations indicating the onset of excessive connecting rod bearing wear. It is designed to alert the driver at an early stage of bearing wear before the occurrence of severe engine damage, including engine failure. If vibrations caused by bearing wear start to occur, the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) will blink continuously, and the vehicle will be placed in Limp Home Mode. This will reduce further damage to the engine and ensure that the vehicle occupants are not exposed to the risk of a more severe engine failure. At that time, Diagnostic Trouble Code (?DTC?) P1326, specific to the KSDS, will be recorded in the ECU. The vehicle can continue to be operated for a limited time in Limp Home Mode, but it will accelerate slowly and have a reduced maximum speed. Also, engine RPMs will be limited to approximately 1800-2000 RPM. Kia is requesting the completion of this Product Improvement Campaign on all affected vehicles.
VPI1802_OWNER_OP2018-09-10. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: Dear Kia Optima Owner: Kia Motors America, Inc. is conducting an important Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update on some 2014 MY Optima vehicles equipped with 2.4L Gasoline Direct Injection (?GDI?) engines, and all 2015 MY Optima vehicles equipped with 2.4L GDI and 2.0L Turbocharged GDI (?T-GDI?) engines to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage. The update will be done free of charge and will only involve the addition of newly developed computer software for the Engine Control Unit (?ECU?).
TSBTRA0792018-09-10. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN. TSB: SERVICE ACTION: HCU/TCU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P1744 (400 MESH EQUIPPED TRANS) (SA351) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) and the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) on some 2013-2015MY Optima Hybrid (TF HEV) vehicles, produced from September 27, 2012 through September 5, 2014, which may experience a malfunction indicator lamp illumination with DTC P1744. To correct this concern, apply the improved logic to the HCU and TCU using the KDS ECU Upgrade function as described in this bulletin.
TSBTRA068_CLOSED2018-09-10. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; POWER TRAIN. TSB: HCU/TCU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P1744 (400 MESH EQUIPPED TRANSMISSIONS ONLY) - TSB TRA068 CLOSED. REFER TO TSB TRA079/SA351
TSBELE1512018-09-10. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. TSB: BMS LOGIC IMPROVEMENT AFTER HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Battery Management System (BMS) on some 2011-2016MY Optima Hybrid (TF HEV) vehicles, produced from February 15, 2011 through July 22, 2015, to match the new generation high voltage (HV) battery assemblies.
VPI1802_QA2018-08-06. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ENGINE; POWER TRAIN. Q & A - This document is the Q & A for the new Product Improvement Campaign to provide information regarding a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage.
VPI1802_DSM2018-08-06. Service bulletin. ENGINE; POWER TRAIN; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER NOTICE - This notice advised the dealer service manager of the new Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage.
VPI1802_DP2018-08-06. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ENGINE. DEALER PRINCIPAL NOTICE - This notice advised the dealer principal of the new Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage.
PS464_R22018-08-06. Service bulletin. VISIBILITY; LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION. PITSTOP - NO COMMUNICATION WITH BLIND SPOT DETECTION AFTER COLLISION REPAIRS - This Pitstop provides information relating to the vehicles listed below with Blind Spot Detection (BSD), which may exhibit a ?Check BSD System? message and no communication with the BSD system after collision repairs.
TSBELE1472018-06-25. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. TSB - BMS LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P1B70 - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Battery Management System (BMS) on some 2011-2016MY Optima Hybrid (TF HEV) vehicles, produced from February 15, 2011 through July 22, 2015, which may experience a malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination with DTC P1B70 even though there is no actual malfunction.
TSBTRA059_R42018-05-14. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM); POWER TRAIN. TSB - HCU/TCU UPGRADE ? FOR 100MESH SOLENOID - EQUIPPED HYBRID TRANSMISSIONS - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. This bulletin provides information related to a software upgrade of the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) and the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) of some 2011-2016MY Optima Hybrid (TF HEV) after replacement of the transmission with improved 100 mesh solenoids has taken place.
TSBTRA059_R32018-04-16. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN. TSB - HCU/TCU UPGRADE ? FOR 100MESH SOLENOID EQUIPPED HYBRID TRANSMISSIONS - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. This bulletin provides information related to a software upgrade of the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) and the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) of some 2011-2016MY Optima Hybrid (TF HEV) after replacement of the transmission with improved 100 mesh solenoids has taken place. To apply the improved logic, the HCU/TCU should be reprogrammed using the KDS download, as described in this bulletin.
TSBELE129_R22018-04-16. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT. TSB - UVO SOFTWARE UPGRADE - This bulletin has been revised and is no longer a Service Action. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the UVO software on some 2015MY Soul (PS), Sportage (SL), Optima (TF, QF), Forte (YD), and Sorento (XMa) vehicles to incorporate Bluetooth and Voice Recognition improvements.
TSBELE128_R22018-04-16. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT. TSB - AUDIO SOFTWARE UPGRADE - This bulletin has been revised and is no longer a Service Action. This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the audio software on some 2015MY Soul (PS), Sportage (SL), Optima (TF, QF), Forte (YD), and Sorento (XMa) vehicles to incorporate Bluetooth and Voice Recognition improvements.
PS5392018-04-16. Service bulletin. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly cleaned and transferred to the new engine.
TSBTRA047_R22018-03-13. Service bulletin. POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT. TSB - DRIVESHAFT SERVICEABILITY - This bulletin has been revised most recently to include additional information. This bulletin provides information regarding axle shaft serviceability for Kia vehicles equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission.
TSBENG1722018-01-16. Service bulletin. FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE; POWER TRAIN. TSB - SERVICE ACTION: TURBO OIL FEED LINE REPLACEMENT (SA300) - This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the turbo oil feed line on some 2011-2015MY Optima (TF), produced from November 1, 2010 through August 30, 2011, 2012-2015MY Optima (QF), produced from August 31, 2011 through October 2, 2015, and 2011-2015MY Sportage (SL) vehicles, produced from December 30, 2010 through November 6, 2015, equipped with Theta 2.0T-GDI engine, which may exhibit an oil leak at the turbo oil feed line.
TSBELE091R32017-12-22. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. TSB - IDENTIFYING HEAD UNIT SOFTWARE VERSION FOR DIRECT EXCHANGE - This bulletin provides the procedure on how to identify and record the head unit software level on various head unit platforms and generations.
TSBTRA0682017-11-14. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. TSB - HCU/TCU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P1744 (400 MESH EQUIPPED TRANSMISSIONS ONLY) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) on some 2011-2012MY Optima Hybrid (TF HEV), produced from February 15, 2011 through December 28, 2012, and both the Hybrid Control Unit (HCU) and the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) on some 2013-2015MY Optima Hybrid (TF HEV) vehicles, produced from January 15, 2013 through March 27, 2015, which may experience a malfunction indicator lamp illumination with DTC P1744. To correct this concern, apply the improved logic to the HCU only (11-12MY) or HCU and TCU (13-15MY) using the KDS ECU Upgrade function as described in this bulletin. For confirmation that the latest reflash has been applied to a vehicle you are working on, verify the ROM ID using the table on page 3 of this bulletin.
TSBBOD1722017-11-14. Service bulletin. EXTERIOR LIGHTING. TSB - OUTSIDE REAR COMBINATION LAMP WATER INTRUSION - This bulletin provides the procedure to replace the outside rear combination lamp pads on some 2011-2015MY Optima (TF), produced from August 12, 2010 through July 23, 2015, and some 2011-2016MY Optima (TF HEV) vehicles, produced from February 15, 2011 through July 22, 2015, which may exhibit evidence of water intrusion in the outside rear combination lamps.
TSB-ELE091R12017-08-31. Service bulletin. EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. TSB: IDENTIFYING HEAD UNIT SOFTWARE VERSION FOR DIRECT EXCHANGE - Identifying Head Unit Software Version For Direct Exchange (ELE091) (Rev 1) - This bulletin provides the procedure on how to identify and record the head unit software level on various head unit platforms and generations. This procedure will now be required when ordering head units through the Direct Exchange Program (see Parts Bulletin 91-961-0005).
PS5022017-08-25. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. PITSTOP: UNABLE TO CONNECT TO UVO ESERVICES - This Pitstop provides information about customer complaints regarding: * ?Unable to connect to UVO eServices using an iPhone?, * ?Connection Error and unable to sync with the UVO App with my iPhone 7?
PS4742017-08-25. Service bulletin. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. PITSTOP: TPMS SENSOR POSITION - When diagnosing TPMS-related DTCs, make sure you are investigating the correct sensor. The TPMS positioning from the manufacturer may be different from the positioning shown on a KDS.

The summaries are NHTSA's. Each bulletin's page links NHTSA's copy of the manufacturer's document.