TSBs

Restarting Kia Optima Hybrid

March 11, 2025

This bulletin applies to 2011-2016 Kia Optima Hybrid (TF P/HEV), 2017 and later Optima Hybrid (JF P/HEV), 2017 and later Niro (P/HEV) and 2015-2019 Soul EV (PSEV) vehicles.

Mike Mavrigian

Related To: Mitchell 1

If the ready light (see A) does not illuminate green, shift back to Park and re-start. Shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse too quickly may not provide the system with enough time to perform a self-check/readiness.

This bulletin applies to 2011-2016 Kia Optima Hybrid (TF P/HEV), 2017 and later Optima Hybrid (JF P/HEV), 2017 and later Niro (P/HEV) and 2015-2019 Soul EV (PSEV) vehicles. A customer may complain about intermittent no-start.

If the ignition is turned to START or the engine start/stop button (SSB) is pressed with the brake pedal depressed and then the vehicle is quickly shifted from Park to Drive or reverse, the vehicle may not start or may not go to READY mode. This is also known as “Shift Before READY.”

If shift before ready occurs, the green READY symbol will not be illuminated. The transmission needs to be shifted back to the Park position and then re-started (ignition cycle).

About the Author

Mike Mavrigian | Motor Age Editor

Mike Mavrigian has written thousands of automotive technical magazine articles involving a variety of specialties, from engine building to wheel alignment, and has authored more than a dozen books that crisscross the automotive spectrum. Mike operates Birchwood Automotive, an Ohio shop that builds custom engines and performs vintage vehicle restorations. The shop also features a professional photo studio to document projects and to create images for articles and books.