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2018 Optima Engine Concerns

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3.9K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Turbonut  
G
#1 ·
Hello all, I'm currently leasing a 2018 LXS, and my lease is up in another month or so. Given the crazy prices in the current market, I'm considering buying my car out at the end of the lease, but I do have some concerns about the long-term reliability of the engine.

I currently have about 37k miles, and I drive around 350 miles per week. The car previously stalled on me twice at red lights, once around December 2019 and again in July 2020. Both times the car just shut off randomly, wouldn't start back up right away, but eventually turned back on after a minute or so. The dealer never found any issues with it after it happened. Other than those two instances, the car has had 0 issues of any kind with just regular scheduled maintenance.

I know the 2011-2014's are primarily the years with issues, but I am wary about my 2018 since it has the same engine. I do a lot of driving, and mostly on the highway. I'm worried about what happens if my engine suddenly gives out on me at 75 mph in traffic. Is this something I should be worried about? Do the 2018's have problems as well?

If it wasn't for these concerns about the engine, I'd have no real complaints about the car.
 
X
#2 ·
It could fail. Just like any other. If your worried about it. Buy it out and trade it in or sell it outright. The prices of used cars is out the roof, even these models. You might end up coming out ahead. If your not worried about it. Buy it out. And drive it. Free engine if it does lockup and die. So you don't have much to lose.
 
T
#3 ·
As above, any year with these crappy engines have the propensity to seize at any time, but normally, with the KSDS update, there will be some advanced warning
before the engine quits completely.
Every year when we went to Florida, had reservations as to when and where we may need to abandon the car if the engine seized, never had the experience, but the engine was replaced 12/2019 for excessive oil consumption (172,000 miles) and has been good for the first 40k miles, but who knows how long.

If the price is right, keep the car, but if inflated, let it go.
 
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