Kia Optima lug nut torque
Kia Optima owner’s manuals give 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) for 2017–2019, 2017–2020 (Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid) and 65–79 lb-ft (88–107 N·m) for 2016. Check which applies to yours. Tighten them in a star pattern with a torque wrench.
Sources checked
Wheel nut torque, 2017–2019, 2017–2020 (Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid)
79–94lb-ft107–127N·m11–13kgf·m
The manual gives a range: any setting inside it is within spec.
- As printed
- “Wheel lug nut torque [lbf·ft (Kgf·m, N·m)]: 79~94 (11~13, 107~127)”
Kia Optima lug nut torque by model year
| Model year | Version | Torque | Manual page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid | 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 574 |
| 2019 | All | 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 550 |
| 2019 | Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid | 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 530 |
| 2018 | All | 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 506 |
| 2018 | Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid | 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 521 |
| 2017 | All | 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 563 |
| 2017 | Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid | 79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 578 |
| 2016 | All | 65–79 lb-ft (88–107 N·m) | Tires and wheels specifications, PDF page 565 |
Read on Kia’s own site on October 19, 2026. Years not listed haven’t been checked yet, or their manual prints no value; check your own manual.
How to tighten them
- Clean any dirt or rust off the studs, the nuts and the wheel’s mounting face. Don’t oil them unless the manual says to.
- Thread every nut on by hand until it seats against the wheel.
- Lower the vehicle so the tire takes its weight, and set a torque wrench to the value for your model year in the table above.
- Tighten the nuts in a star pattern, going around two or three times, until the wrench clicks on every nut.
- Check the torque again after a short drive if your manual says to.
More detail, including how many passes to make: how to torque lug nuts. Setting and using the wrench: how to use a click torque wrench. Nuts or bolts, car by car: lug nuts vs wheel bolts.
Other Kia models
- Kia Cadenza65–79 or 79–94 lb-ft, by model year, 2015–2019
- Kia Carnival79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2022–2027
- Kia EV379–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2027
- Kia EV679–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2022–2024, 2026
- Kia EV979–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2024–2026
- Kia Forte65–79 or 79–94 lb-ft, by model year, 2014–2019, 2022, 2024
- Kia K479–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2025–2026
- Kia K579–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2022, 2025–2027
- Kia K90065–79 or 79–94 lb-ft, by model year, 2015–2017, 2019
- Kia Niro79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2017–2023
- Kia Niro EV79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2019–2026
- Kia Rio65–79 lb-ft (88–107 N·m), 2015–2017
- Kia Sedona65–79 or 79–94 lb-ft, by model year, 2015–2019
- Kia Seltos79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2022–2027
- Kia Sorento79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2021–2027
- Kia Soul65–79 or 79–94 lb-ft, by model year, 2014–2019, 2022–2025
- Kia Soul EV65–79 or 79–94 lb-ft, by model year, 2015–2017, 2022
- Kia Sportage65–79 or 79–94 lb-ft, by model year, 2014, 2017–2019, 2023–2027
- Kia Stinger79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2018–2023
- Kia Telluride79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m), 2022–2025, 2027
Questions
What is the lug nut torque on a Kia Optima?
79–94 lb-ft (107–127 N·m) for 2017–2019, 2017–2020 (Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid); 65–79 lb-ft (88–107 N·m) for 2016, as printed in Kia’s owner’s manuals (2016–2020).
Can I use an impact wrench?
Not to finish. An impact wrench can’t set a torque and easily overshoots it, which stretches studs. Run the nuts down by hand or lightly, then finish with a torque wrench in a star pattern.
Should I oil the studs?
Not unless the manual says so. Torque values assume clean, dry threads; oil lets the same torque stretch the stud further. Some manuals, Kia’s and Mazda’s among them, say to keep oil and grease off wheel nuts and bolts altogether.