Kia Optima Hybrid 2011–2015 — technical service bulletin
Bulletin TSB-CLI017R4 · NHTSA communication 10109784 · issued Oct 13, 2014
Technical service bulletin
communication type
Electrical System
component
2011–2015
model years
6
vehicle entries
Official summary
TSB: EV AND HYBRID A/C SYSTEM SERVICING REQUIREMENTS - The Soul Electric Vehicle (EV) and the Optima Hybrid use an A/C compressor that is driven by a high-voltage electric motor rather than by a belt. Both the motor and compressor are in one housing with a mix of refrigerant and oil flowing through both sections. Because the oil flows through the motor windings, it must have a high electrical resistivity (low conductivity).
Vehicles covered
What a TSB means. Technical service bulletins are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls, and repairs are not automatically free (warranty extensions are an exception worth checking). The full document is available via NHTSA’s vehicle lookup.