Kia Optima torque converter price snapshot
- Low
- $50
- Average
- $129
- High
- $350
Vehicle-specific price guide
How much is a used Kia Optima torque converter?
Asking prices from 22 salvage yards in 13 states, broken down by model year, condition grade, and fitment variant.
SKWritten bySaurabh Kumar · Co-Founder & CTO
SK
Saurabh Kumar
Co-Founder & CTO, Part Price Guide
Built the pricing pipeline that collects and normalizes used OEM part listings from salvage yards and online marketplaces across the US.
ASReviewed byAmbika Sharma · Co-Founder & COO
Last updatedSep 15, 2026AS
Ambika Sharma
Co-Founder & COO, Part Price Guide
12 years of project management and technical operations experience. Reviews price guides for sample size, fitment accuracy, and data freshness.
Part overview
About the Kia Optima torque converter
What the torque converter does, common failure signs, and prices across all vehicles: used torque converter price guide →
Also known asTransmission Torque ConverterTorque Convertor
Price summary
A used Kia Optima torque converter costs $50 to $350, with a median asking price of $132. Based on 170 priced salvage yard listings across the US, compatible across 2013–2020 (8 model years), updated Sep 15, 2026. Prices exclude shipping, core charges, and installation.
Grade A (excellent)$138
Grade B (good)$50
USD
Condition comparison
Price by part grade
Grade AClean / low wear$50–$350160 listings
Grade BStandard used$50–$504 listings
Grade XUngraded$75–$756 listings
| Grade | Price range | Relative range | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade AClean / low wear | $50–$350 | 160 | |
| Grade BStandard used | $50–$50 | 4 | |
| Grade XUngraded | $75–$75 | 6 |
Median by grade
Grade price comparison
Grade A$138
Grade B$50
Ungraded$75
Median asking price by seller-reported condition grade · $50–$350 overall range
Regional supply
Where the Kia Optima torque converter is listed
We found priced Kia Optima torque converter listings at 22 salvage yards across 13 states. Arkansas supplies the most, with 46 listings (27% of the total) from 1 yard. Location matters: yards in Arkansas ask a median $50, while Minnesota yards ask $188, 276% more for the same part. Shipping usually costs less than that gap for smaller parts, so it can pay to buy out of state.
| State | Listings | Yards | Median ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 46 | 1 | $50-62% |
| Missouri | 27 | 4 | $140+6% |
| Illinois | 21 | 3 | $165+25% |
| Texas | 18 | 3 | $103-22% |
| Michigan | 14 | 2 | $152+15% |
| Minnesota | 11 | 2 | $188+42% |
States with at least 10 priced listings. % is versus the $132 national median.
Replacement cost
What is the Kia Optima torque converter replacement cost?
- Used part
- $132
- Kia Optima median asking price
- Labor
- $475–$1,500
- 5–10 hours at $95–$150/hr
- Estimated total
- $605–$1,630
- median used part + labor
Labor is a typical independent-shop range for torque converter replacement, not a quote for your vehicle; it does not include transmission fluid and filter, since the transmission must be removed to access the converter. The part price is the live median from the salvage-yard listings on this page. Full torque converter replacement cost breakdown
Sources
- Labor time estimates: Part Price Guide labor database
SX
1 listingsInterchange 2015–2016$225$225 – $225Model-year comparison
What does a Kia Optima torque converter cost by year?
Market analysis
How much does a used Kia Optima torque converter cost?
Asking prices for a used Kia Optima torque converter are unusually spread out: the top listing asks about 7 times what the cheapest does, so which unit you pick matters more than the median. Condition matters: grade-A units (lowest mileage, best condition) carry roughly a 176% premium over grade-B stock, with grade-A medians at $138.
Fitment variant moves the price more than most buyers expect. The most affordable variant we track, Search using Kia Optima and similar models, lists at a $50 median, while SX commands $225, a 350% gap inside the same part category. Confirm which variant your VIN requires before comparing quotes.
Model year matters too: 2018 units carry the lowest median at $90, while 2017 tops the table at $165. Parts from 2015–2020 are interchangeable, so if the 2018 fits your vehicle, it offers the best value across 6 compatible years.
Against comparable vehicles, the Kia Optima sits 40% below the Jeep Compass ($219), 39% below the Jeep Cherokee ($215), and 46% below the Volkswagen Atlas ($244) for the same part. The “similar vehicles” cards below open each comparison guide.
Buying a used torque converter: what to check
- Inspect hub neck snout and drive notch: Check the small transmission pump drive neck for deep grooves, burrs, or rounded drive blade notches.
- Verify internal stator one-way clutch operation: Insert a spline tool into the stator hub to confirm it locks firmly in one direction and spins freely in the other.
- Check starter ring gear tooth condition: Examine outer perimeter ring gear teeth for chipped, rounded, or ground-down teeth caused by starter engagement failures.
- Confirm pilot hub diameter and bolt pattern: Measure pilot stub diameter and bolt circle spacing to match your engine crankshaft and flexplate layout.
- Fully seat converter splines before transmission bolting: Spin and push the converter until it drops past two distinct spline steps into the oil pump drive.
Keep browsing this vehicle
What other Kia Optima parts are priced?
01wide ±150%
Tail Light
$125median
$25$400
02wide ±228%
Side Mirror
$136median
$30$650
03wide ±230%
Grille
$143median
$30$689
04wide ±242%
Wheels
$119median
$25$600
05wide ±202%
Axle Shaft
$105median
$25$450
06wide ±173%
Headlight Assembly
$450median
$110$1,670
07wide ±280%
Transmission
$431median
$75$2,486
08wide ±93%
Engine
$3,000median
$450$6,017
09wide ±211%
Radiator
$110median
$35$500
10wide ±188%
AC Condenser
$112median
$35$455
11wide ±201%
Strut
$75median
$20$321
12wide ±132%
AC Compressor
$120median
$25$341
Price comparisons
Compare Kia Optima torque converter prices
Torque Convertercompare
JeepCompassvsKiaOptima
Compass$219
Optima$132
$87 diff940 listings
Torque ConvertercompareVolkswagenAtlasvsKiaOptima
Atlas$244
Optima$132
$112 diff688 listings
Torque ConvertercompareJeepRenegadevsKiaOptima
Renegade$206
Optima$132
$74 diff540 listings
Torque ConvertercompareChevyCruzevsKiaOptima
Cruze$138
Optima$132
$6 diff511 listings
Torque ConvertercompareChevyTraxvsKiaOptima
Trax$141
Optima$132
$9 diff441 listings
Torque ConvertercompareChevyMalibuvsKiaOptima
Malibu$150
Optima$132
$18 diff423 listings
Compare fitments
What do similar vehicles charge for this part?
Acuraspread ±41%
Acura ILX
$305median
$90$340
Acurawide ±69%
Acura MDX
$400median
$199$750
Acuraspread ±33%
Acura RDX
$450median
$450$750
Acurawide ±62%
Acura TLX
$399median
$199$695
Audispread ±33%
Audi A6
$400median
$250$511
Kiawide ±151%
Kia Forte
$100median
$99$400
Kiaspread ±31%
Kia K5
$400median
$250$499
Kiawide ±84%
Kia Sorento
$225median
$100$480
Kiaspread ±55%
Kia Soul
$168median
$75$259
Kiatight ±7%
Kia Sportage
$225median
$200$231
Kiatight ±6%
Kia Telluride
$400median
$350$400
Kia
Kia Seltos
Price data updating
Common questions
Kia Optima torque converter FAQ
How much is a used torque converter for a Kia Optima?
The median asking price is $132 across 170 priced listings from 22 yards. Grade-A units, the cleanest stock, have a median of $138. 2020 is the cheapest model year we track, with a median of $90.
How much does it cost to replace a Kia Optima torque converter?
Using a used part, a Kia Optima torque converter replacement typically runs $605–$1,630 all-in: the median used torque converter for this model lists at $132, and independent-shop labor for torque converter replacement typically takes 5–10 hours at $95–$150/hr ($475–$1,500). The labor figure does not include transmission fluid and filter, since the transmission must be removed to access the converter. Labor is a national part-level estimate, not a quote for your vehicle.
Which Kia Optima model years does this price guide cover?
This guide currently has year-level pricing for 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015. Other model years contribute to the overall range where sellers listed them without a year breakdown.
Which Kia Optima torque converter years are interchangeable?
Salvage-yard interchange data links Kia Optima torque converter fitments across 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020. Searching all 8 years widens the pool of units; confirm the part number against your VIN, since trim or drivetrain can split an interchange group.