2013 Kia Optima Complaint Log

I purchased this vehicle 10/21/2016. The vehicle was driving fine and I regularly took it in for maintenance. Regular oil changes, filters, tires rotated. I am very good at getting maintenance done on the vehicle. There was a recall on the engine, but I never received any notice. It was recalled on Mar 31, 2017. I have no records of any recalls, so I am not sure who they were sending them to. I moved shortly after the recall on February 16, 2018. I still received no notices at my new location. I did have all my mail forwarded. Long story short, my engine blew in September of 2019. I still had not received any notices of a recall. I have been trying to get this resolved with Kia for the last two years basically. I have had an independent shop verify that the engine is blown. Kia of Janesville and Madison refused to give me any help trying to get the car diagnosed or repaired. I have spent $700 getting the car towed, storage, and two years so far trying to get the car repaired or looked at. They keep on telling me that they are not going to cover anything and that I need to pay for repairs. I finally got the car towed to an independent service shop and they are telling me that the engine is indeed blown and that I need to replace it. Costs are expected to be in the $3700 range. I cant wait any longer to get this vehicle repaired as I have already dealt with it for two years with no good faith effort from Kia. I would appreciate some help dealing with the situation.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the engine replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,122

My engine began smoking while I was driving I pulled over to see where the smoke was coming from and it burst into flames

Driving at night the engine sputtered and stalled in traffic. Lost power to steering and had to get off main road . Towed to a mechanic and was told there was no oil in the engine and the entire engine needs to be replaced . The oil has been changed as required but constantly low and needing to be topped up . He advised checking the VIN for a recall with this particular car model having a previous recall . I checked there were no open recalls . The engine is being replaced .

The fuel gauge in the dashboard indicates the car still has gas (approx. 1/4 tank) when in reality the tank is empty. This cause to be stranded on the street, freeway, going up the hill in the freeway. This can cost an accident while random stoppage of the car. It happend 4 times already

The engine is burning thru 2 quarts of motor oil per week. No leaks just burning oil

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, she observed a gasoline odor coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The check engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 100,100. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. In addition, the front of the vehicle was in flames. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.

KIA replaced the low fuel line under campaign number 20V100 November of 2020 and the replacement part has now cracked causing gas to spray out onto my engine less than a year later. KIA is refusing to warranty the part. This is a huge life safety issue for myself and my family that travel in this vehicle. I feel these replacement parts need to be checked and replaced before someone gets seriously hurt.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, she heard an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The oil warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that she was able to drive the vehicle however, the vehicle was shuddering while driving and stalled several times. The contact stated she was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to schedule an appointment for diagnosis. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they could not cover the repair of the vehicle because the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN tool showed that the VIN was included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

The vehicle’s headlights have been extremely dimmed for years and my wife has just “dealt with it”. We’ve had all the bulbs replaced and the issue persisted. Given recent medical conditions paired with this technical oversight, this could lead to severe injury or death if not resolved. Let me also add that the headlights no longer turn on as of this morning and Kia refuses to acknowledge or claim responsibility for this because “the issue stems from identical vehicles manufactured in South Korea and not Georgia” … even though the symptoms very identically line up to TSB Number: WTY014.

Took my vehicle for the knocking sensor recall servicing. Before taking it to the dealership there was no knocking at all. I left the dealership and went home. Parked the car and got out... immediately there was knocking coming from my car. Recorded the knocking noise and called the dealership. They sent someone to my home and all he did was turn on my vehicle and there was no knocking. I explained he had to drive it and then park it and turn it off and he could hear the knocking. But he left and there was no other communication from the dealership. I contacted Kia's global customer service and explained everything but still nothing more has been done. The knocking sound has intensified. I received an email last year from Becken Masten Kia in August of 2022 from the Service Assistant Susan asking me about bringing my vehicle in for a regular servicing appointment. Nothing about free servicing for causing the knocking issue. I have the recording of the knocking from the servicing date.

I have a 2013 Kia Optima and my paint on the vehicle is pilling so bad and fast it is exposing the body of the vehicle. I have done plenty of research and this is a commonly known problem with the pearl white paint jobs. It will start effecting the body and exterior of my vehicle and then turn efforts onto the inside of the vehicle. This is a huge problem so please as a huge company take responsibility and fix this problem.

While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle began to stall and as I tried to keep going, I did get to 60 MPH and the car completely stalled and turned off in the middle of the highway as I tried to get off to the side. All of the warning lights illuminated. The car would not start up and the steering wheel locked. I had to be pushed off the road. I was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The battery seemed to still have power at the time, but still would not start. Someone pulled over to try to jump start the vehicle, but it would not start. I then went and purchased a new battery to see if that would help and it did not. The car had absolutely no power to it, would not click over and would not shift into gear. The week prior, my check engine light had came on and I did stop at autozone to have them run a diagnostic. When it ran it pulled up a manufacturer code P1004 and they were unable to tell me what it meant. I do have the documents from that visit. My vehicle has been well taken care of and I have kept up to date on recalls and maintenance. Approximate mileage when this happened is 122k. I had the vehicle towed to AAMCO who then determined the engine was damaged and I then had it towed to Peak Kia to see what we needed to do.

Low pressure fuel tube leak. Gas leak through quick connect clamp, factory defect on part. Recall was done and still has same problem.

The paint is chipping off and looks horrible.

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while her son was driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and was flashing; however, he continued driving the vehicle. The contact stated that she later took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the knock sensor and an unknown component needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, 6 hours later while her son was driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed back to the independent mechanic. The independent mechanic then informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer who confirmed that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced by the local dealer approximately in October of 2021. The contact then stated that on March 13, 2023, while her son was driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle crossed the center line and crashed into a tree on the other side of the road. The contact stated that the air bags deployed; however, her son was pronounced deceased at the scene. A Police report was filed. The contact stated that the Police Officer informed her that the speedometer was reading 90 MPH at the time of the crash and that the Event Data Recorder (EDR) was destroyed. The contact stated that the engine and transmission dislodged from the vehicle approximately 30-feet. The contact was concerned that the crash might have been caused by unintended acceleration. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

Kia has replaced the Hybrid battery, which said that would fix the warning light "Hybrid System Failure - Do Not Drive" and the light came on again. This is the second battery that I have replaced. The safety issue caused the car to lose power in the middle of an intersection on the way and barely had enough power to park the car safely.

On our way home on 9/25/21, we were driving down I80 driving 70 mph and the car stopped with no prior indication. All the lights came on when we were getting off of the interstate. The car coasted down the off ramp with a semi behind me and a car in front of me. This could have caused a major accident as this is a very busy exit with trucks behind coming and going. My whole family could have lost their lives. This was the first time this happened. I was able to get the car started again but it felt like the power was not the same when driving it. I immediately came home and googled the symptoms and other Kia Optima owners are facing the same issues.

Paint is peeling off of the hood and side panels of the car. It is Kia Pearl White factory paint job. There have been no impacts or anything that should cause the paint to chip and peel.

My car suddenly turned off while driving and would not restart. I had it towed to the dealer to find out that the engine seized and the starter failed. I had the engine replaced under warranty but they would not cover the starter even though the dealer told me that the starter failed as a result of the engine seizing up. Within 2 days after the engine was replaced, the check engine light started to come on when accelerating from a stop and would start bucking. This was very dangerous, and I was almost rear ended a few times while merging into traffic because the car was very hesitant and would buck. I think the starter should be covered because it broke as a result of the motor seizing up. I also believe that my transmission was also damaged when the motor seized now causing the check engine light and bucking. I now have to bring my car back to the dealer to get checked out again.

09/23/2021- paint flaking in a large strip along the passenger side molding by the windshield. 09/24/2021- Took my car to Mylars Auto Refinishing for quote as well as TAVO's. Paint flaking along drivers side molding by windshield and up further along. I contacted KIA Red Rock Doug told me there was no open recall for my car. 09/25/2021 - paint flaking on corner of trunk. 09/28/2021 - called KIA Red Rock spoke with Charles, he confirmed no open recall on my car. Said coming in would be a waste of my time, that I should contact KIA directly and open a claim. Found this information to file claim with NHTSA. Also contacted Progressive Insurance Co. and was advised this is not a claim to be filed with them due to it being a manufactures defect. Drove to Kia Red Rock and spoke with Keith Wilkinson, Asst. Manager/Service Dept. He stated I would have to contact KIA Corporate and file a claim with them and gave me the #1-800-333-4542.

My Optima has a crack in the low-pressure fuel line. I detected a very strong gas odor last week and immediately notified the dealer but due to needing the knock detection sensor from a recall being installed, I had to wait until one of the lead techs was available to inspect it yesterday. The dealer has ordered the part needed but they said that it might be weeks before they get the part in because it is on backorder and due to the safety risk, my car is undriveable. They will not release my vehicle to me without signing a waiver releasing them of liability. Kia recalled 2013-2014 Optimas with the same Turbo engine last year, for this exact reason but the dealer said my vehicle was not included in the recall and this repair will be nearly $600 out of pocket even though this is a known issue. I absolutely cannot and will not sign a waiver when I know my vehicle is dangerous to drive. I have systemic mastocytosis and that alone can cause anaphylaxis to be triggered by the gas odors. There were no warning lamps, no other signs or symptoms until I smelled gas last week.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 60-70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The brake warning light and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated she was able to partially veer to the side of the road as the steering wheel was difficult to turn. The contact stated she was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The battery was jumped with some assistance and the vehicle restarted. The contact stated she drove the vehicle to the dealer however, the failure reoccurred as she was pulling into the parking lot. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 152,000.

The steering is loose while driving. It has a lot of play when turning. We took to the mechanic for an alignment and he said that the steering column was the problem. He did not fix because he told us he believed there was a recall. I checked and there is no recall. However, I have reviewed other complaints and there are several related to this same issue.

My car has been having a check engine light on for over 9 months now and it cannot pass the smog test and when connected to the scanner it gives the code 0449 and B1347. I have tried to fix the EVap leak and the code still comes out and the airbag light is always on now.

I took my vehicle in to get serviced due to a recall. Upon driving home, there was a loud knocking noise that had never been there before. Got home and called the dealership and they sent a tech out. There was no knocking noise because the vehicle wasn't in motion for him to hear. Due to my medical issue I wasn't able to take my car back to them. About a week later my car wouldn't start. Bought a brand new battery and it lasted for a few days. I didn't have any problems until after the dealership serviced the recall.

"Hybrid System Warning Safely stop and Do not Drive" has appeared multiple times. First time, brake fluid was flushed and car appeared to operate normally afterwards. 3 months later, now, happened twice within two weeks. Apparently, a very common issue. The car shuts down and I am forced to coast/pullover/stop without any power from the engine and was fortunate this did not occur in an intersection. Others have noted the occurrence on the freeway. Like other, when I took the car in, no error codes were seen as the warning light had turned off so the mechanics do not know what the issue is. How does Kia not know what the issue is when the car could shut down, become inoperable suddenly? Once the warning light comes on, the brakes semi-lock and one is luck enough to get to safety, to pull over... Does someone have to be injured or worse for KIA to do something or for the NHTSA TO DO SOMETHING?? 1) https://www.optimaforums.com/threads/2013-optima-hybrid-hybrid-system-warning-check-brake-message.170498/ 2) https://www.kiaownersclub.co.uk/threads/how-to-fix-check-hybrid-system-warning-unable-to-charge.45921/ 3) https://www.reddit.com/r/kia/comments/lk6wvt/2013_kia_optima_hybrid_system_warning_i_dont_know/ 4) http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2012/kia/optima_hybrid/engine/problem.aspx 5) https://www.carproblemzoo.com/kiamotor/optimahybrid/equipment-problems.php 6) https://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/kia-optima.html?page=5 7) https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-c23349_ds1010763

Peeling paint from delamination on pillars, around windshield and hood. This stated 1.5 years ago and continues to get worse. The dealership said they are aware of this problem in the pearl white paint in this year and model but the paint warranty is only 3 years and no remedies have been made. This is devaluing my car with every paint bubble and peeling. Kia should make it right.

I was giving my brother a ride to work when the car stalled. There was no engine light on or any warning light what’s so ever all of sudden my steering wheel turned hard and I could not steer. Brake pedal was hard for me to step on I nearly wrecked in to a gate. I own this car for few years already and never giving me problems. I did notice there was a recall going on about engines on these 2013 2014 going bad. At first I thought it was my battery or alternator but everything has power. Just the engine don’t want to turn over. I would appreciate if someone can help me in this situation.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, fuel odor was detected but the contact did not see fuel leaking onto the ground. The contact's cousin, an independent mechanic, inspected under the engine cover and saw that there was fuel leaking on top of the engine block from a cracked fuel line. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

I was driving down the interstate and all of the sudden the message “pull over safely and stop driving...check the hybrid engine system.” The car started to stall and seize up. Thankfully it didn’t die right in front of a semi on the interstate and I was able to at least make it off a nearby ramp before it died completely. I called my insurance for roadside assistance and it was towed to the nearest Kia dealer. They were unable to diagnose it because it would not turn on. They had to replace the hybrid battery before it could be diagnosed. I was also told that a safety fuse had been “fried” and they are still running tests.

On 9/13/2021 about 8:10 pm my neighbor knocked on my door and told me my parked car was smoking and appeared to be catching fire. Black smoke was everywhere I yell for my son to go out to see what was happening while I call fire department seconds later the car begin to go up in flames. Fire department Arrived to put out fire on my 2013 Kia Optima.unsure of cause but from the smell it smelled like some thing electrical . It has been reported to insurance .No recalls have been issued on said vehicle. No previous warnings were issued before fire started .This could have cause a lot of damage to all vehicles parked in front and back of my vehicle had it not been put out in timely matter.

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 10mph when the contact was struck by another vehicle which resulted in none of the airbags deploying. The contact sustained bruise sternum, bruised heart, and neck injury and sought medical treatment. There was a police report taken and the vehicle was towed to an insurance lot where it was diagnosed as destroyed. The manufacturer was informed of failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000. Consumer stated air bags did not deploy and seat belt was torn.

I was driving my 2013 Kia Optima on the freeway. Perfectly functioning until the vehicle just stalled while driving 60-70 mph. All the lights came on including the check engine light. I had to pull to the side and turn off my vehicle. Then it turned right back on and continued driving perfectly. Until the next day, I was driving on the highway and it was running perfect. Until I turned in a corner and my car stalled once again. This time the check engine light stayed on when I turned the vehicle back on. Then it started making this loud metal grinding noise. So I had to drive slow and the car almost shut down. I got it towed 70 miles back home. My car was running perfectly fine until that happened. It is a engine bearing knocking noise every time I start the car. It could be in the oil pan of the engine that is making that noise. This put my safety at risk on the highway because I couldn't get more speed when my foot was on the petal and my car was slowing down slowly. There was lots of traffic so I had to avoid slowing down to quick before I got stuck in the lanes. So I had to put my blinkers on and pull to the side. The side was a little narrow because the cars were driving right beside mines and it was a busy highway. I thought I'd get hit but thankfully I didn't and pulled safely to the side. I researched about this problem and it is pretty common with people that have the Kia Optima 2013. And its recalled for that problem. So my confirmation is from researching it on the internet. Yes the problem has been confirmed by Kia because they got law suited for it and that's why they had recalls. My vehicle will be inspected by the manufacturer on September 28th. There was no warning signs or symbols of the car before that problem happened. It just happened instantly and it had me worried. The car was running perfectly fine getting to places. There was no problems prior to this. It first appeared on September 12th, 2021.

2013 Kia Optima EX 2.4L, the problem started at 100,000 miles. The vehicle now has 150,000 miles and the steering has become increasingly more resistant (sticking/glitchy) on turns. Kia corporation is well aware of the problem, due to onboard computer issues.

My car said warning ️ do not drive and my brakes went out when I was able to stop I cut off the car then back on and it wouldn't move .I was on the highway when this happened.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the seat cushions on both the front driver’s and passenger’s seats had separated from the frame of the vehicle. Both the dealer and the manufacturer were informed of the failure; and the contact was informed that the repair would not be covered under a warranty. The contact was given an estimate for the repair. The contact stated that failure had made it difficult to fasten the seat belts in the vehicle. The contact was referred to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The contact stated that they are still awaiting a response from the manufacturer and the dealer about repairs.

I have a white 2013 Kia Optima the paint is chipping, coming off in chunks. After it falls off seeing the panel below is smooth and does not appear to have been roughed up prior to painting to allow the paint to properly adhere. I know of thousands of other Kia owners to have paint issues exactly like this.

The components in which failed in my vehicle are unknown at this time. The only thing that I know is my emergency check engine light was flashing and my car proceeded to go into limp mode. Reason for that was the rod knock sensor went off. My main concern is that a few minutes following my engine had completely shut down in the middle of the Highway. I was nearly hit by several vehicles following behind me. The problem has not been confirmed but has been identified with the SAME exact issue as other 2013 Kia Optima owners. No police reports or investigations were conducted. I am not the only person that had their safety at risk due to Kias negligence. This is clearly a reoccurring issue with many owners of the same make and model. I would think that Kia would have investigated this issue.

Total Engine failure while driving at 70mph on interstate. 67,555 miles Only warning was at time of engine failure check engine light came on. I purchased car used from my father in law who passed away due to COVID-19. Never any problems until now. I have seen many issues online with engines for this model year and I know that some Kia's have had engines replaced free of charge. It seems to be widespread issue to all 2013 Optimas and other models including multiple years. What was Kia's countermeasure to correct the issue? What is the RPN number for their internal PFMEA and DFMEA? If it was machining burrs remaining in the engine at time of assembly-what is detection method? -Visual inspection (not 100%)? - machine vision? -added process (brushing operation)? -added shot blast peening of crankshaft forging before machining? -added deburring of main bearings? etc. Consumer stated vehicle was towed and taken to a dealer. Still has not been repaired.

My car paint as been chipping off. I see a lot of cars like mine in the street with the same isssue , specially Perales white kias . They look like junk cars . Paint was not good

Drove car all of a sudden the engine started knocking and missing and burning oil out the exhaust I parked the car until Kia can look at it

Drove the vehicle on the interstate next warning lights came on stating Hybrid system warning safety stop and do not drive I pulled over popped the hood and saw oil leaking everywhere and the vehicle was inoperable so I towed to my home called the Kia dealership stating there was a recall on my vehicle a 2013 Kia optima hybrid and advised what to do they told me to tow it to the dealership and there is it

Kia motors had a recall on my vehicle 2013 KIA optima hybrid so I took my car into the dealership explaining the issues I had and the service advisor Justin told me that they would have to look at it and if it’s related to the recall they would take care of it at no cost to me it’s been over a month and the service advisor told me it was a defective motor and all of a sudden refusing to fix it I shouldn’t be responsible for their defective engine please advise

My car recently cut off I replace the camshaft sensor A and B My engine is currently knocking

The paint on my car is peeling on the molding around the front windshield on the right and left side.

My car ran hot and my motor went out

Vehicle starts smoking from under hood after driving for awhile. Not sure if its coming from the turbo or another part.

The motor failed while I was driving. I was at a stop sign and was turning the corner and my car shut off. I tried to start the car and smoke was coming from the engine. I had to have my car towed home. No warning lamps came up prior to the engine shutting down.