2013 Kia Optima Hybrid Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS and engine warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the failure was not related to the repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 43,494.

NHTSA ID

11622889

Incident

Oct 30, 2024

Mileage

43,494 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving approximately 3 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and failed to restart. The contact stated that prior to the vehicle stalling, an unknown warning light had flashed on the instrument panel. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 94,223.

NHTSA ID

11558780

Incident

Dec 5, 2023

Mileage

94,223 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The message "Pull Over and Shut Down Vehicle" was displayed. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the nearby residence, where the vehicle was parked. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and advised the contact to park the vehicle outside and away from structures. The failure mileage was approximately 128,795. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11557827

Incident

Oct 15, 2023

Mileage

128,795 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. During the failure, the check engine, ABS, service vehicle, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the warning message "Hybrid System Failure" message was displayed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,200.

NHTSA ID

11556960

Incident

Nov 27, 2023

Mileage

100,200 mi

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the hybrid system failure, pull over warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and the vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with a blown head gasket failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer for almost one year. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000. Vin was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11423227

Incident

Aug 1, 2020

Mileage

115,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000 (ENGINE). THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA OF MCCOMB (1030 LONGLEAF RD, MCCOMB, MS 39648) AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE HAD THROWN A ROD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR A NEW ENGINE UNDER THE RECALL HOWEVER, AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL REPAIR BECAUSE THE MILEAGE WAS OVER 150,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A HYBRID AND GASOLINE ENGINE SO THE ODOMETER MILEAGE SHOULD NOT BE THE DECIDING FACTOR IN DETERMINING WHICH VEHICLES WERE INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED FROM THE FREE RECALL REPAIR AND ENGINE REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000. VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11414285

Incident

Oct 1, 2020

Mileage

163,000 mi

HYBRID WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON INDICATING THAT I SHOULD PULL OVER WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I IMMEDIATELY VEERED TO MY LEFT TO GET TO THE SHOULDER, AS THE CAR HAD ALREADY DIED, AND I WAS MOVING ONLY ON MOMENTUM. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A CAR BEHIND ME. I WAITED A WHILE, AND THE CAR RESTARTED. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT AWAY LATER THAT DAY. THIS WAS A SATURDAY, AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST OCCURRENCE. THE FIRST TIME I EXPERIENCED THE SAME SCENARIO AND ALSO ALMOST GOT HIT BY A CAR AS I WAS TRYING TO GET TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. MY CAR DID NOT START IN THAT INCIDENT, AND I HAD TO GET IT TOWED. THE SECOND TIME WAS AGAIN THE SAME SCENARIO, AND IT DID RESTART. EACH TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. EACH TIME THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND THEY MADE ANCILLARY UPDATES, WHICH DIDN'T HELP. THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS ADAMANT THAT THEY FIX IT BECAUSE THEY WERE AT RISK OF SERIOUS LIABILITY BECAUSE I WAS BEING PLACED IN EXTREME DANGER. FURTHER, IT BROUGHT ABOUT MUCH ANXIETY KNOWING THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN WITHOUT WARNING AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING. MY CAR IS STILL WITHIN THE 100K WARRANTY. THE FIRST TIME, THEY REFUSED TO ADDRESS IT UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEY ARGUED WITH ME ABOUT IT ONLY TO CONCEDE LATER THAT, IN FACT, IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

11210065

Incident

May 11, 2019

Mileage

67,000 mi

ENGINE OIL LEAKING

NHTSA ID

11191680

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

90,000 mi

VEHICLE WOULD'T START THE ENGINE RANDOMLY. KIA DEALER WASNT ABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE SINCE I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN AND IT WAS RUNNING AT THAT TIME. RANDOMLY SHOWS HYBRID SYSTEM IS NOT PROPERLY WORKING.

NHTSA ID

11141677

Incident

Sep 11, 2018

Mileage

40,000 mi

1. DRIVING VEHICLE ON FREEWAY AND THE ENGINE BLEW. KIA REBUILT THE TOP HALF OF THE ENGINE. 2. DRIVING VEHICLE ON STREET AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. TOOK A LOT OF STRENGTH TO STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. KIA RESET MAIN CONTROL UNIT TO FIX ISSUE. 3. DRIVING VEHICLE ON STREET AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. KIA WANTS TO REPLACE MAIN CONTROL UNIT. CAR HAS PASSED THE WARRANTY BY 10K MILES. NOT COVERED.

NHTSA ID

11128714

Incident

Sep 3, 2018

Mileage

70,000 mi

THE ENGINE REVS WHILE IDLE PERIODICALLY AND THE ENGINE REVS STILL WHEN U LET GO OF THE GAS. I BELIEVE THIS CAR WAS AFFECTED BY KIAS LATEST RECALL... AND CAUSES ISSUES WITH ME BEING ABLE TO BRAKE AND SUCH CUZ THE CAR ENGINE REVS WHEN THE GAS ISNT BEIN TOUCHED. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING

NHTSA ID

11051644

Incident

Dec 1, 2017

Mileage

68,000 mi

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE (THANKFULLY PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY), VEHICLE WAS IN EV MODE, WITH JUST CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. AFTER ENTERING GAS MODE BATTERY AND MAINTENANCE LIGHT APPEARED IN ADDITION TO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE GREEN "READY" LIGHT ON THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN FLASHING AND A WARNING MESSAGE STATING "HYBRD SYSTEM WARNING: SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE" APPEARED ON THE TRIP SCREEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH.

NHTSA ID

10981190

Incident

Apr 28, 2017

Mileage

33,997 mi

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TOOK A TRIP TO TEXAS TO SEE MY DAUGHTER. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS ON THAT TRIP; WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT STARTED ACCELERATING ALL ON IT'S OWN... THE 1ST TIME I QUESTIONED IF I HAD ACCIDENTLY BUMPED SOMETHING, THE 2ND ALSO AND THE 3RD ALLOWED IT TO ACT ON ITS OWN AND BEFORE I KNEW IT WAS ALMOST 100MPH. THANKFULLY THE BRAKE ENGAGES.. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT IN FOR CHECK AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM SO NOTHING COULD BE DONE.. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR THE 5TH OCCASION REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE.. I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS HAVING THIS ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IF THEY CAN NOT RECREATE THE ISSUE THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN REPAIR..

NHTSA ID

10747724

Incident

May 24, 2014

Mileage

500 mi