2013 Kia Optima Problems

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was leaking fuel from the high-pressure pipe leading to the fuel pump. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine); however, VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not included in recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.

On July 14, 2026, the vehicle's engine was replaced by an authorized dealership under an official Kia recall. On August 16, 2026, while driving on the highway, heavy smoke suddenly began emitting from the engine compartment. When attempting to slow down, the braking system suffered a total loss of power and failed completely. To stop the vehicle, it had to be steered into the highway median to intentionally scrape against it to force a stop. Immediately upon exiting the vehicle, heavy flames were observed under the engine compartment before completely engulfing the front of the car. The fire department extinguished the fire, and the vehicle is a total loss.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. There was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was uncontrollable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the coupling in the steering wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no coverage under the warranty extension for the MDPS flexible coupling. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

the engine revs high and transmission wont shift and when you turn the steering wheel ya get a loud click and the steering wheels jumps

Module 1 7.5 amp fuse continues to short and blow over and over again. Known issues with auto headlamp leveling sensor. Problem continues to happen. Lose my highbeams, shift lock, rear defrost, rearview auto dimmer, steering wheel controls. Anytime the fuse blows

Code : P1777 Transmission- oil pump A issue with the Valve cover gasket leaking into the engine causing a misfire. Making the car suddenly stop while driving which is very unsafe. I took the car to the dealership and they want to charge me for the repairs. I have 2 kia optima hybrid and both cars have the same issue around the same mileage. There were no warning lights during the time it was at the shop. I believe later down the line the engine will stall out and it should be fixed now while under warranty. However I received no help from the dealership unless I am willing to pay upfront. In addition to this there are electrical issues the front seats aren't moving immediately when the button is pressed. The steering wheel buttons barely work along with the radio. This is a huge problem that needs to be fixed.

Paint began chipping/flaking off little by little everytime I washed the car. It’s a common occurrence with snowy white Kia paint in this year

Paint on car is coming off from hood and doors headlights are not bright had to change to aftermarket to make it brighter

Gas smell from under the hood. When taken to the dealership it was diagnosed as the high pressure fuel line. NOTE: The high and low fuel lines have recalls that impact this vehicle make, model, and year BUT not this VIN.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was leaking fuel from the high-pressure pipe leading to the fuel pump. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V907000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine); however, VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not included in recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 250,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was unable to start due to the battery being drained from the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) remaining on while the vehicle was turned off. After recharging the battery, the HECU made a buzzing sound while the battery was no longer charging. Additionally, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode while driving, and the ABS, traction control, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. A burning odor was inside the vehicle. The contact was concerned about a fire risk. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and determined that the HECU had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer requested maintenance records for the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

On July 14, 2026, the vehicle's engine was replaced by an authorized dealership under an official Kia recall. On August 16, 2026, while driving on the highway, heavy smoke suddenly began emitting from the engine compartment. When attempting to slow down, the braking system suffered a total loss of power and failed completely. To stop the vehicle, it had to be steered into the highway median to intentionally scrape against it to force a stop. Immediately upon exiting the vehicle, heavy flames were observed under the engine compartment before completely engulfing the front of the car. The fire department extinguished the fire, and the vehicle is a total loss.

the engine revs high and transmission wont shift and when you turn the steering wheel ya get a loud click and the steering wheels jumps

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while a family member was driving the vehicle at 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver pulled over to the side of the road where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence, where an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted or notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The vehicle is experiencing sudden engine stalling while in motion, a known safety hazard. Despite a documented maintenance history with no issues, the dealer (Bayside Kia) is attempting to deny a Theta II Settlement claim by shifting the narrative to 'engine sludge,' which only appeared as a symptom in June 2025( Walmart oil change) alongside engine performance issues. The vehicle has active codes P0014 and P0017, which are secondary symptoms of the internal bearing wear and metallic debris contaminating the oiling system. KDS Diagnostic tests showed Cylinder 1 at 0.16mm (approaching the 0.20mm failure limit). This clearance proves the connecting rod bearings are worn and reaching the failure threshold; this mechanical wear is the root cause of the engine's inability to operate safely. The presence of metallic debris in the oil is the definitive signature of the Theta II manufacturing defect. Furthermore, the dealer acted in bad faith by attempting to charge for Airbag repairs (Codes B1346/B1481) that are covered under the 15-year Clock Spring Warranty Extension (CS1102). The dealer has dismissed my qualifying maintenance documents, claiming they are 'not official,' which is a direct violation of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. A manufacturer cannot deny a warranty claim because services were performed at third-party facilities, nor can they deny a claim without proving 'exceptional neglect.' I am reporting a refusal to honor a court-ordered safety settlement and an attempt to return an unsafe, stalling vehicle to the road.There is no evidence of engine abandonment or exceptional neglect. I’m considered "in compliance" if I can show I didn't go more than 14 months without servicing or a certain mileage between oil changes.The dealer's dismissal of verified third-party receipts and bank statements is a bad-faith attempt to ignore an inherent manufacturing defect documented by a 0.16mm BCT result and metallic debris.

As in May 2025 , I purchased 2013 Kia Optima LX sedan with airbag already deployed before bought it. And in June 2025 I took my car to nearest Kia dealership , I found out that I had recalls over other things as well. I made Kia dealership to look at the airbag and do inspection on it. None of Kia employees did not informed me about the airbag, CARFAX information about previous incident to this car before I purchased.

Brake pedal loses pressure and disengages with brakes. Traction light, maintenance light, hybrid system warning message, check brakes message and parking brake intermittently turns on and off. I called Kirby Kia of Ventura a few weeks ago and let them know about my issue with the car. I explained that I took the car to a mechanic and the diagnostic they did stated the issue with the car could be because of one of the recalls. On 4/10/26 I took my vehicle to Kirby Kia of Ventura for the recalls and asked if they could do the diagnostic. Raul from Kia was the service rep that spoke with me. He stated they would do the recalls and then, if needed, they would perform the diagnostic. Later that day Raul called me and stated the recalls were completed and no issues were found. Several items were found from Kia's point inspection, but none related to the issue at hand. I then asked Raul if they could perform the diagnostic to know what was wrong with my car and he stated that they could do the diagnostic on Monday, 4/13/26. Raul stated he would give me a call around 10 to 11 am, to discuss any issues. Raul called at 10:49 am, and stated no lights on the dashboard have come on and he didn't want to do the diagnostic because the lights weren't on. Kirby Kia of Ventura service department are crooks and only want to assist you if they get money out of you. My car still has the same issue, possibly damage to the HECU from the recall, but Kirby Kia didn't want to run the diagnostic on my car to find out if it was damaged. Kirby Kia of Ventura is a horrible organization and I will never purchase another Kia vehicle for this reason.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after having the vehicle for a month, while driving approximately 30-40 MPH on a residential street, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 35 MPH and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had a Salvaged Title but should still be covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine rod bearing failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 137,000.

Module 1 7.5 amp fuse continues to short and blow over and over again. Known issues with auto headlamp leveling sensor. Problem continues to happen. Lose my highbeams, shift lock, rear defrost, rearview auto dimmer, steering wheel controls. Anytime the fuse blows

Paint on car is coming off from hood and doors headlights are not bright had to change to aftermarket to make it brighter

While driving my KIA Optima on the interstate the rear subframe suffered catastrophic structural failure, resulting in the steering wheel going out of alignment, the rear passenger side wheel tilting with the bottom of the tire being far out compared to the top. This resulted in the rear of the vehicle swaying side to side and being difficult to maintain in a straight path. This vehicle was previously serviced under KIA Campaign SC141 (internal subframe corrosion) at Griffin KIA on April 27, 2017. Despite this safety remedy being performed the subframe rotted through and snapped. This is a remedy failure. The anti-corrosion was applied by the manufacturer failed to prevent the exact structural failure it was designed to mitigate. I have physical evidence (Repair Order #92144) proving the remedy was performed and photographic/video evidence of the subsequent structural break. The manufacturer (KIA) has denied assistance, claiming the failure is "unrelated" to the corrosion campaign despite the part being the exact component covered by the campaign." SC141 involved the inject of wax into the metal components of the subframe of the vehicle and was KIA's response to the NHSTA's concerns about the metal components of their vehicles being unable to withstand salt in the Rust Belt states. The campaign only was for the vehicles in the rust belt states. KIA was very aware this was a safety issue and attempted to avoid a recall by issuing this campaign. The campaign failed and as a result my life was put at risk. I asked KIA for a good will repair of the rusted subframe but they refuse indicating the believe the part that clearly broke due to rust is unrelated to the safety campaign. Several of their employees stated it was very clear the part broke due to rust with one indicating he had a list of rusted parts needing replaced. I'd like the NHTSA to review this failed campaign and ensure the safety of all vehicles relying on this failed safety measure.

Vehicle body damage. Vehicle car parts damage.

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front end of the vehicle caught fire. The contact was informed by another driver that the fire originated near the front driver’s side wheel area. The fire was extinguished by the local fire department, and a police report was filed. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.

Unknown

My 2013 Kia Optima sunroof exploded as I was at a stop, about to turn into work. I experienced a pop and had glass falling on me within seconds. There were no recent rock experiences and the road was completely clear. After dealing with the initial clean up, I drove to an auto glass shop to have it professionally removed. The glass was bowed and left with a large hole, almost like it had just exploded due to pressure or a faulty piece. I almost always have my daughter with me and I’m SO grateful she was not in the vehicle. This could have resulted in injury or even a collision due to the terrifying nature of glass shattering above you. My insurance does not cover comp, however I do work for an insurance agent and he did view the damage. No claim can be filed as the repair and replacement for the damage has to come out of pocket.

My sunroof exploded as I was driving my car down the road. It made a noise that sounded like a gunshot and I pulled into a parking lot and the whole thing was shattered. The sun roof is less than a year and a half old and there was no chips or cracks in it and nothing had fallen on top or damaged it.

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the main road of a T-intersection, the contact blacked out before another vehicle crashed into the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front of the vehicle sustained severe damages, and there was more damage on the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The air bags deployed. The contact stated that the seat belt retracted excessively, causing the contact to be pinned in the seat and to sustain severe injuries. The contact was assisted out of the seat and was partially unconscious. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated after the crash. A Police report was filed. The ambulance transported the contact to the hospital. The contact sustained a fractured L2 and back, ruptured bowel, and intestines and internal bleeding in the stomach. The contact underwent surgery and physical therapy. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. A complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

As in May 2025 , I purchased 2013 Kia Optima LX sedan with airbag already deployed before bought it. And in June 2025 I took my car to nearest Kia dealership , I found out that I had recalls over other things as well. I made Kia dealership to look at the airbag and do inspection on it. None of Kia employees did not informed me about the airbag, CARFAX information about previous incident to this car before I purchased.

I have been having electrical/lighting issues for about a year. It initially started with the inside lights intermittently flashing when opening the door or attempting to use the interior lights; however sometimes the automatic interior lights did not come on at all when set to automatically turn on when a door opened, but now the lights don’t come on at all when opening the door. I have also had some headlight and dashboard lights going on and off while driving. I have experienced this on at least 3 occasions since last June or July. I have done some of my own testing by switching the lights to different functions, on and off, etc. Because it has only happened 3 times I’m not sure exactly what the issue is and scared that at some point, they won’t work at all. This is very concerning and obviously a safety issue. In addition, just recently my interior speaker system began having issues when using the hands free call option. With every call I make or take while using the hands free option, the call goes in and out constantly and consistently. It doesn’t happen to those on the other end of the line. It does this every time for about the past month. The speakers work fine when listening to the radio. My phone works perfectly through the regular calling option or on the speaker option but that is not ideal while driving. As new issues continue to pop up, increase, progressively get worse, I’m concerned there could be other current or future electrical problems in the engine or in regular safe functioning of the car leading to melting, fire, or a malfunction while driving, causing catastrophic results.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS GIRLFRIEND, WHO WAS THE DRIVER AND OWNER OF A 2013 KIA OPTIMA EQUIPPED WITH PIRELLI P4 FOUR SEASONS PLUS TIRES, SIZE: 215/55/R17 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE SIDE REAR QUARTER PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE TIRE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DETERMINATION OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE TIRE BACK TO SAM'S CLUB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS TAKEN BACK TO SAM'S CLUB AND REPLACED. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000. THE VIN AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *TT

ON NOV 22ND MY SON WAS DRIVING IN DETROIT AT 11PM WHEN THE BACK PASSENGER TIRE BLEW. WENT TO THE TRUNK TO GET THE SPARE AND THAT'S WHEN WE DISCOVERED IT DIDN'T COME WITH A SPARE. NEXT DAY GOT IT TOWED AND PAID 234$ FOR A NEW TIRE. ON DEC 21ST, HUSBAND DRIVING HOME LATE HIT A SMALL POTHOLE AND BLEW THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. GOT IT TOWED AND AGAIN 234$ FOR A NEW TIRE. ON MAY 25TH WAS DRIVING MY STEPSON HOME AND BLEW THE SAME FRONT PASSENGER TIRE. IT TOOK OVER 3 1/2 HOURS FOR THE TOW TRUCK AND SINCE IT WAS A HOLIDAY WEEKEND I WAS WITHOUT A CAR FOR TWO DAYS. AND THIS TIME IT ONLY COST ME 211$ CUZ I HAD A COUPON. 3 TIRES IN 6 MONTHS IS NOT RIGHT! THERE'S 2 OTHER DRIVERS AT MY HOUSE AND THEY HAVEN'T HAD PROBLEMS WITH DRIVING ON THE ROADS! *TR

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the driver's side seat heater was overheating. The contact stated that he attempted to set the heater to the lowest setting; however, the seat continued to overheat to the point that the contact pulled off the roadway and exited the vehicle. The contact turned off the seat heater. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was no electrical issue found with the seat. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.