general problems of the 2013 Kia Motor Optima - part 2

My car lost power on [xxx]. . Called a tow truck to come and pick it up. Cone to found out my engine was blown. Taking it to a kia dealership on 09/12/2025 to get a diagnostic test done on it. I have all my paperwork. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Hello, I have been a kia owner for a very long time. I am dissatisfied with the corporation regarding my current experience. My vehicle qualified for the engine recall. Over several months I have been bringing my car into kia valley regarding concerns of the performance of my car which is connected with the recall. Every time I have brought in my car , the code has not popped up yet. I followed up with a phone call to kia customer service. Over the phone I was told that the code needs to be popped up. In order for that to happen, that would require my car to seize or the engine catch on fire. The fact that this company is willing to put lives at risk, is alarming. A few weeks ago at 10:00pm at night my car seized on the on ramp of freeway. Took car to dealer. I was informed the code did not pop up and the kia dealer filled my car with more oil. A week later, my engine completely seized and oil was everywhere. I was in fear of my engine catching on fire. I got out of my car and called a tow truck. I was informed by the service dealership that the code popped up. Meaning I now qualify for a new engine. The following day I received a phone call that corporate is kicking it back and demanding an abundance of receipts. Receipts dating back even several years, to try to prove its neglect on my end, for the company to avoid cost. When clearly this is due to the recall per the service dealer. I recently went to the dealer to bring several receipts showing the care for my kia. It is still not good enough for corporate. Receipts even included documentation from other mechanic businesses that did not want to work on my car because their finding with my engine appeared to be linked to the recall. They told me it was unsafe to drive and take it to the dealer. Over the past 8 months because kia corporate has made it difficult. I am seeking help.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that during the second failure, the vehicle was unable to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to the person who the contact purchased the vehicle from who was a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall or warranty. The failure mileage was unknown.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the oil control valve, resulting in damages to the engine. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

My engine locked ,.

My abs module is failing with no open recall, even though kia has issued multiple safety recalls (sc197, sc212, sc284) for this exact issue. My car is showing brake system errors (abs, epb, traction control, auto hold) and has stored codes like [insert your codes]. I’m concerned this is a serious safety hazard. If brake fluid has leaked into the module, there’s a known risk of electrical fire, even while parked. Kia has not included my VIN, but I believe it should be. Please investigate expanding the recall to include additional vins. I’m requesting NHTSA to take this report seriously and hold kia accountable for known safety defects in affected vehicles that are being ignored due to VIN limitations.

I own a kia Optima lx 4. 0 engine when I called I was told that this car has an open recall for engine rod bearing defect my engine locked up on me 2 mts ago and has not ran since I just finalized my payments on this car and received the title. . . I took very good care of this car and it was well maintained. . . It only has 104,000 miles on it. I called and was told this open recall could be fixed with no problem however when I took it to kia dealership here in gso nc they refused to repair it. . I've spent almost 200. 00 in towing fees for nothiing. . I'm so unhappy with the response I've gotten with this company since I have had such a wonderful experience with my car I hope maybe I can get a response from your company for its the only car I have and my daily living activities have been altered by lack of transportation. . Thank you. . I was told to call attorney general to see what could come about however im hoping I can get a response from your office.

My kia has the part number that was recalled for the abs module. But kia said it’s not included in the recall because of my VIN. Appeared 2 months ago. All lights on & potential risk of fire according to the brake fluid leaking. So I have to park outside. Kia inspected & said it was abs module that needed replacement. For $2,600. Which I can’t afford. I have already spent $500 for the other problems they said it was at first. But it didn’t fix the problem. Now I am having to borrow cars to get to work.

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.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 75 mph, the vehicle went into limp mode and failed to exceed 60 mph. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the knock sensor and the harness had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred on several occasions, and the vehicle was driven or towed to the dealer as needed. The dealer cleared the diagnostic trouble codes and informed the contact that a recall repair would not be completed unless the engine made loud knocking sounds or seized. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made an abnormally loud sound and seized. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the engine was not eligible for replacement due to a lack of maintenance records because the contact did not have all the oil change service records available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 297,000.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph, the vehicle stalled as the oil warning light flashed on the instrument panel. Due to the failure, the contact called for roadside assistance and was informed that the oil level was low. As a result, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where an oil change was performed. Despite the oil change, the failure persisted and the vehicle was then towed to a dealer. While at the dealer, the contact was informed the the engine had failed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that since the hard knock sensor was not previously repaired under warranty; the engine would not be covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while a friend was attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic); as probable cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 67,999.

I am leasing the 2013 kia Optima lx through a 3rd party dealership that apparently stated in their terms and conditions that they are not responsible for doing maintenance on the car before being sold. I was on the road after getting gas when all of the sudden, the car started to slow down and my emergency check oil, engine, battery lights all came on. I was able to safely pull into a parking lot but after that, the car wouldn’t turn on. After trying to jump start the battery with another car, the engine started to smoke. We thought the alternator died. The third party dealership has their own maintenance shop and said it was alternator one day, then said it was engine the next and it manually can’t be turned over. That’s when they said because I didn’t get a software update, I didn’t have a warranty and I need to pay for the engine myself. Kia won’t help and the dealership won’t lend a loaner car for this inconvenience. I was never made aware that there were recalls on the car or a software update that needed to happen.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph when they suddenly heard a loud boom noise and the front end of the vehicle caught on fire. The contact pulled into a nearby parking lot and all passengers exited the vehicle. The vehicle was consumed by the fire which was put out by the fire department. The vehicle was towed and totaled. There were no injuries or need for medical assistance. The fire department filed a report. There were no injuries or need for medical assistance. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 187,000.

When I turned the ignition on the car wouldn't start. But the abs light and all other lights flickering when trying to start the car. The alarm kept going off. Passenger side front and rear windows won't function. Smell like something was burning. This is the second incident ([xxx]). Fuses had to be removed to silence the alarms on the first incident on [xxx] because the lights were still flickering on and off when car wasn't on. I had my car serviced at the west broad kia dealership in richmond, va. Thank you! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Driving down highway on March 1, 2025 a knocking sound started, the oil light came on, making weird loud tapping, knocking sounds. I just bought vehicle about 4 months ago, it was in mint condition and I need my car is my lively hood.

I bought this car for 6000$ in the month of November. I checked everything while buying the car. I did checked the oil level the engine sound its condition and transmission. I did the oil change myself after buying and once in the middle. Suddenly on Feb 16th it got stopped on the middle of the highway. After lot research I see there are thousands of complaints for the kia Optima’s and Hyundai sonata’s for their failure gdi engines. I towed to dealership whether they could help replacing engine. They haven’t. I see there are no recalls on this car. I would like to complain regarding this incident and justice should be provided to me.

I have notice an ongoing issues with motor oil consumption. Over the past six months, I have added oil every 2,000 miles the technicians at oil changers recently inspected my vehicle and recommended having it evaluated as the issue seems to be occurring more frequently. There are no warning lights displayed on my dashboard, I have not noticed any oil leaks where I park. While my car has been running fine,I want to insure there are no underlying issues. But most important me and my family’s safety and everyone’s when operating the vehicle. Please let me know the next steps for further inspection.

Vehicle starts to shake above 2000 rpm and shuts down. Went to a mechanic and they said the engine was bad and that there were recalls by kia for this particular engine. When we asked a kia dealer they said they would not warranty due to this being our first visit for a recall.

The contact's son owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated while his son was driving 50-60 mph, the engine started overheating. The driver pulled to the side of the road and added coolant to the vehicle. The driver then drove to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was difficult to start the following day. The contact's son was able to restart the vehicle and drove to a nearby independent mechanic, where the engine started to overheat. The mechanic provided an unknown diagnosis and referred the contact to the dealer for an extended warranty repair. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket and damaged water pump. The dealer informed the contact the vehicle could not be covered under the extended warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

I came in to oil changers in fremont California on 4088 thornton avenue on 1/8/25 to come in and get an oil change prior to my road trip to virginia with my dad on [xxx]. I talked to the worker about getting my oil changed and was even asked whether or not I wanted a regular or synthetic oil change in which I said synthetic because it was the best option for my car's long term health. During my service of the car I was also told my car needed a coolant refill soon and oil air filter and was asked if I would like to get that as well which I said yes. When my service was done I was given my receipt of the things done as well as given my oil service sticker that I put on my windshield. After my service I continued with my life as usual the next two days before taking my trip. While on my trip I got to approximately 150 miles from fremont California before I started to feel an unusual feeling in the gas pedal which went away for a little before eventually turning into a clicking noise around 150 miles after which immediately turned to a complete stoppage on [xxx] about 10 miles keene. We were in the middle of nowhere in pitch black darkness waiting for my aaa insurance tow truck to come pick us up. My car engine seized up and now it need a completely new engine. I was already paying a monthly car note of 247. 69 every 10th and still have a remaining balance of $5,000 left. I now couldn't drive to virginia with my car because of an error that was not of my doing I've always tried my best to mainta0in the car to the best of my ability. The car's error forced me and my dad to get last second plane tickets to virginia the day after [xxx] for 611. 94 so I could make it to my college on time. This has caused me so much hassle and now I cant even have a vehicle for school because of something out of my control. L still have the receipt from oil changers that states I paid for an synthetic oil change as well all of this information can and will be sent over to you. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information a.

My vehicle received a new engine due to a component failure, which there was a recall specifically describing the failure, recall 17v224 (sc147). After the new engine replacement, April 2024, while driving my car I began to notice a faint smell of gas with inside my car. As time passed the smell grew heavier. Drove the car to the pueblo colorado dealership and had the service department take a look to confirm the leak. It was confirmed and one of the service personnel tried to torque the bolt tighter and that did not stop the leak. I was told by one of the service personnel that it was not covered under warranty and the cost would be mine out of pocket to fix. I found out this fuel leak is a recall (sc172), vehicles that received an engine replacement under previous recall 17v224 (sc147). ("kia motors America, inc. , pursuant to the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act, is conducting a safety recall campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the high pressure fuel pipe on certain 2011–2014 my kia Optima, 2012-2014 my kia sorento, and 2011-2013 my kia sportage vehicles that received an engine replacement under recall no. 17v224 (sc147). The remedy for the previous recall may not have been properly performed, and in some cases, the high pressure fuel pipe may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, allowing fuel to leak. Leaking fuel increases the risk of fire. "). I have spoken to the dealership and they do not recognize this recall as it is not showing up in their data system. I have spoken to the kia corporation and I have gotten nowhere. This was issued by your department and is recognized by kia corporation but the pueblo colorado kia dealership states it is not in their system as a recall. My car has been parked after notifying both parties of this issue since December 19, 2024. Your NHTSA: part 573 safety recall report 18v-907 manufacturer recall no. : sc172.

Oil light is flickering. Kia told me this is a serious issue but won't fix it. I did a research this is a common issue with 2013 kia Optimas. Please help.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while his son was driving at undisclosed speeds, the engine seized. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be in working order. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.

In December 2024 I experienced a major engine issue where while we were driving the car went from 75mph to losing all power and not allowing us to drive more than 20mph we took it to a shop in mt juliet tennessee where they proceeded to tell us that an error code of p0325 and that our engine had seized. They suggested I get it towed to kia which I did. We towed it to kia of murfreesboro TN and they took about a month to tell us that the engine had seized and that due to car fax and sludge we couldnt get the engine replaced under the extended warranty however, when speaking with customer service at kia over the phone, they promised me that my car and its engine are still covered under that warranty due to the class action lawsuit, and that my engine would be replaced at no cost to me. It is now been six months and I still have no answers, and everybody keeps telling me that due to lack of maintenance even though we are the only owners of the car and have kept up on the maintenance they are not honoring the extended warranty. My car currently is 120,000 miles extended warranty goes to 150,000 miles. I would like my car engine replaced. I don’t know what to do this point anymore.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. There was no indication of an oil leak. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where three oil consumption tests were performed. The mechanic added oil. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact had to continuously add oil. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil gasket was cracked. The oil gasket was replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for routine maintenance who determined that the engine was 2-quarts low on engine oil. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 87,095.

I purchased a 2013 kia Optima ex from an on-line auction 11-15-24 in memphis, TN. After the car was delivered I noticed the vehicle engine had a slight engine knock. When I attempted to test drive the vehicle the engine knock grew louder, and the vehicle shut down in the middle of the road. I was fortunate enough to get the vehicle back to my residence where I was able inspect the engine, and noticed "metal dust" on the oil dipstick. Service records showed the vehicle had been serviced at the correct intervals, and the oil had been professionally been changed at correct intervals, and the vehicle appear to be in excellent condition. After doing some research I notice kia had a recall for the "theta engine 2" for a rod bearing recall that was causing engine failure prematurely. I contacted kia customer services on 11-20-24. I was told the vehicle was in fact under the "rod bearing" recall and it had a lifetime warranty on it. I was instructed to contact a kia dearlership to have the vehicle serviced for possible engine replacement due to rod bearing failure. I contacted serra kia of jackson,TN, and inform them of my conversation with kia's customer services, and I was told they were pretty sure the engine would have to be replaced, and to have the vehicle towed to their dealership to perform the services. I had the vehicle towed to serra kia on 12-2-24. I sent an email to the service department on 1-16-25 for an update on my vehicle. On 1-16-25 I recieved an email from the dealership's service department stating a case was opened with kia tech, and they declined approval of an engine because I bought it from an auction. The dealership did offer to replace the engine for $6003. 71 for parts and labor. I contacted kia customer services on 1-18-25 and they said they wouldn't approve replacing the engine even though it's under recall because I bought the vehicle at an auction. I'm filing this complaint because kia is refusing to do an active safety recall for my vehicle.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, there was a burning odor inside the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle with engine seizure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed of the NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic), but due to the vehicle having a branded title, the recall repair was not performed. The failure mileage was 119,000.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima hybrid. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the abs and engine light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who informed him the failure was not related to the recall previously completed and scheduled an appointment for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was previously taken to the same local dealer for NHTSA campaign number 23v652000 ( service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 43,494.

Bought car 2020, engine failed and was consuming oil like it was fuel after 50-60k miles in 2022, serra kia misdiagnosed and charged me $900 for ignition coil and combustion chamber cleaning that was not needed nor refunded when I was denied replacement due to me not letting engine lock up(service manager basically told me to do so to be approved) or a p1326 code, charged +\-$8,000 for engine to be replaced. Horrible experience, engine was fine at first, then shortly after the short mileage warranty they give, the engine started having minor non catastrophic issues here and there. Finally, around the same amount of time(last October 2024) and almost the same amount of miles on the engine, its doing exactly what it was when I took it to kia for the engine. One random day, on my way to work, I got to a red light and when I went to go at green the engine hesitated and I noticed a massive smoke cloud behind me and coming from my engine. It was consuming oil yet again the same way. Reached out to kcc(kia customer care) and provided them a 4 page personally written letter by myself explaining the full story and my experience. However they merely closed my case without any explanation or reason for doing so. So as I stated to them I would do if I needed to, I've reached out to the bbb and now you. I'm hoping to get justice, whats right, and what should have happened in the first place. My money back and or my engine repaired and no more charges to me. 2022 first engine failure(denied and paid for engine) oct 2024 engine failure again. (added copy of letter sent plus proof of service manager influencing me to lock the motor up to get covered the first time).

2013 Optima engine seized due to manufacturing errors and kia wont replace stating it didnt have the ksds update. The update doesnt stop the engine from seixzing only lets you know. When searching recalls and complaints nothing shows up about the ksds update. Basically told me thats what happens when you buy used vehichles, in that customers may not be contacted due to recalls and updates.

Was driving down the highway with no indication of any problems with my car. It just shuts off completely had to coast to the side of the road get someone to tow me home. While on side of the road opened the hood and saw white smoke come from the engine. Just had an oil change and coolant is fine.

The contact owned a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle, the contact became aware of black smoke coming from the floorboard with a burning plastic odor, and the battery warning light illuminated. The contact called her husband and was informed to exit the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle and seconds later the vehicle exploded. The front of the vehicle blew up onto the windshield and the steering wheel detached and struck the driver’s side seat. The fire was extinguished by the fulton county fire department. A fire report and police report were filed; however, the reports were not yet provided to the vehicle owner. The contact experienced severe emotional distress. The contact stated due to the emotional distress of the fire, she suffered a miscarriage from the stress and had scratches from having to jump out of the window. There was no medical assistance sought. Several personal items inside the vehicle were also lost due to the fire and additionally, the contact lost employment due to the fire. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the vehicle had not been repaired prior to the fire. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard then to a kia dealer. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 193,876.

Engine failure while driving. Engine seized in the middle of the road. Contacted kia, towed car to dealership and claim was denied. Recall has not been taken care of. No symptoms or any indication that the engine was about to give out.