10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 12
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
38,367 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Kia Optima miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2013 Kia Optima Owner Comments (Page 1 of 8)

problem #146

Sep 052023

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In past year replace Shock Absorbers in the rear($498), Thermostate/gasket($454), and now need code P0464 Fuel leverl Sensor circuit replaced($750)

- Abilene, TX, USA

problem #145

Aug 042021

Optima

  • miles
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

- Madera , CA, USA

problem #144

Aug 212023

Optima

  • miles
I was turning into some parking spots so i could put my car in reverse and park closer to building i needed. I did not get a chance to putin reverse, the vehicle surged forward and was accelerating. My foot was not on the gas pedal. I was trying to brake. I turned steering wheel so I didn't hit brick building. I swiped the building and 2 vehiles on my right AND still did not stop right away. I kept on the brake and the plants, rocks, landscaping I think helped it to stop. I can get police report in few days.

- Festus, MO, USA

problem #143

Jul 172023

Optima

  • 135,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unattended, it spontaneously caught fire. There were no warning lights illuminated before the failure. There were no reported injuries. No police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

- Portersville, PA, USA

problem #142

Jun 222023

Optima

  • miles
recall is extremely dangerous and I was informed very late. Was not given a rental for the time being. Difficult to find service immediately. Do not feel safe driving.

- Casa Grande , AZ, USA

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problem #141

Jul 072022

Optima

  • miles
I have problem for the color white pearl is pealing the car front car side an doors

- Riverview, FL, USA

problem #140

Jul 012023

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car stopped at a light and didn-??t want to turn back on. Tried to have it jumped with no luck. The car turns on but the engine won-??t turn over at all.

- New Castle, DE, USA

problem #139

Jul 012023

Optima

  • miles
Snow white pearl paint on my 2013 Kia optima isn't sticking to the primer. Started to flake off in 2019 on the metal that goes around the top of the side windows, both sides. Also flaked off on truck. I've repainted spots several times but it continues to peel off in the above areas and on the passenger rear door. I've seen many Kia snow white pearls -different models with the same issue.

- Woodland, CA, USA

problem #138

Jan 012023

Optima

  • miles
For the last 2 years, my pearl white paint has been chipping away. Over the last 6 months there are actual chunks of paint missing. I-??ve never seen anything like this before.

- Colorado Springs , CO, USA

problem #137

Jan 012023

Optima

  • miles
For the last 2 years, my pearl white paint has been chipping away. Over the last 6 months there are actual chunks of paint missing. I-??ve never seen anything like this before.

- Colorado Springs , CO, USA

problem #136

Aug 162021

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Mount Orab, OH, USA

problem #135

Sep 172021

Optima

  • miles
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.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #134

Jun 132023

Optima

  • miles
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.

- Tampa, FL, USA

problem #133

Nov 292021

Optima

  • miles
Peeling paint

- Selah, WA, USA

problem #132

Mar 162023

Optima

  • miles
The center console power supply is faulty, does not charge or hold usb port. The white paint on my car began to chip in large amounts.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #131

Dec 082022

Optima

  • miles
The issue with the car first occurred in 2021 when the vehicle had 109,000 miles. I was driving on the interstate returning from visiting my family when the car began to behave erratically. It started to seize, stall, and accelerated on its own. All of the lights illuminated on the dashboard with the error message hybrid engine, air pull over immediately. This was a serious event because my life as well as others were impacted. The car had just enough power to make it off of the shoulder when it died completely and had to be towed to the nearest dealership. They recommended I have the hybrid battery replaced which I did. That did not correct the issue because less than a year later in 2022 I was once again returning home and the car begin to do the same thing. Stalls, seizes, accelerates on its own and the same lights, the same warning message, and completely loses power when you-??re driving! It was again towed to a dealership and this time they recommended I have the spark plugs replaced. The spark plugs were replaced and the day that the car was repaired and picked up it had to then be towed back just a few miles down the road with the same strange behavior, and the same issues. Clearly the recommended repairs are not fixing the root cause problem. And now three times my life as well as other motorists-?? lives have been put in danger! I am tired of paying for recommended repairs that are not fixing the root issue when there are several hundred other persons who have been experiencing similar dangerous issues like mine with their vehicles. Kia needs to do something about this!

- Salisbury , NC, USA

problem #130

Apr 092018

Optima

  • miles
Chipped paint around my windshield and other areas of the car, such as the trunk and various other areas of the vehicle

- Piedmont , SC, USA

problem #129

Oct 062021

Optima

  • miles
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.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #128

Mar 032023

Optima

  • miles
I have a 2013kia optima sx 2.0 turbo my engine need to b replace I never had it replace I have engine problems white smoke n black smoke come out of my hood smoke like it's going to burn up I always have to turn off my car every 15 minutes of driving it overhead n smoke start coming out I been dealing with this for 2 years now can I get a new engine replace

- Greenville , SC, USA

problem #127

Jan 112023

Optima

  • miles
My pearl white pair is chipping from all over, I had it inspected and they said it was a problem with the original paint and how it was put painted.

- Turlock , CA, USA

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