Kia Optima Complaints (2013)
1,443 consumer complaints on file.
- #11141807October 22, 2018ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, SMOKE APPEARED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE MATTER WOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT CALLED BACK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11141677October 21, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
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.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11140595October 16, 2018AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN
TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE A MONTH AGO FOR AIRBAG RECALL AS WAS TOLD WOULD NOT INFLATE IN CRASH. CALLED KIA CORP. TO ASK STATUS AS I HAVE HEARD NOTHING MORE AFTER CALLING EACH WEEK AND WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS READY AS OF THAT MOMENT. PICKED UP CAR AND TRANSMISSION (LIGHT CAME ON AND DIED) IN MIDDLE OF 4 LANE HWY 5O'CLOCK TRAFFIC AS I WAS IN MOTION APPROACHING TRAFFIC LIGHT AT WITHIN A MILE OF LEAVING REGAL KIA AND WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG WAS STILL NOT WORKING AS THE EXTRA FIX WAS OUTSIDE OF THE RECALL AND I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT DURING STALL AS I WENT IN FOR A AIRBAG RECALL AND LEFT WITH A DEAD TRANSMISSION AND AIRBAG WAS NOT FIXED, PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER WITHIN MINUTES OF LEAVING THE SAME DEALERSHIP THAT EARLIER MONTHS CLEARED MY CAR AS PERFECT EXCEPT FOR TUNE-UP BECAUSE OF ANOTHER PREVIOUS RECALL. I WAS NOT PLACED IN REQUESTED LOANER TO MATCH MY VEHICLE SIZE AS NEEDED DUE TO MY FAMILY SIZE FOR 4 WEEKS. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE BY ANY MEANS AS A CUSTOMER.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11140287October 15, 2018ENGINE
WAS DRIVING THE CAR, SMELLED A ELECTRICAL SMELL, AND THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, 17 MINUETS AFTER IT BEING SERVICED AT THE DEALERSDHIP
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11140395October 15, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THIS VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR QUITE OFTEN, AFTER HAVING DRIVEN SHORT OR LONG DISTANCES. PLEASE REQUIRE KIA TO SOURCE THE ISSUE AND REPAIR, AT THEIR COST, THE ISSUE BEFORE THIS VEHICLE STARTS A FIRE!!!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11140431October 15, 2018AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. CRAIN KIA (5830 WARDEN ROAD, SHERWOOD, ARKANSAS 72120, (501) 542-6042) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DISABLED THE AIR BAG LIGHT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS) ON JULY 27, 2018. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11140102October 13, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA DISPLAYED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH RADIO PANEL, WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH, SEAT BELT WARNING ON WHILE BUCKLED AND DRIVING, AND DOORS WOULD LOCK ON THEIR OWN WEEKS PRIOR TO THE CAR GIVING OUT ON ME AFTER A QUARTER OF A MILE DRIVE. IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. MECHANIC THOUGHT IT WAS A STARTER ISSUE BUT TURNED OUT THAT THE ENGINE LOCKED. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2015 AND HAD SOME FUEL SYSTEM ISSUE A YEAR AFTER PURCHASE , COSTING OVER $900 TO REPAIR. NOW THIS...THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR OTHER WARNINGS RIGHT BEFORE IT STOPPED. I HAD NOTICED THE SMELL OF WIRES OR SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BURNING AFTER DRIVING THE CAR A FEW TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS BUT WASN'T SURE OF WHERE IT MAY HAVE BEEN COMING FROM. WOULD BE GREAT IF I DIDN'T HAVE TO SPEND A LUMP SUM TO REPAIR MOTOR WHILE STILL PAYING OFF THE CAR!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11139964October 12, 2018ENGINE
THERE IS AN OPEN ENGINE RECALL CURRENTLY, I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE RECALL FOR 10/9. ON FRIDAY OF 10/5 I WAS DRIVING DOWN I-95 SOUTH AND MY CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND THE ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON, I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL IN THE LANE AND I WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ROLE TO THE SHOULDER DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TUESDAY 10/9 TO THE LAUREL KIA LOCATED AT 14921 BALTIMORE AVENUE LAUREL, MD. JEREMY WAS THE SERVICE LEADER THAT I SPOKE WITH AND HE SUPPOSEDLY SERVICED MY CAR. AFTER GETTING MY CAR SERVICED ON 10/9 I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY RETURN THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN BECAUSE I HAD ENGINE FAILURE AGAIN AND MY CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING HOME. I WENT BACK AND JEREMY SAID THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG TO LET THE CAR RUN THEN DRIVE HOME. I MADE IT HOME THAT DAY BUT ON WEDNESDAY 10/10 MY CARE BROKE DOWN DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING EXTREMELY LOUD. I ALMOST GOT INTO A ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS. THE CAR WAS TOWED ON 10/11 BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THAT THE ENGINE CAN GET CHECKED. I HAVE GONE TO THE LAUREL KIA DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES TO HAVE THIS RECALL REPAIRED AND I AM STILL UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY ON THE ROAD DUE TO THE MANUFACTURERS ERROR. AND THE DEALERSHIP OF SERVICE IS UNWILLING TO CORRECT THIS RECALL ERROR.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11139967October 12, 2018ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHEN THE CAR SHUT OFF AND DIDN'T NOT START TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND SAID THE ENGINE LOCK.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11139737October 11, 2018STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING ABILITY BECAME DIFFICULT AND THE VEHICLE VEERED LEFT AND RIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11139133October 9, 2018STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA CAUGHT ON FIRE JUST SHORT OF DRIVING IT FOR ABOUT 15-20 MIN ON 9/23/18. WE GOT NO WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD WE HEARD A LIGHT POP NOISE, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF WHEN WE GOT OFF THERE WAS FIRE COMING OUT FROM THE HOOD THAT FASTLY SPREAD THROUGHT OUT UP TO THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR DESTROYING THE WHOLE ENGINE. THE CAR NEVER HAD ANY MECHANICAL ISSUES. WE HAD JUST DRIVEN FROM AZ TO CA THE NIGHT BEFORE WITH NO PROBLEMS. I STILL HAVE NO EXPLANATION WHY MY 5 YEAR OLD CAR WITH JUST A LITTLE OVER 86K MILES CAUGHT ON FIRE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11139335October 9, 2018STRUCTURE:BODY, SEATS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CAR SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS. NO INJURY BUT DRIVER HAD TO JUMP OUT OF MOVING VEHICLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11139023October 8, 2018EXTERIOR LIGHTING
MY HEADLIGHT BULBS BLEW FINALLY AFTER 5 YEARS BUT THE COVER TO CHANGE THEM IS STUCK! IT'S LIKE THEY ARE SUPER GLUED OR WELDED SHUT! I TRIED TO OPEN THE COVER AND TAKE IT OFF AND SO DID MY HUSBAND. WE WENT TO AUTOZONE AND A ACTUALLY KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY CAN'T EVEN REMOVE IT! LIGHT ARE SUPER IMPORTANT AND ARE A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS YOUR HEADLIGHT BULBS WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO REMOVE YOUR FRONT END. KIA IS CHARGING ME 108.00 A HOUR SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REMOVE THE FRONT PART OF MY OF MY CAR TO TRY TO REMOVE THE LIGHT COVER. PLEASE REVIEW THIS ISSUE!
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11133028October 3, 2018ENGINE
MY CAR (KIA OPTIMA 2013) WAS PART OF THE RECALL IN 2017 AND IN DECEMBER 2017 MY CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON A VERY BUSY FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA. I HAD MY CAR TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED MY ENGINE BECAUSE IT WAS PART OF THE RECALL. 9 MOS LATER SEPTEMBER 16TH 2018 MY FIANCEE WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL ON A CALIFORNIA FREEWAY AND HE HAD NO BRAKES AND OTHER DRIVERS WERE HONKING AND YELLING YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE. HE USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO TRY AND SLOW DOWN TO EXIT THE FREEWAY HE WAS PICKING UP SPEED BECAUSE HE WAS GOING DOWN HILL THE CAR WAS WAS STARTING TO FILL UP WITH SMOKE. HE WAS HOPING THE WINDOWS WOULD GO DOWN AND THEY DID HE START EXITING FREEWAY PUSHING ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SLOWING DOWN APPROACHING A CURB TURNING THE WHEEL TOWARDS THE CURB STILL ROLLING HE JUMPS OUT OFT THE CAR RUNNING AWAY FROM VEHICLE. JUST SECONDS AFTER HE GETS OUT HE SAID THE CAR JUST WAS IN FLAMES BURNING FROM THE ENGINE TIRES POPPING AND WINDOWS BREAKING OUT. THE CAR HAS ONLY 8,000 MILES ON NEW MOTOR THE WHOLE CAR HAD 108,000 THE WAS A 2013 5 YEARS OLD
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11133106October 3, 2018ENGINE
THESE ENGINES CATCH ON FIRE AND I THINK I KNOW WHY AND HAVE VIDEO PROOF. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11133001October 2, 2018AIR BAGS
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT A REPAIR IS AVAILABLE AND BEEN APPROVED FOR THE KIA OPTIMA 2013 AIRBAG DEFECT. I CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND IT STILL SAYS THE RECALL IS INCOMPLETE AND NO REPAIR IS AVAILABLE. I REQUESTED A LOANER VEHICLE FROM KIA A MONTH AGO AND THEY WERE VERY SLOW TO PROVIDE ONE JUST LETTING ME KNOW YESTERDAY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIND A DEALER THAT HAS A LOANER/RENTAL PROGRAM OR OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE TO PURSHASE MY OWN RENTAL AND THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME WHEN THE REPAIR BECAME AVAILABLE. TODAY WHEN I ASKED THEM FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT POLICY IN WRITING BEFORE I WENT OUT TO GET A RENTAL, THEY THEN TOLD ME A REPAIR JUST BECAME AVAILABLE AND FOR ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED. BECAUSE OF THE RUN AROUND I GOT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REPAIR IS LEGIT BEING ITS NOT SHOWING ON THE NHTSA SITE
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11132411October 1, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
MY CAR IS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AT MY JOB. IT HAD BEEN PARKED THERE SINCE 2:50 PM. AT 11 PM I WENT OUTSIDE AFTER CLOCKING OUT AND IT WOULD NOT CRANK. HOWEVER, ALL MY LIGHTS IN THE INSIDE AND ON MY DASHBOARD REMAINED WORKING. UPON TRYING TO TURN OVER MY KEY, MY CAR WOULD MAKE A CLICKING SOUND. AFTER AB 10 MINUTES OTHER THINGS BEGAN TO FADE OUT SUCH AS MY LIGHTS. I ALSO COULD NOT USE MY REMOTE KEY ANYMORE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK MY DOORS. I ONLY HAD THIS CAR A MONTH, AND IT IS STILL IN THE CONDITION IT WAS BOUGHT IN. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11132746October 1, 2018AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RESTRAIN PROPERLY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE PASSENGER WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11132316September 30, 2018STRUCTURE:BODY
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY MY CAR STALLED AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, AS I PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY I SEEN SMOKE AND THEN FLAMES WHILE CAR WAS TOTAL LOSS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11132366September 30, 2018UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID THIS MORNING. WHILE DRIVING, I SUDDENLY GOT A WARNING MESSAGE THAT SAID "HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE STOP SAFELY DO NOT DRIVE". I PULLED OVER AND SMELLED WHAT SEEMED TO BE FIRE, BUT SAW NOTHING. I CALLED MY FIANC TO LET HIM KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THE CABIN STARTED FILLING WITH SMOKE. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND POPPED THE TRUNK. THERE WERE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE CAR IS NOW SITTING IN A TOW YARD. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR. THERE IS NOTHING THAT I WOULD HAVE DONE OR COULD HAVE DONE TO CAUSE THIS.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0