2013 Kia Optima problems
NHTSA has received 1,896 complaints about the 2013 Kia Optima, and 34% of them involve engine. Next are steering (11%) and electrical system (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,896 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 35% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 77 and 171
- Injuries and deaths
- 57 and 7
- Typical mileage
- 85,000 miles 1,053 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 155 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 90 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 96 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 140 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 170 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 140 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 112 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 62 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 46 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 26 |
| 200k+ miles | 16 |
What the data shows
Of the 1,053 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 85,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 100,000 miles (397 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 77 complaints mention a crash; 171 complaints mention a fire; 57 injuries reported; 7 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2013 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 20 model years of the Kia Optima with enough data (582 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 9 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
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 contact's ex husband owned a 2013 Kia Optima .The contact stated while her ex-husband was driving at an undetermined speed a 2009 Jeep Liberty cross the center line and crashed into the vehicle. The driver succumbed to his injuries at the scene. There was a report of the driver being located leaning towards the front passenger seat. The air bags deployed. The seat belt was extended and locked but, was torn. The contact stated the driver of the Jeep was intoxicated however there were no reported injuries.
At a 4 way stop, (stop signs only) the car to my left was completely obscured by the side mirror and window housing. Street lights absorbed his headlights, car was dark blue. After looking both ways I let off the gas to proceed through the intersection to see a dark object right in front of me. I brake but we made contact scraping the paint from my bumper. I will say I just moved here from a larger town that only had stop lights so I had not noticed this problem before.
Car started having a clicking noise when turning steering wheel to both right and left. Car has been pulling to the right on the highway, will even pull to the right at low speed rate. Car was bought brand new, should not be having steering issues.