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2013 Kia Optima Hybrid Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid, most often about the electrical (38% of complaints, typically around 50,500 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Optima Hybrid model year since 2000 and has 2 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a park-outside warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid problems
Electrical
21 complaints · 38%Half of these problems showed up before 50,500 miles. Parts named most often: propulsion system.
When we take the car to car wash and some time go over a puddle of water , if the car is on move , it will shut itself and I had to stop the car restart the car . If the car comes out of car wash and be turn , it will not start until 4 to 5 hours later . Error we get " key is not recognize" I took my car to Kia dealer…
From a stop at a light or intersection, over seven (7) times the car has jolted forward and stopped abruptly, losing most power to the motor at that point. Audible alarms ring and the dashboard has read both "hybrid system warning! Immediately stop and do not drive" and "check charging system". This has happened…
Brakes
16 complaints · 29%Half of these problems showed up before 77,500 miles. Parts named most often: antilock.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that the front-end of the vehicle was making an abnormal knocking sound while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was…
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that after driving at various speeds, there was a burning odor present inside the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The…
Engine
14 complaints · 26%Half of these problems showed up before 70,000 miles.
1. Driving vehicle on freeway and the engine blew. Kia rebuilt the top half of the engine. 2. Driving vehicle on street and the power steering went out. Took a lot of strength to steer to the side of the road. Kia reset main control unit to fix issue. 3. Driving vehicle on street and the power steering went out again.…
The engine revs while idle periodically and the engine revs still when u let go of the gas. I believe this car was affected by kias latest recall... And causes issues with me being able to brake and such cuz the car engine revs when the gas isnt bein touched. This has been ongoing
Other or unspecified
9 complaints · 16%Half of these problems showed up before 65,000 miles.
From a stop at a light or intersection, over seven (7) times the car has jolted forward and stopped abruptly, losing most power to the motor at that point. Audible alarms ring and the dashboard has read both "hybrid system warning! Immediately stop and do not drive" and "check charging system". This has happened…
Caught on fire, non collision, please see link to my featured news story http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailthis?clickmap=viewthis&etmailtoid=[phone]
Transmission
7 complaints · 13%Half of these problems showed up before 67,000 miles.
Hybrid warning light suddenly came on indicating that I should pull over while I was driving on the freeway. I immediately veered to my left to get to the shoulder, as the car had already died, and I was moving only on momentum. I was almost hit by a car behind me. I waited a while, and the car restarted. The engine…
From a stop at a light or intersection, over seven (7) times the car has jolted forward and stopped abruptly, losing most power to the motor at that point. Audible alarms ring and the dashboard has read both "hybrid system warning! Immediately stop and do not drive" and "check charging system". This has happened…
Speed control
5 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 4,000 miles.
To whom it concerns, I have a great safety concern related to the optima 2013 hybrid braking system. I am not sure if the behavior I am going to describe is typical or defective. When traveling at speed, with the cruise set, I find that any sudden and hard hit to the brakes will activate some type of automatic braking…
The mpg has decreased from 38-40 mpg to 30 mpg since I had the fuel injection service performed. The dealer offers no help. Wish I never had it done.....I get sudden surges of acceleration while driving on the highway. I've had to apply the brakes to slow down. Since this is an intermittent problem the dealer states…
Hybrid system
5 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 67,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled and "check hybrid battery and do not run" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to romeo Kia of kingston (111 schenk dr, kingston, ny), but the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not…
The contact owns a 2013 Kia optima hydrid. While driving approximately 85 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle failed to restart and was coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the hybrid system would need to be replaced. The dealer had…
Steering
4 complaints · 7%To whom it concerns, I have a great safety concern related to the optima 2013 hybrid braking system. I am not sure if the behavior I am going to describe is typical or defective. When traveling at speed, with the cruise set, I find that any sudden and hard hit to the brakes will activate some type of automatic braking…
1. Driving vehicle on freeway and the engine blew. Kia rebuilt the top half of the engine. 2. Driving vehicle on street and the power steering went out. Took a lot of strength to steer to the side of the road. Kia reset main control unit to fix issue. 3. Driving vehicle on street and the power steering went out again.…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2013 Kia Optima Hybrid recalls
Brakes: control unit/module
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the hecu fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed november 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed march 29, 2024 through june 18, 2024. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc284.
Full defect summary
Kia america, inc. (kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 borrego, 2014-2016 cadenza, 2010-2013 forte, forte koup, sportage, 2015-2018 k900, 2011-2015 optima, 2011-2013 optima hybrid, soul, 2012-2017 rio, 2011-2014 sorento, and 2010-2011 rondo vehicles. The hydraulic electronic control unit (hecu) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Engine
Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, kia dealers will update the knock sensor detection system (ksds) software, free of charge. The recall began january 27, 2021. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc200.
Full defect summary
Kia motors america (kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 sorento, 2012-2015 forte and forte koup, 2011-2013 optima hybrid, 2014-2015 soul, and 2012 sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Hyundai and kia ABS module fires
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) has received eight hyundai motor america (hyundai) and eight kia america, inc. (kia) part 573 recall reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or hydraulic electronic control units (hecu) manufactured by the equipment supplier mando. The part 573 recall reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by mando. Safety recalls included in this audit query (aq) review include: hyundai recalls 20v-520, 20v-543, 21v-161, 21v-160, 21v-303, 22v-056, 22v-810, and 23v-651. Kia recalls 16v-815, 20v-518, 20v-519, 21v
Pedestrian alert sounds
Summary
Nhtsa received a petition on or about july 18, 2022, requesting that federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the united states. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under odi number 11486072. Fmvss 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after march 1, 2021.on january 27, 2023, NHTSA opened defect petition (dp) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Loss of motive power
Summary
The national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated july 13, 2022, petitioning the agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain hyundai motor america, inc. And kia america, inc. Vehicles spanning model years (my) 2005-2021. The petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Engine fires
Summary
On march 29, 2019, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened two preliminary evaluations (pe19-003 on hyundai and pe19-004 on kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year hyundai and kia vehicles.â during the pe investigations, hyundai and kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types.â the remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement.â additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modif
Electrical overstress
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.â during the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (acu) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) electronic control unit (ecu) manufactured by zf-trw. â the ecu receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with m
Non-crash vehicle fires
Summary
During this preliminary evaluation (pe), the office of defects investigation (odi) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (my) 2011-2014 kia optima, my 2011-2014 kia sorento and my 2010-2015 kia soul vehicles equipped with theta II, gamma, nu and lambda II engines (approximately 1.7 million vehicles). Odi also reviewed field and other data on other kia vehicles (approximately 3.6 million additional vehicles) equipped with the same engines used in the above-mentioned vehicles.as a result of this pe, kia has issued NHTSA recalls 20v-750 and 2
Non-crash vehicle fires
Summary
In a letter dated june 11, 2018, the center for auto safety (cas) petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (my) 2011-2014 kia optima and sorento, and hyundai sonata and santa fe vehicles. In a letter dated july 24, 2018, cas requested that my 2010-2015 kia soul vehicles be added to the petition. Cas stated that there is a higher number of complaints to NHTSA regarding non-crash fires on these vehicles compared to other similar vehicles. The office of defects investigation (odi) had already opened recall queries (rq17-003 and rq17-004) on all kia and hyundai vehicles equipped
Questions about the 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid
- What are the most common problems with the 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: electrical (21 complaints, typically around 50,500 miles); brakes (16 complaints, typically around 77,500 miles); engine (14 complaints, typically around 70,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2013 Kia Optima Hybrid have?
- 2 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 25, 2023 (brakes). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2013 a bad year for the Kia Optima Hybrid?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Optima Hybrid model year since 2000, with 55 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.