2013 Kia Optima: problems, recalls and reliability
10 recalls and 1,428 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (38% of complaints); the 2011 and 2014 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 4 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Sep 2023
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 1,428 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. There was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was uncontrollable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the coupling in the steering wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no coverage under the warranty extension for the MDPS flexible coupling. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.”Owner report · Steering · Jun 2026
“My 2013 Kia Optima was running fine at 65 mph when suddenly the engine stalled. I then coasted to the shoulder and smelled burning plastic. As soon as I opened the hood the engine started being consumed in fire, it quickly went to a very large engine fire that consumed the front half of the car. There were no other vehicles involved with this incident. Vehicle is a total loss.”Owner report · Engine · May 2026
“The contact stated that while driving the vehicle began to unexpectedly slow and then stalled. The vehicle was unable to restart. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage 215,000.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · May 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front end of the vehicle caught fire. The contact was informed by another driver that the fire originated near the front driver's side wheel area. The fire was extinguished by the local fire department, and a police report was filed. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.”Owner report · Wheels · Apr 2026
“The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front of the vehicle started excessively smoking and caught fire. No warning lights illuminated. The fire was extinguished by the local fire department, and a fire report was filed. A police report was not filed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure via customer care support since no representative was reached via the phone line. The approximate failure mileage was 179,000.”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Apr 2026
“Paint on car is coming off from hood and doors headlights are not bright had to change to aftermarket to make it brighter”Owner report · Structure · Mar 2026
“The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while 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 it was diagnosed and it was determined that the turbocharger had failed, and the engine and turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact received a letter from the dealer that the vehicle was covered under a manufacturer settlement for engine replacement; however, the dealer advised the contact that there was an out-of-pocket cost to replace the turbocharger. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Mar 2026
“HECU failure on my 2013 Kia. My specific VIN # is not included in this repair but the year make and model are under recall sc197. My brakes are going all the way floor. There is a leek internally inside the hydraylic electonic control unit which is a fire hazard as well as a hydraulic failure. This is a massive safety and liability concern.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Mar 2026
“The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering with a knocking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the dealer declined to repair the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer stated that the vehicle had a branded title. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 163,814.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Mar 2026
“The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while approaching a freeway and attempting to merge, the vehicle suddenly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2026
When filing, owners marked a crash in 49 of these complaints and injuries in 37 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 10 campaigns
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.
Remedy: 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.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles previously recalled under recall 20V-519. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will install a new multi-fuse, and inspect the HECU for leaks, replacing the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 2, 2021. This recall supersedes previous NHTSA recall number 20V-519. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC212.
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC147.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all other affected vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC165.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles that were previously repaired under NHTSA recall number 20V-100. The low pressure fuel hose may be damaged, or missing heat-protective tape, which can result in a fuel leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel hose, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 2, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-33-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC228.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Optima vehicles equipped with 2.4L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) or 2.0L GDI Turbo engines. The low pressure fuel hose may deteriorate and crack over time due to heat generated within the engine compartment.
Remedy: Kia will notify Owners, and Dealers will inspect the low pressure fuel hose for damage or leaking, replacing it as necessary. If no damage or leaking is found, a heat-protective tape will be installed. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began June 12, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC187.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Remedy: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Optima vehicles. The right and left headliner plates may not be secured properly, which can result in the plates detaching in the event of a side curtain air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will secure the headliner plates, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 26, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC245.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Optima and 2014-2015 Sorento vehicles. Brake fluid may leak inside the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HECU for leaking brake fluid and replace the HECU if necessary, free of charge. Owners are advised to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures until the recall repair is completed. The recall began October 20, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC197.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2013 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Optima by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Kia Optima reliable?
NHTSA has 1,428 owner complaints and 10 recall campaigns on record for the 2013 Kia Optima. The most complained-about area is engine (38% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2013 Kia Optima problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 86,369 miles or less.
Does the 2013 Kia Optima have open recalls?
10 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.