What 1,371 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Optima Phev

II HAVE PAINT PEELING AND FALLING OFF AT A RAPID RATE AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 77000 MILES IT IS GARAGE KEPT AND DETAILED TWICE A YEAR I FEEL IT NEED ATTENTION FROM KIA AS THIS IS NOT NORMAL THEY WILL NOT COVER IT AND IT APPEARS THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR KIA

NHTSA ODI 11344086

I HAVE A 2013 KIA OPTIMA WITH PEARL WHITE PAINT. CONSISTENT WITH WIDESPREAD REPORTS OF RAPID PAINT PEELING AND DELAMINATION OF THIS PARTICULAR PAINT COLOR, I TOO AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME. ALSO CONSISTENT WITH WIDESPREAD REPORTING, THE PRIMARY AREAS ARE ALONG THE PILLARS AROUND THE WINDSHIELD (LONG VERTICAL STRIPS PEELED DOWN TO THE PRIMER), AND BUBBLING AND PEELING ON THE ENGINE HOOD, THE FRONT GRILL AND THE FRONT BUMPER. THIS HAS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY, AND IS RAPIDLY WORSENING. I FIRST NOTICED THE PEELING AROUND THE WINDSHIELD ON 5/28/20, AND THE ENGINE HOOD AND BUMPER ON 8/2/20. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 62,900 MILES ON THE CAR AND IT IS TYPICALLY GARAGED. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN, AND THAT THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WILL NEED TO BE REPAINTED. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT, AS REPORTED BY OTHERS, WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES IN THE SAME MANNER AND LOCATIONS ON THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY KIA AT NO COST TO ME. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI 11343013

IN THE LATE MORNING OF MONDAY, APRIL 6TH 2020, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 2013 KIA OPTIMA SXL HOME FROM THE STORE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN FILLING WITH SMOKE. LUCKILY, HE WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND JUMP OUT BEFORE FLAMES BEGAN TO ENGULF THE FRONT OF THE CAR. HE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE COMPANY WAS DISPATCHED. THEIR RESPONSE TIME WAS SHORT, BUT IT TOOK UNDER A MINUTE FOR THE CAR TO GO UP IN FLAMES (SEE PICTURES ATTACHED). THERE WAS ZERO WARNING THAT THIS HORRIFIC EVENT WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. NO ENGINE LIGHT, NO FUNNY NOISES, NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. IN FACT, I HAD JUST BROUGHT THE CAR INTO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE SERVICE LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE ON MARCH 9. THEY GAVE ME NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR THAT WOULD CAUSE IT TO CATCH ON FIRE. WE FILED A CLAIM WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, WHO CONFIRMED THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND LISTED A RECENT, BUT AS YET UNANNOUNCED, RECALL ON MY EXACT YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF THE CAR. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT ACCORDING TO A FEBRUARY 27, 2020 ARTICLE IN US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, KIA WOULD SHORTLY BE RECALLING NEARLY 142,000 2013 AND 2014 KIA OPTIMA'S. FURTHERMORE, 'KIA SAYS A FUEL HOSE CAN DETERIORATE AND CRACK DUE TO ENGINE HEAT. THE HOSES CAN LEAK AND CAUSE FIRES. A FIX IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO START APRIL 16.' ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME OF THE ARTICLE NO FIRES HAD YET BEEN REPORTED, GIVEN THE SUDDEN NATURE OF OUR CAR FIRE, IT IS OBVIOUS TO US WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 11321709

POOR PAINT JOBS AND NOT CAR HAS LOTS OF PEELING AND CHIPPED PAINT SPOTS. SEEMS TO BE VERY POOR WORKMANSHIP AND NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A PEELING CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11309968

ON 1/11/2020 MY 16 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING THE 2013 KIA OPTIMA WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER. HE WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD NO PRIOR MECHANICAL ISSUES. THERE HAVE BEEN NO WARNING LIGHTS.

NHTSA ODI 11298640

BEFORE I PAID OFF MY CAR IN 12-1-18, MY 2013'KIA OPTIMA'S PAINT STARTED CHIPPING OFF. IT HAS CHIPPED OFF FIRST ON THE HOOD AND THEN ON THE DOOR JAMS ON BOTH FRONT DOORS. I FIND THIS SUSPICIOUS IN THAT WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, THEY WERE PUSHING AN EXTRA PAINT PROTECTION PROGRAM- - FOR A MEAR $2000 PLUS EXTRA! IT'S AS IF THEY KNEW THE PAINT WOULD FAIL IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.

NHTSA ODI 11244313

WAITING ON A RED LIGHT, THE KIA OPTIMA STALLED AND THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING INTO THE CABIN. WITHIN SECONDS THE FRONT OF THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND MY WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN HAD A VERY LIMITED TIME TO GET OUT FROM THE BURNING CAR INTO SAFETY. THE BURNING CAR WAS EVENTUALLY EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. LOCAL POLICE CORDONED OFF THE LANE TO PROVIDE SAFETY FOR MY FAMILY AND OTHERS MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND THE TIME OF THE FIRE WAS AROUND 12:30PM.

NHTSA ODI 11202861

I WAS DRIVING FROM WOBURN MA ON NEW BOSTON ROAD HEADED TO WILMINGTON MA AND MY CAR SEEMED TO SHUT DOWN I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER OFF THE STREET NEXT TO A CURB LOCATION 147 NEW BOSTON RD. I TRIED TO START MY CAR PRESSING THE PUSH BUTTON START ONLY LIGHTS CAME ON ON THE OIL HAS ENGINE BATTERY... WHILE STILL SITTING IN THE CAR I WAS TRYING TO MAKE SOME CALLS I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE SMOKE INCREASED RAPIDLY I EXITED THE CAR CALLED 911. WHILE WAITING FOR HELP TO ARRIVE I GRABBED SOME ITEMS FROM THE GLOVE BOX AND BACK SEAT THE FRONT OF THE CAR AT THAT POINT FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD THE FLAMES ESCALATED TO POP THE HOOD A LARGE FIRE HAD IGNIGHTED FROM THE ENGINE AREA THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT THE FIRE. A TOW TRUCK TOWED THE CAR AWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11193614

MY CAR RANDOMLY CAUGHT FIRE AT 10:30 PM WHILE IT WAS ALREADY SITTING IN MY DRIVE WAY SINCE 7 PM. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR IS NOW MELTED ON MY DRIVEWAY PAVEMENT. PUTTING MY FAMILY AND MY HOUSE AT DANGER.

NHTSA ODI 11186541

"TAKATA RECALL". MY KIA HAS BEEN RECALLED SEVERAL TIMES, THE MOTOR HAS BEEN RECALLED TWICE. THE SECOND TIME, I HAD MY FAMILY WITH ME GOING TO ARKANSAS, AND THE CAR STALLED AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH A STOP LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE ALMOST HIT US. I HAVE LOST WAGES FROM WORK, LOST TIME WAITING TO GET MY VEHICLE FIXED, IT HAS CAUSED STRESS AND ANXIETY AND RIGHT NOW I JUST GOT THREE MORE RECALL LETTERS IN THE MAIL. THESE CARES ARE UNSAFE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I WANT KIA HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND TO GET THESE DANGEROUS CARS OFF THE STREETS BEFORE SOME GETS KILLED.

NHTSA ODI 11183117

ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 930AM, WHILE ON DUTY AT WORK(CORRECTION OFFICER) MY KIA OPTIMA GDI 2013 WENT UP IN FLAMES IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY JOB.. I WAS NOT PRESENT AND THE VEHICLE. I HAD ALREADY BEEN ON DUTY 530AM THAT MORNING. ONCE I MADE IT TO THE SCENE MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ALMOST BURNT TO THE GROUND. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT LABELED IT AS A ELECTRICAL FIRE, WHICH CAUSED THE CAR THE BURN FROM THE INSIDE OUT, STARTING FROM THE ENGINE. I HAD SEVERAL PERSONAL ITEMS OF MINE BURNT IN THE FIRE AND ALSO WORK EQUIPMENT THAT WAS LOST IN THE FIRE. SINCE THE INCIDENT I'VE SUFFERED MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL DISTRESS. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER AND I DEPENDED ON MY CAR TO GET ME WHERE I NEEDED TO GO. THINGS HAVE BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING AND HARD. I'M SEEKING HELP FROM KIA MOTORS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11142750

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.

NHTSA ODI 11139133

CAR SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS. NO INJURY BUT DRIVER HAD TO JUMP OUT OF MOVING VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11139335

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.

NHTSA ODI 11132316

THE PAINT PILLING OFF THE CAR TOOK IT TO KIA THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T DO NOTHING THE PAIN PILLS SO BAD THIS A FIVE YEAR CAR IN IT LOOK LIKE 15 YEAR OLD CAR COST ME 2800 TO GET THE CAR PAINTED I KNOW THAT THIS WAS A DEFECT ON THE PAIT IN KIA DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT NEEDS TO BE CHECKED KIA NEED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11111022

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, I STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, AND REALIZED THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE FROM THE ENGINE AREA. THE ELECTRICAL SHORTED OUT AND I WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR, I HAD TO MANUALLY HOLD THE ELECTRIC LOCK TO BE ABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THE CAR. IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI 11090295

THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF MY CAR WHILE THE CAR IS STATIONARY

NHTSA ODI 11082017

ON SEPTEMBER 28TH MY HUSBAND WAS IN A ACCIDENT WHERE HE TURNED A CORNER AT 8MPH AND HIT THE REAR END OF A BOAT ON A TRAILER. THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS CRUNCHED AND THE CAR IS NOW A TOTAL LOSS AND WAS TOTALED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF AND IF I WERE IN THE CAR WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY.

NHTSA ODI 11039318

MY FOUR YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I WERE IN THE CAR AND WHILE DRIVING, THE SUNROOF EXPLODED. IT WAS SO LOUD, ALMOST LIKE A GUNSHOT. A SMALL AMOUNT OF GLASS ENTERED THE CAR. I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT, SOUTHWARD, NEAR THE OSCEOLA EXIT ON I 55. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGN OR EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING HITTING THE GLASS. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AND THE TEMPERATURE IN OSCEOLA TODAY WAS A HIGH OF 76 AND LOW OF 68 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

NHTSA ODI 10970621

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE, WATER WAS OBSERVED IN THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEALANT AROUND THE HEADLIGHTS WAS FAILING. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA ODI 10926014

WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD WITH MY SON AND A FRIEND, GOING ABOUT 25 MPH ON A CLEAR DAY AT NOON, WE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT COME FROM THE MOON ROOF CAUSING ME TO SWERVE. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND ASSESS THE SITUATION, WE FOUND THAT THE MOON ROOF HAD "EXPLODED" CAUSING THE ENTIRE THING TO CRACK AND REMAIN CRACKING, CAUSING TINY SHARDS OF GLASS TO FORM. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY UNDRIVEABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10884497

HAVING PURCHASED THE CAR ON 12/11/14 MY DAUGHTER DID NOT HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE DRIVING THE CAR.... ON DECEMBER 27 SHE "LOST CONTROL" OF THE CAR, AND RAN INTO THE WALL ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN CHICAGO. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DRY EVENING, AND SHE EMPHATICALLY STATES THAT SHE DOES NOT KNOW HOW SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND THAT IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT. THE ONLY RATIONALE CONCLUSION WAS THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT. THAT IS, UNTIL A FRIEND RECOMMENDED I CHECK THE WEB, AND CHECK IF OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN OR ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. ALTHOUGH I HAD DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE WHEN RESEARCHING THE CAR E.G. RECALLS, KNOWN PROBLEMS, ETC. PRIOR TO PURCHASING THIS CAR, I DID NOT CHECK SPECIFICS SUCH AS STEERING. LONG OF THE SHORT, TWO DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND WHEN I GOOGLED STEERING PROBLEMS, THIS SITE HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/KIA/OPTIMA/2013/STEERING/STEERING.SHTML WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO SHOW UP. I WAS AMAZED TO FIND 35 COMPLAINTS IN REFERENCE TO THE SAME STEERING ISSUE. AFTER READING THE COMPLAINTS I AM I CONVINCED THAT THIS STEERING ISSUE IS THE CONTRIBUTOR TO MY DAUGHTER'S ACCIDENT. IT IS THE ONLY LOGICAL EXPLANATION OTHER THAN A BLOW OUT. I THINK THIS MAY BE A RESULT OF THE STEERING PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2013 OPTIMAS. I WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS OR DEATHS IT IS GOING TO TAKE FOR KIA TO ADMIT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND DO THE RESPONSIBLE THING? IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THERE NEEDS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS' RECALL BEFORE A FATAL ACCIDENT OCCURS, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY .... *JS

NHTSA ODI 10669214

SHORTLY AFTER GETTING ONTO THE FREEWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK IN THE MORNING I HEARD A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY WHAT SOUNDED LIKE LIGHT RAIN HITTING THE CAR AND THE ROAR OF THE FREEWAY. WE QUICKLY PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND UPON LOOKING AT THE ROOF OF THE CAR THERE WAS A HUGE HOLE IN THE CENTER OF THE CAR'S SUN ROOF WITH SHARP SHARDS OF GLASS TILTED TOWARDS THE SKY AND LARGE CRACKS EXTENDING FROM ONE SIDE OF THE SUNROOF FRAME TO THE OTHER. CONDITIONS WERE RAINING, 7:30AM AND ABOUT 50 DEGREES F OUTSIDE. THE CANVAS SCREEN WAS CLOSED TO CATCH THE FALLING GLASS SO NO GLASS FELL INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. THERE WERE NO INJURIES, AND NO DEBRIS OR OTHER CARS IN THE AREA. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10666990

THE SUNROOF ON MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA EXPLODED OUT WARDS RAINING BROKEN GLASS DOWN ON MY HEARD. THE CAR WAS NOT STRUCK BY ANY OBJECT AND NO CARS WERE AHEAD OF ME ON THE ROAD. THERE WAS A SLIGHT CREAKING NOISE AND THEN A VIOLENT EXPLOSION LEAVING AN UP TURNED CRATER IN THE GLASS ROOF. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND THEY DENY ANY KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEMS WITH ANY SUNROOFS DISPUTE THE RECALL ON SIMILAR ROOFS ON OTHER KIA AND HYUNDAI MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10566798

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, A NOISE WAS EMITTED FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20. UPDATED 09-18-13 *BF UPDATED 09/27/2013 *JS

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