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

My Optima has a crack in the low-pressure fuel line. I detected a very strong gas odor last week and immediately notified the dealer but due to needing the knock detection sensor from a recall being installed, I had to wait until one of the lead techs was available to inspect it yesterday. The dealer has ordered the part needed but they said that it might be weeks before they get the part in because it is on backorder and due to the safety risk, my car is undriveable. They will not release my vehicle to me without signing a waiver releasing them of liability. Kia recalled 2013-2014 Optimas with the same Turbo engine last year, for this exact reason but the dealer said my vehicle was not included in the recall and this repair will be nearly $600 out of pocket even though this is a known issue. I absolutely cannot and will not sign a waiver when I know my vehicle is dangerous to drive. I have systemic mastocytosis and that alone can cause anaphylaxis to be triggered by the gas odors. There were no warning lamps, no other signs or symptoms until I smelled gas last week.

NHTSA ODI 11434902

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, fuel odor was detected but the contact did not see fuel leaking onto the ground. The contact's cousin, an independent mechanic, inspected under the engine cover and saw that there was fuel leaking on top of the engine block from a cracked fuel line. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment for diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

NHTSA ODI 11433042

My oil light has been coming on and blinking then disappearing. Current on oil change and oil level is full on dipstick. Noticed little oil stain on driveway but oil level remains good and full. A couple times now my car has lost acceleration. One time on the highway and once in my neighborhood. When I press the gas it does not accelerate. It will lose speed and after a few times of stepping on the gas will eventually get to speed.

NHTSA ODI 11424207

The contact owns a 2013 Kia OPTIMA. The contact stated that their vehicle was included in a recall for the engine. The contact had received a recall notice regarding a fuel tube in the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer in June who reportedly completed the recall. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph when they began to smell a strong fuel odor. After, parking they noticed fuel leaking from the vehicle. The contact noticed that the same tube mentioned in the recall was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and offered a one-time courtesy repair however, the parts were on backorder. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.

NHTSA ODI 11422150

There is a strong gas smell from the car when I am driving. There is an open recall for certain cars of this year, make, and model, but my Vin specifically does not qualify for the recall. The recall is for a possible fuel line leak, which sounds exactly like what I have right now.

NHTSA ODI 11417690

The low pressure fuel hose from the gas tank to the fuel pump located under the engine cover is leaking fuel. The vehicle was inspected by a Kia Dealership to determine the cause of the fuel leak. My safety and the safety of others were put in jeopardy due to the possibility of a fire or explosion from the leaking fuel line. The smell of gasoline was detected prior to the inspection from the Kia dealership

NHTSA ODI 11417499

2013 KIA OPTIMA EX WITH 71K MILES. CAR HAD A VERY SLOW START. TROUBLE LIGHT CAME ON. HAD LEFT LIGHTS ON FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS SO THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ISSUE. SEEMED OKAY SO DROVE HOME. NOTICES SLIGHT GASOLINE SMELL IN CABIN. NO MORE DRIVING THAT DAY. TOOK TO LOCAL SHOP. CODE READER CAME BACK AS FUEL PUMP FAILURE. DID SOME RESEARCH AND NOTICED MANY WITH SAME ISSUE ON THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR AND A RECALL OR TWO AS WELL. VIN CHECK RETURNED NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE. WAS TOLD MY VIN WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A RECALL IN 2018 (SC 147) BUT 'PASSED THE TEST". SC 172 WAS ISSUED LATER FOR A CALL BACK OF THOSE VEHICLES THAT HAD ENGINES REPLACED UNDER SC 147 FOR A HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PIPE ISSUE. I HONESTLY THINK MY OPTIMA IS CURRENTLY HAVING WHATEVER THE ISSUE WAS UNDER SC 147 BUT SINCE IT TESTED OKAY IN 2018 - OH WELL! SINCE THE FUEL PUMP WARRANTY EXPIRED IN 2018, I GUESS I'M ON MY WAY TO AN ALMOST $1,000 REPAIR! SEEMS LIKE KIA SHOULD ALLOW GETTING THE ORIGINAL SERVICE CALL ISSUE LOOKED AT AGAIN FREE OF CHARGE TO SEE IF IT IS NOW AN ISSUE. DISAPPOINTED.

NHTSA ODI 11413311

GAS GOT INTO MY ENGINE. CAR KEEP LOSING OIL. SEEMED TO AFFECT A LOT OF OTHER AREAS

NHTSA ODI 11407572

MY CAR IS STALLING WHEN I ACCELERATE AND WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON TO START IT UP IT SMELLS LIKE GAS

NHTSA ODI 11402768

CAR SMELLED LIKE GAS WHEN AIR WAS ON AND EVEN WITH AIR OFF. FIXED MARCH 2019 AND I BELIEVE I SEE A RECALL FOR IT NOW. WE PAID A PRETTY PENNY TO GET FIXED. MY PAINT ON MY CAR IS COMING OFF EVERYWHERE LIKE BAD NAIL POLISH. IT IS PEELING OFF AND CONTINUES TO HAPPEN IN NEW PARTS OF THE CAR. I'M TRYING TO GET THIS FIXED NOW WITH KIA. THIS STARTED HAPPENING AROUND WINDSHIELD FIRST ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF AGO AND THEN THE TRUNK LAST FALL AND NOW MY DOOR AND OTHER AREAS IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI 11384293

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHCILE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. THERE WAS ABNORMAL ODOR OF FUEL DETECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF ORANGE PARK (6373 BLANDING BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32244, (904) 758-2612) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V907000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11383323

I WAS COMING OF THE FREEWAY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR JUST TURNED ITSELF OFF. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO MANAGE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID ANY COLLISION. I TRIED TO CHANGE THE STARTER BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT WAS BAD. IT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO START UP AGAIN SINCE IT FIRST STOPPED ON ME.

NHTSA ODI 11376866

THE CAR MADE A LOUD NOISE AN THE STRINGL LOCK

NHTSA ODI 11375328

I WENT TO START MY CAR WHICH WAS ON AUGUST 24, 2020 AND IT WAS MAKING A VERY VERY LOUD NOISE I COULDN'T MOVE IT SO I HAD IT TOWED OVER TO A MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE IN FACT HAS BEEN BLOWN ARE THE BLOCK HAS BEEN BLOWN SO THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED I AM WAY AND THERE WAS NO WARNING ON MY VEHICLE AND WITH ALSO NO NOTIFICATION OF OIL WAS LOW OR NO OIL IN MY CAR WHATSOEVER THERE WAS A METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL PAN THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED AND IT THERE'S NO LEAKS IN THE CAR AT ALL AND SO NOW I PAY PAYMENTS FOR A CAR AND SOMEBODY ELSE TO TAKE ME AROUND TO WORK EVERY DAY FOR MONTHS ON MONTHS ANDPAYMENTS FOR A CAR THAT SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY BROKEN DOWN AND THE DEALERSHIP HERE KIA WILL NOT THEY FIX MY CAR THEY REFUSE TO BECAUSE OF A DISAGREEMENT PRIOR TO THIS I AM ON ANYTHING ABOUT MY CAR THEY WILL NOT DO I AM ACTUALLY THE ONE WHO DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL IN THE VEHICLE SINCE FEBRUARY AND NOBODY HAS TOLD ME AND EVERYBODY HAS FAILED TO MENTION THIS OR CONTACT ME

NHTSA ODI 11374794

CAR HAS A BAD GAS FUME SMELL THAT COMES THROUGH THE VENT WHEN DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON MOTOR HAS A LOUD TAPPING NOISE AND BURNS GAS QUICK

NHTSA ODI 11374871

WHILE DRIVING ON A ROAD WITH MY LITTLE COUSIN. ALL MY FUNCTION LIGHTS CAME ON AND AND MY CAR BEGAN TO STALL AND SLOW DOWN SO STARTED TO PRESS ON THE GAS FOR ACCELERATION A BLOCK DOWN THE WAY WE STARTED SMELLING SMOKE I PANICKED TRYING TO GET OVER AND RAN UP ON THE CURVE AND CAME OFF IT PULLED TO A SAFE SPOT AND ME AND MY COUSIN BOTH EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY WHEN WE GOT OUT MY IT WAS SMOKING REALLY BAD MY COUSIN NOTICED THAT IT WAS ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE CAR SO I LOOKED AND IT WAS ON FIRE SOMETHING FELL TO THE GROUND ON FIRE UNDERNEATH THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11373782

WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR TURNED OFF ON ME RANDOMLY ? ALWAYS AM CONSISTENT WITH OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES AND ALWAYS MAKE SURE MY TAKE IS FULL WITH GOOD GAS I'VE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE GAS LINE ONCE ALREADY ,, MECHANIC SAID I MIGHT HAVE TO REPLACE MY FUEL TANK BECAUSE SOMETHING WITH CAR NOT GETTING ENOUGH GAS OR SO , I'VE ALSO SEE LEAKS LOOKS LIKE GAS

NHTSA ODI 11361242

HELLO I RECENTLY WAS FILLING UP MY VEHICLE AND IT FLOODED OF GASOLINE.. I CAN'T SEEM TO FILL MY TANK UP FULLY AND HAVE THE PUMP STOP ITSELF IT OVER FLOWS AND POURS ALL THE GASOLINE THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.. AND I DID SEE THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR DUE TOO THE FUEL AREA. IS THIS FIXABLE THROUGH THIS RECALL? THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI 11351740

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE SUDDENLY SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE SCENE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE OWNER SUSTAINED AN INJURED RIGHT FINGER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO OPEN THE HOOD. NO MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY AS IT WAS DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. THE LOCAL DEALER ALM KIA SOUTH (4310 JONESBORO RD. UNION CITY, GA) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AS WELLS THE MANUFACTURER WERE A CASE WAS OPENED. THE CONTACT STATED HE HAD RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V100000 (FUEL SYSTEM. GASOLINE), HOWEVER, WHEN HE CONTACT THE DEALER HE WAS UNABLE TO SCHEDULE A RECALL REPAIR APPOINTMENT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

NHTSA ODI 11330872

WHILE DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. PRIOR TO SHUTTING OFF, THE BATTERY, OIL AND TRANSMISSION ICON APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO MERGE OVER INTO THE SIDE LANE SAFELY BECAUSE THE BREAKS ALONG WITH THE STEERING SUDDENLY BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. AFTER PLACING THE CAR INTO PARK AND REMOVING THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION, I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT. IT STARTED, SO I CONTINUED HEADING HOME. APPROXIMATELY DRIVING ANOTHER 12 MILES, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE THIS TIME WAS UPON RESTARTING IT, A WEIRD KNOCKING NOISE CAME FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, SO I SHUT THE CAR OFF. I WAITED ABOUT 5 MINUTES TO RESTART IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP, SO I CONTINUED HEADING HOME. TODAY, ONCE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SHUT OFF. SAME KNOCKING, AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS. AFTER WAITING ABOUT 5 MINUTES, I RESTARTED IT, ONLY TO CONTINUOUSLY HEAR A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND A VIBRATION COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHILE ACCELERATING, IT BARELY MOVED AND THE NOISES BECAME LOUDER ALONG WITH THE VIBRATION.THIS TIME THE CAR WAS INCAPABLE OF BEING DRIVEN. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED DIRECTLY TO A KIA DEALERSHIP. GOOD THING MY CAR WAS STILL COVERED WITH EASY CARE OR ELSE I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN TO GET IT TOWED. I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I AM GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD WHATEVER NEEDS REPAIRED. I DID RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE AND WILL ATTACH IT BELOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330441

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V100000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. KIA OF EAST SYRACUSE (6717 MANLIUS CENTER RD, EAST SYRACUSE, NY 13057, (315) 701-5898) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11327357

WE WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND IT SPUTTERED AND FAILED TO START. ONCE IT FINALLY DID IT WAS "JUMPY" AND THERE WAS A LOT OF BLACKISH SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST. THE VEHICLE THEN HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON SO WE GOT THAT TESTED AT AN AUTOMOTIVE STORE WITH AN ERROR CODE OF " P0087 FUEL RAIL/SYSTEM PRESSURE- TOO LOW" I SEE MULTIPLE ARTICLES DISCUSSING RECALLS FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL, HOWEVER WHEN WE CALLED KIA THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR OUR SPECIFIC VEHICLE FOR THIS ISSUE. WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND PAY OUT OF POCKET.. I FEEL THIS IS UNSAFE, AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE HAVING GASOLINE LEAK OUT. AS WELL NOW WE ARE GOING TO BE OUT OF POCKET PAYING A LITTLE OVER $1,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325419

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V100000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COURTESY KIA OF BRANDON (9205 E ADAMO DR, TAMPA, FL 33619) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN A COOL LOCATION TO PREVENT THE FAILURE FROM OCCURRING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11323836

I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN EXPERIENCING SOME ACCELERATION ISSUES WITH MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA 4CYL 2.4L FL. ABOUT A TWO AND A HALF MONTHS AGO, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND SWITCHED LANES TO PASS A CAR; AS I BEGAN ACCELERATING MY CAR FELT LIKE SOMEONE JUST PULLED THE PLUG ON IT. I LOST MOST OF MY ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND IT FELT LIKE NOT ENOUGH FUEL WAS GETTING SUPPLIED TO THE ENGINE. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO O'REILLY TO CHECK THE CODE ON MY CAR AND IT CAME BACK WITH P0087, WHICH IS RELATED TO LOW FUEL PRESSURE. LOOKING INTO IT FURTHER ON NHTSA.GOV, I FOUND COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL THAT STATE THAT THERE IS A POSSIBLE ISSUE WITH THE LOW PRESSURE FUEL LINE AND HOW IT MAY DEVELOP CRACKS OR LEAKS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT IN THE ENGINE. THIS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A FIRE STARTING IN THE ENGINE. I ALSO FOUND THAT KIA WAS GOING TO BEGIN NOTIFYING AFFECTED CUSTOMERS BEGINNING ON APRIL 16TH, 2020. I HAVE WAITED THIS OUT TO SEE IF I WOULD GET A RECALL NOTICE, BUT BEING 11 DAYS LATER, I STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE ISSUE I AM EXPERIENCING IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS ISSUE WITH THE FUEL LINE. MY CAR STARTS ROUGH, RUNS ROUGH, AND HAS VERY POOR ACCELERATION; ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER RPMS. IT FEELS AS IF MY CAR CHUGS AT TIMES. I HAVE DEALT WITH RECALL ISSUES BEFORE WITH MY VEHICLE (A COMPLETE ENGINE BLOCK REPLACEMENT DUE TO EXCESS METAL SHAVINGS LEFT IN THE ENGINE DURING MANUFACTURING) AND MY CAR DIED ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE TO EVEN GET THE DEALER TO ADMIT THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND REQUIRED MY CAR DYING A SECOND TIME ON THE FREEWAY AND A TOW THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR TO GET THEM TO DO ANYTHING. IN SHORT, I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT MESS AGAIN TO FIX, WHAT SO FAR APPEARS TO BE (OR WILL BE), A RECALL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI 11322385

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOSS MOTIVE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HADDAD KIA (5445 GASOLINE ALLEY DR, BAKERSFIELD, CA 93313, (888) 376-2617) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 20V100000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

NHTSA ODI 11322404