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

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.

NHTSA ODI 11729515

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 fire was extinguished by the Fulton County Fire Department. A Fire Report and Police Report were filed; however, the reports were not yet provided to the vehicle owner. The contact experienced severe emotional distress. The contact stated due to the emotional distress of the fire, she suffered a miscarriage from the stress and had scratches from having to jump out of the window. There was no medical assistance sought. Several personal items inside the vehicle were also lost due to the fire and additionally, the contact lost employment due to the fire. The VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the vehicle had not been repaired prior to the fire. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard then to a Kia dealer. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 193,876.

NHTSA ODI 11719465

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his niece was driving the vehicle at 65 MPH, a strong fuel odor began to emit from the vehicle without warning. The vehicle then began to violently shake as the contact's niece began to exit the highway. Upon pulling over and exiting the vehicle, black smoke began to emit from the vehicle as both police and fire officials were in the vehicle's vicinity and witnessed the fire. As the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames, the fire department quickly arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire. No injuries were reported, and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the niece's home, where it remained in her possession. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000(Service Brakes, Hydraulics). The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and an investigator was scheduled to visit the niece's home and inspect the vehicle; the investigator never arrived, and the vehicle had yet to be inspected. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11716694

Car cuts off while driving almost causing a accident. The brakes randomly stop working while driving also. The code says P1777 relating to the transmission/ hybrid system. Kia dealerships are charging customers to diagnosis their vehicles. Eventhough they already know this is a common problem with the hybrid cars. Also the 12v battery and hybrid battery needs to be replaced every 2 years, which is costly. The tech also advised that Hybrids are the worst cars and I should sale my car. This is unfair to customers and a waste of money. Please make this a recall and extend all warranties past 150k. This is a huge safety problem and could cause deaths in the future.

NHTSA ODI 11658778

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after parking her vehicle in her driveway when the vehicle had caught on fire 2 hours later. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The location of the fire was underneath the front driver's side tire, shortly after the vehicle was engulfed in flames, and due to the proximity of the vehicle to the contact's residence, this caused siding on the side of her house to also catch on fire. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. A fire department report was filed. A police department report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. No injuries were reported. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) as probable cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.

NHTSA ODI 11657588

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while his husband was driving approximately 70 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that as the driver was pulling to the side of the road, several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that several drivers alerted the driver that the vehicle was on fire, and the driver immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated that upon opening the hood, the driver saw flames, and the front end of the vehicle became engulfed in fire. The contact stated that the front end of the vehicle burned to the ground, and the front doors and the front windows sustained fire damage. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report was filed. A police report was filed. The contact's husband did not sustain injuries. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 20V100000(Fuel System, Gasoline) and 23V652000(Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which the contact related to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11628600

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that after parking in the garage and turning the vehicle off, approximately six hours later it was discovered that a fire had started in the garage area and had begun to spread inside the townhome. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the fire, the vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. Also, a second vehicle parked inside the garage was destroyed and a third vehicle parked outside in the driveway sustained fire damage. The garage was destroyed and the townhome sustained significant fire damage. A fire report was taken at the scene but the cause of the fire was not determined. The contact later received a recall notice for the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000(Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 170,000.

NHTSA ODI 11611362

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and attempting to enter it, she became aware of a strong unknown smell. The contact re-exited the vehicle, and immediately noticed smoke coming from the front side. After this, the vehicle caught on fire. The fire was emanating from the underneath of the vehicle. The fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. The contact was unaware of a police report or a fire department report being filed. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11591584

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while her husband was driving at approximately 65 MPH on a hill, the vehicle started losing automotive power and suddenly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not able to be restarted and smoke was noticed emanating from the front area, near the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the contact residence. The contact indicated that while an independent mechanic tried to start the vehicle, he became aware that the vehicle was being overloaded and subsequently fire flames began to be noticed. The mechanic disconnected the alternator and informed the contact it was a manufacturing failure. The local dealer was contacted, however; they stated that it would not be repaired since it was not covered under warranty. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11590232

I was driving up the [XXX] north and where [XXX] merges to [XXX] I'm going 65mph on the far left side, and my dash starts beeping and reads WARNING STOP VEHICLE CHECK BRAKES. MY brakes go out, pedal to the floor sounding like grinding gears and doing some major damage, my acceleration stopped working. The [XXX] is merging on the left side so i had to avoid major traffic. I am a driver with skill as i dodge slowed and stopped vehicles, and get to the shoulder before [XXX]. I call for roadside assistance because kia says its free and its not. I was looking around the engine to see what the heck and unplugged the hybrid fuse and battery from back and suddenly it worked again and drive it home and right before I park I made a right turn, and it started beeping again, and this time it stayed this way. I almost lost my life, and I did lose my job because of it. GLENDALE'S CARSPRO KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS THE WORST DEPARTMENT EVER!, they would not help me get a tow, I paid for the tow. THEY CHARGED CLOSE TO 5 GRAND FOR A REPAIR, Hydraulic brake booster module, AND A COUPLE HUNDRED FOR THERE HIGHEST SERVICE OPTION (Changing fluids, wipers, wash, detail, etc) this was a huge mistake and took nearly two months! My car had dust on it THEY DID NOT EVEN CHECK THE PRESSURE I HAD IN MY ALL 4 TIRES (EMPTIED UNTIL 25PSI) I started the vehicle and it started to hiccup as I idle I asked for the manager (a tall husky middle eastern guy with long hair and glasses). He replied "DOES YOUR CAR HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON" I said "no" he said "comeback when it does." I have received paper work from KIA corp stating that i could be reimbursed. I sent that document in and never herd from them again. I call customer service i even went to the Service dept and THEY ERASED MY SERVICE RECORD! Finally happened, with my car still Hiccuping, Rare ShutoffAlarm. I exit fw on green Light, made left; Alarm, No brakes, No gas, Hit curb, Near PEDESTRIANS, Trans Leaks, Part Recalled, No Results, New problem! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11574150

I am concerned about my 2013 Kia Optima SX smoking at a mechanic shop. Mechanics identified smoke from the ABS Control Module or HECU. This raises serious safety concerns. I urge thorough investigation and prompt resolution. Clear communication is expected throughout the process to ensure vehicle safety and reliability.

NHTSA ODI 11571820

I was turning into some parking spots so i could put my car in reverse and park closer to building i needed. I did not get a chance to putin reverse, the vehicle surged forward and was accelerating. My foot was not on the gas pedal. I was trying to brake. I turned steering wheel so I didn't hit brick building. I swiped the building and 2 vehiles on my right AND still did not stop right away. I kept on the brake and the plants, rocks, landscaping I think helped it to stop. I can get police report in few days.

NHTSA ODI 11539796

My car is a total lost. Car caught fire while I was driving with my 2 Daughters. Brakes went out had to jump out of car.

NHTSA ODI 11524191

When leaving work on 1/6/22, I didn't let my car warm up for more than 1 minute because I was in a hurry to get home. It was very cold - I think -10 if I remember right - and I had just passed through an intersection about 2 blocks from work where road construction closed the road to one lane. The car in front of me stopped because someone in front of him was turning. I had plenty of time to stop & hit my brakes but had no response, much like not having power brakes, but the pedal felt very firm. As cold as it was, there was no ice or snow & the road was dry. I had no traction control or ABS lights come on & ended up rear-ending the car in front of me. The police came & made a report & I came home & checked KIA forums to see if this had ever happened to anyone else but didn't find anything. I explained it to my KIA service advisor but they found nothing wrong & had no explanation. I thought I had maybe imagined it until it happened again, also on a very cold morning, about 2 weeks later in my own driveway. Just no response of the brakes. I couldn't push the pedal hard enough to stop the car. I also mentioned it to my insurance adjuster who just said to let them know if I found out anything further, which I didn't. I never thought to report it here until my husband had an issue with his car recently & was advised to do so. Even extreme cold should not affect a system as important as the brakes on a car & I believe this is a major safety concern. My accident was minor because I was not traveling at a high rate of speed & was at a safe distance, but the brake failure was still the cause of the accident. When the failure happened in my driveway, I had braked when pulling onto the road but didn't stop. If another car was coming or I was pulling out at the end of my street where there are 4 lanes of 45mph traffic, this could have been disastrous! Please notify me of any steps taken by KIA to remedy this issue. Thank you.

NHTSA ODI 11461893

I WAS DRIVING MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA ON A DRY ROAD SURFACE. I HAD JUST GONE THROUGH A TRAFFIC LIGHT THAT WAS GREEN FOR ME TO GO. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DOWN GRADE SO I STARTED TO APPLY MY BRAKES BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC AHEAD. WHEN I PRESSED MY BRAKE PEDAL THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP CAUSING ME TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED IN A VERY BUSY CITY STREET.

NHTSA ODI 11102435

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,585.

NHTSA ODI 10983742