2013 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,880 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Kia Optima, alongside 9 recall campaigns and 8 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 100,400 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2013 Kia Optima sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2001–2010, 2017–2020.
Avoid
Where 2013 sits among all Optima years
What owners report
“I was driving and all lights came on in the car then it stop driving, at first i was told it was the starter but then was told the engine was the problem due to the starter not fixing the problem.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Optima
“When turning my steering wheel there is a clicking sound, it first started when you make a right turn, now regardless of which way you turn the steering wheel there is a clicking noise.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Optima
“All my paint on my WHITE Kia is coming off. So many white Kia’s are having This problem.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Optima
“While driving on the freeway. The car turned off while driving because the hybrid system.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Optima
“All the paint on the outside of my 2013 kia optima is bubbling and peeling off the chrome on my wheels is chipping and coming off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Optima
“Ran out of gas ,and added gas for it to start up again only for it to not run after adding fuel .”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Optima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 993 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 88,524 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 120,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (9)
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…
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…
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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
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…
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Led to recall campaign 20V024.
Led to recall campaign 20V088000.
Led to recall campaign 18V907000.
Led to recall campaign 17V224000.
Technical service bulletins
235 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2013 Kia Optima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2013 Optima TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2013 Kia Optima reliable?
The 2013 Kia Optima drew 1,880 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2013 Kia Optima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2013 Kia Optima are engine (652 complaints), steering (213), and other (206).
At what mileage do 2013 Kia Optima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2013 Kia Optima problems around 88,524 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 120,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Kia Optima have recalls?
9 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 Kia Optima. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.