2013 Kia OPTIMA HYBRID

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 Kia OPTIMA HYBRID has 80 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima hybrid. the contact stated that when exiting the vehicle, the driver and passengers would experience an electrical shock after making contact with any exterior metal part of the vehicle. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified. . ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 3 crash reports 3 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

18 complaints

23%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WOULD EXPERIENCE AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH ANY EXTERIOR METAL PART OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
• UPON ACCELERATION FROM STOP OR LOW SPEED, BRAKE WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED INSTRUCTING ME TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, ESSENTIALLY ALL WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN. WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING AND DOOR LOCKS BEGAN CLICKING ON/OFF. CAR BECAME DISAB
• WE TOOK THE CAR TO A CAR WASH , AFTER THEY CLEAN THE CAR WE TRIED TO START THE CAR , BUT WE GET AN ERROR " KEY IS NOT RECOGNIZE". WE WERE NOT ABLE TO START THE CAR. THEN MY WIFE BROUGHT THE SECOND KEY , WE GOT THE SAME ERROR. WE TOWED THE CAR TO DEALER AND STILL THERE AFTER 3 DAYS . THEY SAID TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WOULD EXPERIENCE AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH ANY EXTERIOR METAL PART OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

13 complaints

16%

• TO WHOM IT CONCERNS, I HAVE A GREAT SAFETY CONCERN RELATED TO THE OPTIMA 2013 HYBRID BRAKING SYSTEM. I AM NOT SURE IF THE BEHAVIOR I AM GOING TO DESCRIBE IS TYPICAL OR DEFECTIVE. WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEED, WITH THE CRUISE SET, I FIND THAT ANY SUDDEN AND HARD HIT TO THE BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE SOME
• UPON ACCELERATION FROM STOP OR LOW SPEED, BRAKE WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED INSTRUCTING ME TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND STOP THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, ESSENTIALLY ALL WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED ON THE INFORMATION SCREEN. WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING AND DOOR LOCKS BEGAN CLICKING ON/OFF. CAR BECAME DISAB
• VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHILE IN MOTION TO PARK IN A PARKING SPACE. BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE FROM A VERY SLOW SPEED OF 5-10 MPH APPROXIMATELY. HAS DONE THIS ON OCCASION AT HIGHWAY SPEED A SUDDEN SURGE SO A BRAKING WOULD RELIEVE PROBLEM.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TO WHOM IT CONCERNS, I HAVE A GREAT SAFETY CONCERN RELATED TO THE OPTIMA 2013 HYBRID BRAKING SYSTEM. I AM NOT SURE IF THE BEHAVIOR I AM GOING TO DESCRIBE IS TYPICAL OR DEFECTIVE. WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEED, WITH THE CRUISE SET, I FIND THAT ANY SUDDEN AND HARD HIT TO THE BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE SOME ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

13 complaints

16%

• SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TOOK A TRIP TO TEXAS TO SEE MY DAUGHTER. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS ON THAT TRIP; WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT STARTED ACCELERATING ALL ON IT'S OWN... THE 1ST TIME I QUESTIONED IF I HAD ACCIDENTLY BUMPED SOMETHING, THE 2ND A
• UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE (THANKFULLY PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY), VEHICLE WAS IN EV MODE, WITH JUST CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. AFTER ENTERING GAS MODE BATTERY AND MAINTENANCE LIGHT APPEARED IN ADDITION TO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE GREEN "READY" LIGHT ON THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN FLASHING AND A WARNING MESSAGE STA
• THE ENGINE REVS WHILE IDLE PERIODICALLY AND THE ENGINE REVS STILL WHEN U LET GO OF THE GAS. I BELIEVE THIS CAR WAS AFFECTED BY KIAS LATEST RECALL... AND CAUSES ISSUES WITH ME BEING ABLE TO BRAKE AND SUCH CUZ THE CAR ENGINE REVS WHEN THE GAS ISNT BEIN TOUCHED. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TOOK A TRIP TO TEXAS TO SEE MY DAUGHTER. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS ON THAT TRIP; WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT STARTED ACCELERATING ALL ON IT'S OWN... THE 1ST TIME I QUESTIONED IF I HAD ACCIDENTLY BUMPED SOMETHING, THE 2ND A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

9 complaints

11%

• SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TOOK A TRIP TO TEXAS TO SEE MY DAUGHTER. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS ON THAT TRIP; WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT STARTED ACCELERATING ALL ON IT'S OWN... THE 1ST TIME I QUESTIONED IF I HAD ACCIDENTLY BUMPED SOMETHING, THE 2ND A
• VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD WHILE IN MOTION TO PARK IN A PARKING SPACE. BRAKES FAILED TO STOP VEHICLE FROM A VERY SLOW SPEED OF 5-10 MPH APPROXIMATELY. HAS DONE THIS ON OCCASION AT HIGHWAY SPEED A SUDDEN SURGE SO A BRAKING WOULD RELIEVE PROBLEM.
• THE MPG HAS DECREASED FROM 38-40 MPG TO 30 MPG SINCE I HAD THE FUEL INJECTION SERVICE PERFORMED. THE DEALER OFFERS NO HELP. WISH I NEVER HAD IT DONE.....I GET SUDDEN SURGES OF ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I'VE HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. SINCE THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 1 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

8 complaints

10%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYDRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 85 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE V
• TAKATA RECALL. CAR HAS BEEN SAYING "WARNING PULL OVER DO NOT DRIVE" ALTHOUGH I AM IN PARK IN MY DRIVEWAY, IN THE CAR WASH OR ON THE FREEWAY. TOOK INTO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES NOW AND THEY SAY DRIVE IT HERE NEXT TIME WITH THE WARNING ON BUT THE CAR FREEZES UP AND TURNS OFF WHICH RESETS THE WARNING DISPLA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYDRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 85 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYBRID SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 80 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WOULD EXPERIENCE AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK AFTER MAKING CONTACT WITH ANY EXTERIOR METAL PART OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: TO WHOM IT CONCERNS, I HAVE A GREAT SAFETY CONCERN RELATED TO THE OPTIMA 2013 HYBRID BRAKING SYSTEM. I AM NOT SURE IF THE BEHAVIOR I AM GOING TO DESCRIBE IS TYPICAL OR DEFECTIVE. WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEED, WITH THE CRUISE SET, I FIND THAT ANY SUDDEN AND HARD HIT TO THE BRAKES WILL ACTIVATE SOME
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TOOK A TRIP TO TEXAS TO SEE MY DAUGHTER. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS ON THAT TRIP; WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT STARTED ACCELERATING ALL ON IT'S OWN... THE 1ST TIME I QUESTIONED IF I HAD ACCIDENTLY BUMPED SOMETHING, THE 2ND A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TOOK A TRIP TO TEXAS TO SEE MY DAUGHTER. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS ON THAT TRIP; WAS GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET, ALL OF THE SUDDEN IT STARTED ACCELERATING ALL ON IT'S OWN... THE 1ST TIME I QUESTIONED IF I HAD ACCIDENTLY BUMPED SOMETHING, THE 2ND A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)