2013 KIA OPTIMA Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE MOTOR OIL AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN OFF AND ON WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE HARNESS AND TRANSMISSION SOLENOID WERE FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW WE NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. WHEN YOU TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE STOPPED YOU WOULD GET A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE POWER STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED TWICE ALREADY AND THE VEHICLE JUST NOW HAS 43,000 MILES. OUR BIGGEST CONCERN HAS BEEN AN ENGINE KNOCKING NOISE THAT STARTED TO OCCUR AT JUST OVER 35,000 MILES WHEN YOU START VEHICLE. WE HAD BROUGHT OUR VEHICLE TO LIBERTYVILLE KIA IN LIBERTYVILLE, IL FOR OUR PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE WHAT WE ARE HEARING. THE SERVICE MANAGER VERBALLY TOLD ME TO WAIT FOR IT TO GET WORSE THAT IT IS HARD TO GET KIA TO COVER THIS KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEM. AFTER REACHING OUT TO KIA WITH THIS ENGINE PROBLEM AND GETTING NO HELP EXCEPT THEM BLAMING US FOR LACK OF OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE. WHICH WAS ABSURD WHEN WE ONLY TOOK THE VEHICLE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE GEARS FAILED. THE CONTACT USED THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,837. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

FUEL WILL HEAT UP AND BUBBLE OUT OF FUEL TANK AFTER EXTENDED PERIODS OF IDLING. 4 HOURS IDLING WITH 3/4 FULL FUEL TANK. LIQUID FUEL AND VAPORS ESCAPING FROM GAS CAP AND DRIPPING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STAND STILL POSITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,320.

AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A STOP SIGN, WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE TO TURN ONTO A BUSY ROAD MY CAR LOST POWER HALFWAY INTO THE INTERSECTION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO PUSH HARDER ON THE GAS PEDAL, AS THERE WERE CARS COMING AT ME FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS, AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CAR VIOLENTLY LURCHES FORWARD AND REGAINS POWER. THIS IS A TERRIFYING ISSUE AND A SERIOUS SAFETY THREAT. I HAD 2 CHILDREN AGES 8 AND 12 IN MY VEHICLE BOTH TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED.

THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IS DESIGNED SO POORLY THAT WHEN I PULL INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP I HAVE TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM COMPLETELY OR RISK BEING A SITTING DUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. IT SEEMS THAT IF THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM DETECTS ANY AMOUNT OF TIRE SLIPPAGE IT CUTS POWER TO BOTH WHEELS COMPLETELY. YOUR INSTINCT IS TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR HARDER TO MAKE THE CAR GET OUT OF THE INTERSECTION WHICH CAUSES THE WHEELS TO SLIP WHEN THE CAR REAPPLIES POWER AND THE WHOLE PROBLEM STARTS AGAIN AND YOU ARE STILL IN THE INTERSECTION. THE POWER IS CUT SO DRAMATICALLY THAT IT IS ALMOST AS IF THE BRAKES ARE BEING APPLIED AND VEHICLE OCCUPANTS LURCH FORWARD. AFTER A SECOND OR TWO THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY REAPPLIES POWER. THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID THIS IS TO DISABLE THE SYSTEM WHICH HAS TO BE DONE EACH TIME YOU START...

OUR VEHICLE CHANGES GEARS FROM AUTOMATIC TO MANUAL SHIFT ON ITS OWN WHILE THE CAR IS IN DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES. AFTER THE 1ST OCCURRENCE WE CONTACTED OUR DEALER TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE ISSUE. WE WERE TOLD UNLESS THE ISSUE HAPPENS AGAIN AND THEY SEE IT, NOTHING CAN BE DONE. WELL SINCE THEN THE ISSUE HAS HAPPENED 4 MORE TIMES. THE LAST OCCURRENCE, WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEN WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO HAVE THEM AUTHORIZE THE DEALER TO INSPECT THE ISSUE. THE DEALER PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE AT THAT TIME OF DROP OFF. AFTER 2 WEEKS OR INSPECTING THE VEHICLE AND WITH A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE, IT WAS DEEMED THAT THE CAR WAS OPERABLE AND SAFE. MY WIFE, WHO DRIVES THE VEHICLE, FEELS NO CONFIDENCE AND SAFETY TO DRIVE THE CAR. I HAVE REACHED...

MY KIA GETS STUCK IN A FEW INCHES OF SNOW OR ANY ICE. SLIDES EASILY IN RAIN OR ICY OR COLD WEATHER. I LIVE IN THE MIDWEST. I HAVE BEEN PUSHED BY STRANGERS, COUNTLESS TIMES, TRYING TO GET ME OUT OF SUBDIVISIONS BECAUSE THIS CAR WILL NOT MOVE. I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK AND HE MENTIONED HE HAD TO TOW 3 OF THESE SAME FANCY VEHICLES THAT WERE STUCK IN A SMALL AMOUNT OF SNOW. I AM UNABLE TO PARK IN MY GARAGE BECAUSE THE CAR IS NOT DEPENDABLE IF ANY SNOW OR ICE IS ON THE DRIVEWAY. I DRIVE FOR A LIVING AND I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN PATIENT'S DRIVEWAYS. THEY LAUGH AND SAY THE OTHER NURSES DO NOT HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CARS. THIS IS HUMILIATING. THIS CAR COSTS ALMOST 40,000. IT SHOULD BE DEPENDABLE INSTEAD IT IS UNRELIABLE AND DANGEROUS: OTHER CARS MAY RUN...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WOULD ERRONEOUSLY ENGAGE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING OVER A SIX MONTH PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

2013 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STEERING TO THE RIGHT *TGW THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED, SOMETIMES THE BELT MADE A SQUEAKY NOISE. HE ALSO NOTICED A SLIGHT HESITATION WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. *JB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME WITH A KEY TO OPEN THE TRUNK. UPDATED 01/22/13 THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS MANY SERIOUS ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER PROBLEMS. UPDATED 06/27/2017*JS