These engines catch on fire and i think i know why and have video proof. this car is not safe.
My car is parked in the driveway at my job. it had been parked there since 2:50 pm. at 11 pm i went outside after clocking out and it would not crank. however, all my lights in the inside and on my dashboard remained working. upon trying to turn over my key, my car would make a clicking sound. after ab 10 minutes other things began to fade out such as my lights. i also could not use my remote key anymore to lock or unlock my doors. i only had this car a month, and it is still in the condition it was bought in. i'm not sure what the problem is or what could have caused this problem.
While diving my 2013 kia optima sx. all the lights in the dash stated flashing while driving i pulled over on the highway my daughter and i seen smoke come from the hood of the car and i then seen a reflection on the ground it was 9pm at night. that's when my daughter and i walked as far as we could on the hwy and called the police. i have called kia national filed a complaint i heard from someone once and havent heard from anyone else since. the accident happened on september 29, 2018.
My 2013 kia optima displayed several electrical issues with radio panel, warning lights on dash, seat belt warning on while buckled and driving, and doors would lock on their own weeks prior to the car giving out on me after a quarter of a mile drive. it would not start at all. mechanic thought it was a starter issue but turned out that the engine locked. i purchased the car in 2015 and had some fuel system issue a year after purchase , costing over $900 to repair. now this...there was no smoke or other warnings right before it stopped. i had noticed the smell of wires or some type of electrical components burning after driving the car a few times over the last few years but wasn't sure of where it may have been coming from. would be great if i didn't have to spend a lump sum to repair motor while still paying off the car!
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 18v907000 (fuel system, gasoline, engine). the contact stated that there was a fuel odor inside the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to southside kia (9401 atlantic blvd, jacksonville, fl 32225, (904) 406-7779) three times to be repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 7,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 kia optima. while driving approximately 60 mph and attempting to slow down, smoke appeared underneath the hood. the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. the contact heard a popping sound and the vehicle immediately burst into flames. the fire department was called and extinguished the fire. the vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed destroyed. the dealer was not called. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the matter would be investigated. the contact was not called back. the failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
My 2013 kia optima caught on fire just short of driving it for about 15-20 min on 9/23/18. we got no warning on the dashboard we heard a light pop noise, the vehicle turned off when we got off there was fire coming out from the hood that fastly spread throught out up to the whole front of the car destroying the whole engine. the car never had any mechanical issues. we had just driven from az to ca the night before with no problems. i still have no explanation why my 5 year old car with just a little over 86k miles caught on fire.
On september 16, 2018 at approximately 930am, while on duty at work(correction officer) my kia optima gdi 2013 went up in flames in the parking lot of my job.. i was not present and the vehicle. i had already been on duty 530am that morning. once i made it to the scene my car was completely almost burnt to the ground. the fire department labeled it as a electrical fire, which caused the car the burn from the inside out, starting from the engine. i had several personal items of mine burnt in the fire and also work equipment that was lost in the fire. since the incident i've suffered mental, emotional and physical distress. i'm a single mother and i depended on my car to get me where i needed to go. things have been very frustrating and hard. i'm seeking help from kia motors. *tr
My car (kia optima 2013) was part of the recall in 2017 and in december 2017 my car came to a complete stop on a very busy freeway in california. i had my car tow to the dealership. they replaced my engine because it was part of the recall. 9 mos later september 16th 2018 my fiancee was driving down a hill on a california freeway and he had no brakes and other drivers were honking and yelling your car is on fire. he used the emergency brakes to try and slow down to exit the freeway he was picking up speed because he was going down hill the car was was starting to fill up with smoke. he was hoping the windows would go down and they did he start exiting freeway pushing on the emergency brake slowing down approaching a curb turning the wheel towards the curb still rolling he jumps out oft the car running away from vehicle. just seconds after he gets out he said the car just was in flames burning from the engine tires popping and windows breaking out. the car has only 8,000 miles on new motor the whole car had 108,000 the was a 2013 5 years old
Was driving the car, smelled a electrical smell, and the car burst into flames while driving down the road, 17 minuets after it being serviced at the dealersdhip
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving 30 mph, the rear compartment of the engine caught on fire. the vehicle was able to be pulled into a parking lot. a police report was not filed. the fire department extinguished the flames. there were no injuries. the vehicle was towed to the dealer (coast to coast motors, 8102 e 11th st, tulsa, ok 74112, (918) 832-9000) and they stated that they would investigate the cause of the fire. the contact was still waiting to hear back from the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 140,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 kia optima. while driving approximately 30 mph, smoke appeared from under the hood of the vehicle. after stopping the vehicle, flames appeared from the engine compartment. the fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. the vehicle was destroyed and towed. a police report was filed. the cause of the fire was not determined. the local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. the contact indicated that the engine was replaced in may of 2018 per nhtsa campaign number: 17v224000 (engine). the failure mileage was 140,000.
Diving at 40 mph. come to a stop at red light and engine begins making a slight noise. no warning gauges or warning light go off. start driving to drive again and 2 blocks later a very loud mechanical bang and the engine shut down. would not restart. oil light went out using the starter while trying to restart. never got the engine restarted. car is now at kia of lansdale after i had to pay for towing. i perform courier services to us treasury dept and us attorney in philadelphia area. i need this car back desperately. last oil change was 2000 miles ago with full synthetic oil. always have used full synthetic. when i got the car pulled over and got out the smell of oil burning was clearly evident to myself and another gentleman who stopped to see if i needed any help. i believe this is an absolute recall related issue.
I was driving on the freeway for about 20 minutes when the car shut off and didn't not start took it to a mechanic and said the engine lock.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving 45 mph, the vehicle completely shut off. the vehicle was taken to the dealer (sons kia, 100 sons dr, mcdonough, ga 30253, (678) 619-1393) and stated that it was included in nhtsa campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling). the dealer stated that the failure did not occur during the diagnostic test. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 52,500. **tr updated 10/31/18*jb
Recall, steering wheel knock
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. when the check engine warning indicator stopped illuminating, the failure went away. the vehicle was driven to kia mall of georgia (4180 buford drive, buford, ga 30519) where it was diagnosed that the vehicle passed the evaluation test and the engine did not need replacement; however, new turbos were needed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 152,000.
Takara recall: my engine had been knocking/shaking for a good minute now. when i have it running and hood open it's just vibrating extremely hard and constantly.i've noticed it wants to stall or no shift correctly after a dead stop and something going into 3rd gear. even while just idling i can feel the engine shaking the whole car from inside.
Apparently there was a recall on my car in which i was never notified of. today while driving the car started making a knocking noise, and stopped running. all the lights came on and th ecar is broke down on the side of the road.
My car was occasionally making a loud noise when driving. when stopped at a light, the car then suddenly started shaking while idling and became sluggish and would not accelerate over 20 mph. i had to slowly drive my car back home, with very little acceleration. i then towed it to a mechanic who had told me there's a problem with a turbo, and it was most likely caused by the leftover debris in the engine, which was covered by the recall. i called kia's customer service line, and i was told my car passed the recall inspection a year ago, but it sounds like it should be covered now considering i can no longer drive the car. my car was towed to the nearest dealership where they told me they would look over the car, but not without immediately saying that there's a chance it 'won't be covered' as if they were anticipating telling me they won't do it. on saturday i was told i would get a call the following monday, which i never did. i finally had to call thursday, just to be on hold for 30 minutes telling me its only the turbo affected, not the engine or turbo line, and therefore it's not under recall. not only did they tell me something i already knew, that the turbo was blown, but i'm charged $110 for a diagnostic fee that i was never told about beforehand, to check something that's on recall, not to mention the tow i have to pay for. i called kias customer service who just gave me an oh well that's too bad sorry no one told you, i'm not going to try to help. i'm not even convinced that they did any tests on my engine, or looked into the cause of the turbo failure. my only explanation when asking about the car was, 'it needs a turbo'. while reading other people's stories about the recall, everyone else's dealer saw that the car couldn't drive, replaced the engine and turbo, and called it a day. i thought if theres a recall every car gets fixed regardless if it needs it.
I have been having repeated issues following the kia theta ii engine recall replacement (sc147) since june 2018. my car is practically new with 53k +/- miles, purchased new, and had all the recommended and required maintenance performed. i took my car to rick case kia (dealer code:ga083) to have my engine replaced midsummer 2018. since then i have been experiencing persistent check engine light (cel) issues for the same engine diagnostic code(p2191). each time i take my car to the dealer for resolution, technicians give me different reasons for what they "think" could be the root issue. thus far, i have been told the issue was due to bad gas, an o2 sensor gone bad, a leak, history code from another dealer not clearing the recall, and now a fuel kit will be replaced. it is my assumption that if kia technicians truly knew what the issue was i would not have so many repeated trips for the same issue. to this date(december 14th 2018) they still have not provided a clear resolution. in light of recent events surrounding kia vehicles, specifically optima, catching on fire and engines randomly blowing up this is something that needs an immediate resolution.it impacts my safety as the vehicle owner and those driving around me. i have expressed how uncomfortable i am driving this car in the current state (with the engine light on) and my concerns are being dismissed. i am told that it is not a drivability issue and i can drive it away with the light on. it should be no surprise why that is not a comforting diagnosis as i have been back about 6-7 times now. i am currently making attempts to engage/escalate this with the kia corporate office. in an attempt to be proactive i am seeking help!
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning and needed to be jumpstarted. once the vehicle was restarted, an abnormal noise was heard coming from the engine. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 75,000.
The engine on my vehicle is under a recall, however, i have yet to receive a letter from kia stating when i can take my car to the local dealership for engine replacement. i am the only owner of this car, and have lived at the same address during this time. i currently have over 76,000 miles on the vehicle, and concerned my good luck could run out. any pressure you can apply to get this resolved would be appreciated. thank you.
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 kia optima. the contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning and smoke and flames emerged from under the hood. the fire department extinguished the fire. a police report and a fire report were not filed. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. there were no injuries. the vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed a total loss. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
We were driving on the freeway at 80 miles an hour and the engine died. after being towed to a dealer, come to find out there was an engine recall, that the dealer (corwin ford, nampa idaho) we bought it from was notified of 6 months before we purchased the car and was never informed of. we could have been seriously injured if it hadn't been for my boyfriend driving and able to get us off the freeway safely.
Car losses power suddenly and lurches. this has happend when car is cruising at highway speeds or when started, stationary. once that happens car may have to be restarted to work again. sometimes that works, sometimes it does not. when it persists for a while, maximum speed is about 5 mph if started from a stop. engine warning light comes on and the code p2118 (throttle actuator motor current range) is shown by an obd. the problem has ocurred before. dealer initially changed throttle but problem recurred. the issue was eventually tracked to a faulty engine cable harness. the whole engine harness had to be replaced. however, problem is ocurring again a year later.
Issues with the engine- theta ii engine since 2015 (previous owner liz reported). i purchased the vehicle march 2018 and sent it in kia a month later. local dealership told me the engine needed to be replaced but my extended warranty i purchased didn't approve it because it was a previous problem (2015 ) oval dealership told me engine is consuming oil and they do not know where the oil is going. it blowing smoke and not drivable. the car has been in the shop (ancira kia) since january and kia corporate has been paying my rental.
Driving on highway engine cooling system failed, blowing the head gasket, 66,000
Takata inflators read on webiste;however, got in a wreck on 4/11/18 car totalled got hit in front end and no airbags deployed in the entire car, i hit steering wheel and had to go to the er. also, in august of last year the car had internal engine failure and put new engine in my car. had nothing but complaints on this car. i emailed kia on the air bags and no one has got back in touch with me.
Takata recall, have super loud rattling noise in the motor at first start up and continues the entire time its running. kia suntrup claims its "not loud enough "and when i asked what the level of noise mine is currently and what the standard for fixing is, they had no clue! come on, car has 47,000 miles on it and has done this loud noise for the last 25,000. kia needs to stand behind their vechiles
I bought the car brand new in 2013 within 1 year after purchasing the car started using oil and motor had a little bit of a tick sound.. checking the oil everyday because none of the light in the car came on and it being new i got a recall so i made appoint everything the recall listed my car was doing.. they said it passed test. but me knowing something wasn't right about it didn't believe them.. 4 months later i'm going down highway and engine just quits on me so i coast in closest place and put car in park.. trying to start the car it would not crank and brakes locked. two different mechanics has looked at my car and its the motor.. but kia is wanting me to spend the money i don't have and that's there fault to fix my car..
Takata recall my engine started shaking and the car stopped!
When i cut my car off after driving or sometimes while driving i have a ticking noise that sort of sounds like a bomb. also, when i put my car in reverse there is some sort of grinding noise. the car also doesnt take off/drive the way it use to
One day while driving my car, it began having some clicking sounds in the engine. after a few minutes it completely turned off and would not start. i got it towed to a mechanic who said there was metal pieces in the oil which clogged oil flow and needed to replace the engine.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving various speeds, the oil pressure and check engine warning indicators illuminated. the dealer was not called. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the oil needed to be refilled to avoid an engine failure. the failure recurred on a weekly basis. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 85,000. *dt
I am currently stationed in ramstein germany with the u.s. air force. i contacted kia to have the recall checked and the work completed. they are refusing saying that since i am in germany the recall doesn't affect them. they are also refusing to honor my warranty. email is the best to contact me or via cell [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. the contact stated that the vehicle was involved in a front end collision after losing functionality of various electrical systems. the failure occurred without warning. the air bags did not deploy. prior to the crash, the vehicle was taken to valley hi kia (14673 civic dr, victorville, ca), but the failure was not diagnosed until the second time it was brought in for driving abnormally. the dealer diagnosed that the electronic system, motor mount, and transmission were defective and needed to be replaced. the dealer banned the contact from returning. the contact took the vehicle to kia of orange (210 w katella ave, orange, ca) where it was diagnosed that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the contact did not receive a recall notice. the recall was remedied, but no other repairs were performed. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed. there was one injury that required medical attention. the contact suffered lower back, hip, and head injuries. the failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while the contact's husband was driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact stated that the power steering, brakes, and several other electrical functions became inoperable. the contact was unable to restart the vehicle. prior to the failure, jenkins kia of ocala (2305 sw college rd, ocala, fl 34471, (352) 414-4553) was informed of a knocking sound in the engine. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine seized and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired per nhtsa campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 58,000.
While i was driving the car, i stopped at a stop light, and realized that my car was on fire from the engine area. the electrical shorted out and i was locked in the car, i had to manually hold the electric lock to be able to escape from the car. it was engulfed in flames.
There is a safery recall for this car amd inspection have being conducted i jus receive the notice about 6 months.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving 60 mph, the vehicle experienced a loss of engine power. the contact also noticed black smoke and various electrical functions operated independently. also, the check engine and oil warning indicators illuminated. there was no fire. the vehicle was towed to carmax and then towed to kia southside (9401 atlantic blvd, jacksonville, fl) where it was confirmed that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling). the contact was never notified of the recall. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and asked why a notification was not received. the manufacturer provided case number: 12476138 and informed the contact that nhtsa was supposed to notify the contact of the defects on the vehicle. the failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The vehicle quit suddenly and without other warning on a toll road, approx speed of 70 mph at night. i was unable to get to the vehicle to be towed due to the late night, i have towed later, originally thinking it was a bad battery, that turned out to be true, so we replaced that battery with a new one and it instantly smoked the starter, requiring a new one, which it destroyed, at that time further diagnosis revealed the engine was seized. i noticed later this is a known issue and a recall from kia has been issued for a replacement. the fire i note is the electrical fire from replacing the battery with a fresh battery, and since the engine was seized, the starter locked and caught fire, requiring a new starter, obviously after the motor is fully repaired, but i owe approx $350 for the starter and $400 approx for the electrical fire, i am uncertain of other damage caused be the engine seizing at such speeds/
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 kia optima. while driving approximately 55 mph, smoke appeared and the engine made a loud noise. the driver coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and noticed that the engine was on fire. the contact was able to exit the vehicle without injuries. the fire department extinguished the fire. a police report was filed. the vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed destroyed. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to send proof of the incident. the contact sent the proof, but the manufacturer did not get back in touch with the contact. the approximate failure mileage was 43,000.
2013 kia optima. consumer writes in regards to engine knocking while driving and while engine is off. *ld the consumer stated the dealer would not acknowledge the engine knocking complaint. the consumer inquired about visiting a different dealer. updated 09/28/2017*js
Check engine light is on code reads high pressure fuel pump. when starting the car it is very sluggish and has fluttering rpms for the first 10 15 minutes when driving the car is jerky and hesitant to accelerate. there is currently a active recall on the high pressure fuel pump but my vin is not listed under the recall even though it was listed on the engine recall. was told i did not need a new engine but was given an oil change abs new oil pan and the problem started shortly after
I was sitting in the yard at my aunts yard and the rpm's dropped while in park. i sat there for a few minutes to see if it would do it again, it didn't, so i left and headed home and got 5-7 miles down the road, and the car completely stalled and shut down, while i was going about 45-50 mph, and i had no control over the car. the brakes got hard, the steering was hard, and i was barely able to get out of the middle of a busy road with vehicles behind me. it wouldn't crank back up. i sat there waiting for someone to come to me to check it out, and i tried to start it back up and it did, so i went on home. i called kia and they said bring it in, i paid $100 to have it towed to the local kia dealership in lake city, fl. they checked it out and said it was nothing wrong gn with it. but i received a notice about a recall on the motor stating it would do what happened to me. also, i checked online and typed my vin number in and there was in fact an open recall for the motor i have for the issue i had. they refused to fix the recall. advised me to wait for it to happen again, and i asked them, so you are telling me to drive this vehicle with this issue and wait for it to happen again and risk getting into an accident the answer i got was basically yes.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle stalled and the entire instrument panel illuminated. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling). the vehicle was towed to the summit place kia dealer located on 44900 n gratiot ave, charter twp. of clinton, mi 4803, where it was diagnosed that the long block needed to be replaced. the contact was advised that the failure was not part of the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that they would only go with the dealer's diagnosis. the approximate failure mileage was 48,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. the contacted heard an abnormal rattling and knocking noise while driving 20 mph. the vehicle stalled and the check engine indicator illuminated. the vehicle was towed to a local dealer (kia cavenaugh located at 3315 stadium blvd jonesboro, ar 72404), but was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 106,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 17v224000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the contact spoke to sames kia located at 6621 san dario ave, laredo, tx 78041, where it was informed that they could not immediately service the vehicle as there were many vehicles waiting to be serviced for the same recall. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. parts distribution disconnect.
Engine recall by kia motor corporation and steering disc recall kia motor company dealer ship in rainbow city ala did not take proper measures when i brought the car in to get the car checked. have to take it back and not sure how safe the car is to drive based on recall notice. i do not feel safe now in continuing to this car due to the serious potential safety issues plus i have been told by reliable mechanics the new car motor is not any better as well please help getting kia motor corporation to make their car products more reliable and safe to drive. i am trying to make sure someone in my family driving this car remains safe