2013 Kia Optima: loss of power steering

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · MO

Despite documenting this catastrophic internal mechanical destruction, the authorized franchise dealer has issued a written directive instructing the driver to operate this structurally compromised vehicle on public roads for a 1,000-mile oil consumption test with explicit instructions not to add, check, or have anyone service the engine oil level. Operating an engine running dry with verified cylinder wall gouging and unstable timing chains creates an imminent, severe safety hazard for the occupants and other motorists, including sudden highway engine lockup, loss of power steering, or vehicle fires. The vehicle underwent Safety Recall Campaign SC147 in 2017, which carries a court-mandated Lifetime Warranty Extension on the block for core failures. The dealership is forcing an unsafe vehicle modification and dangerous roadway test to evade standard warranty coverage processing. A complete 11-invoice history proves this defect originally manifested and was logged by a technician at 96,738 miles while fully inside the standard factory coverage window.

Filed Mar 10, 2025 · Engine · 147,000 miles · OK

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the power steering assist and brakes failed when the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had been advised by the dealer that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 17V224000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000.

Filed Feb 13, 2023 · Engine · PA

2013 KIA optima stalls out if over 2500 rpm reached. loses all power. Shutdown on highway and barely made it to pull off. Was able to start and pull off next exit only going at minimum speed, shut down again on state road with no pull off location and to drift with no power steering or brakes. Took to the Dealer and they have had it for over a week as they are so backed up with failing engine problems. Told by Dealer KIA is not covering all engine failures, opened case with KIA and they said I will just have to wait and see,

Filed Aug 12, 2020 · Steering · TX

Tl* the contact's wife owns a 2013 kia optima. The contact stated that while his grand-daughter was driving at an unknown speed, the power steering failed to operate as needed. The contact was unaware if any warning light illuminated when the failure occurred. The contact's grand-daughter took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with a defective power steering. The dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Jan 25, 2020 · Engine · 144,000 miles · TN · fire · 2 injuries

Was driving my daughter to school for theater practice on a sunday and within less than 1 minute of pulling out of our drive all the lights came on in my car and it was totally seized, it died . We were in the middle of traffic. One of the busiest roads in nashville ..and we had no control of the car. We were terrified we were going to get into an accident. We made a turn at the light.. Coasting and tried to restart the car in the middle of another busy road .. Where we blocked a fast food drive. That's as far as it would go. I tried to start the car but couldn't tell if it was on or off. Push button ignition was not working .. Then smoked started rolling out. We jumped out and called 911 as it's my only transportation and being a single parent can't afford for it to burn up. It smelled like burned plastic or wires. The fire department came but the fire was out. They could smell where it had burned and they helped me push it into a nearby parking lot to get us out of turning traffic. I had no power steering and all the power worked but the engine was seized.. Out of no where. Here we were stranded and crying. She was calling school as to not get in trouble and I was calling my parents for a ride.

Filed Oct 10, 2019 · Acceleration, Engine · 136,381 miles · GA

On interstate 675 north-ga car stalled, lost power to the engine, eps light, check engine light, oil light came on on the instrument panel, no power steering. I had to cross two lanes of interstate traffic to try to make it safely to the shoulder. My car wouldn't turn over or start. I let the car sit for an hour and tried again to start it. I received no notice of any recalls from the dealer or the manufacturer. It was a dangerous situation to be in on the interstate or anywhere for that matter.

Filed May 22, 2019 · Engine · 114,000 miles · VA · crash · fire

A recall was issued to me by kia in 2017 when we had the vehicle's engine totally replaced. On may 16, 2019 my son was driving when passerby's were honking and flashing their lights at him. He noticed that the engine was on fire, when he lost steering, and breaks. He jumped out of the car while moving and then the car exploded, a total of 3 separate times before fire and emergency personnel arrived on scene. Fire report and investigation underway.

Filed Jul 20, 2017 · Acceleration, Engine · 113,949 miles · FL

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.