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2013 Kia Optima: jerking or lurching

23 of the 1,388 complaints about the 2013 Kia Optima describe jerking or lurching.

owner complaints
23
of this car's complaints
2%
typical mileage
62,000
recalls
0
Is there a fix? 11 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Jerking or lurching by model year

What owners say

Filed Apr 19, 2024 · Engine · CA

I was driving on the highway and the car stopped moving forward. I was able to get off the highway to a safe place but the car putt putted in a jerking motion. I have a personal car diagnostic reader and the code came back as a manufacturer code reading.

Filed Dec 22, 2023 · Brakes, Engine · 117,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and was jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was restarted, and the vehicle was able to continue driving; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 35-40 MPH. The contact stated that she turned on the hazard lights and drove to the residence, where the vehicle remained parked. The contact stated she connected an OBD reader to the vehicle and read a diagnostic trouble code (DTC) for knock sensor failure. Additionally, the contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Filed May 17, 2023 · Driver assistance, Engine · 117,000 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was jerking and then lost motive power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the brake lights remained illuminated while the vehicle was turned off. The vehicle also experienced phantom braking while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that an unknown sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

Filed Oct 10, 2022 · Engine · IL

The system that failed was my engine. I sent my car to One Stop Collision Auto Repair in Chicago Ridge Illinois. Once the mechanic did his diagnostic, I was told i had “no oil” in my car which caused my engine to fail. However I had gotten an oil change July 12th , 2022. There is a sticker on my windshield in the top left corner by the drivers side stating when my oil was changed. My oil notification became to come on July 9th which let me know i needed an oil change.For this specific problem with my vehicle, the mechanic told me “you won’t get an oil notification because it has nothing to do with your oil. It is a known problem with these types of cars.” I then began to question if there was a recall. I then look onto the My Car max app which lets me know if there was any recalls. There were 2 recalls with MY SAME VIN NUMBER. I don’t know if it is available for inspection.My safety was at risk because I was not aware of any issues on my dashboard or any recalls as i was buying the car. My car began jerking with my inside of it driving which almost caused an accident. My car was sent to a auto repair shop to find out the problem. Once he let me know what the problem was, My car was then sent to International Kia for their own diagnostic and a repair when they find out the problem. The car should be going under inspection now that it is at the manufacture (International Kia). There were NO warning lamps,messages,or any symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. I’ve had this car only since March 17, 2022 (6 months).

Filed Aug 12, 2022 · Engine · 155,000 miles · IA

The contact's son owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while his son was driving approximately at 50 MPH and accelerating to highway speed, the vehicle shuddered, jerked and finally stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact's son veered to the side of the road. The contact's son was able to restart the vehicle and drove to his residence. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal loud knocking sound coming from the engine. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was experiencing bearing wear that could damage the engine and could cause the engine replacement. However, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.

Filed Feb 24, 2022 · Steering · CA

Steering the vehicle is a struggle. Jerky, not smooth at all. I've had it repaired once over 2 years ago. Same issue has returned... It's like a hard workout for my upper arms. I have done my research, and other owners have complained about the same issue. LONG trips are a nightmare. Any/all help would be greatly appreciated. This has been going for at least the LAST 6 months!

Filed Feb 23, 2021 · Engine, Steering · 132,000 miles · WI

Tl* the contact's girlfriend owns a 2013 kia optima. The contact stated while his girlfriend was driving 25 MPH, the steering wheel jerked to the left independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The driver continued driving to her destination. The vehicle was taken to metro kia of madison (5442 wayne terrace, madison, wi 53718, (608) 443-5700) where it was diagnosed with needing the ecu software updated. The vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The contact also stated that the engine was replaced in july of 2020. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.

Filed Jul 22, 2020 · Engine · 112,000 miles · FL

While driving my car at an average speed, the car suddenly started to jerk and would not accelerate, then next thing I know I heard a knocking noise in the engine.

Filed Jul 16, 2019 · Transmission · 187,256 miles · CA

Im driving in the city streets the car has had a code that came up 1 month after the it is a core to replace tube to the sxl turbo this work was performed at the time of the second engine repair due to recall I have contacted kia and told them of the issue now currently as I wait for my appointment the service department is so backed up I now have a issue where I can not reverse the car wants to shut off as I accelerate and it feels like there is a parking brake on I told kia the car jerks going into 1st gear and then accelerates with a jerking motion took it to a local mechanic verified only code that shows up is for the turbo it has a flutter that needs to be adjusted or line replacement but I have proof that that work was already done I do not know if the car will make the appointment time now that it is 5 days out very dangerous due to car is not able to accelerate at a safe speed going into any intersection

Filed Mar 27, 2019 · Engine, Fuel system · 140,000 miles · NH

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

Filed Jan 24, 2019 · Driver assistance, Fuel system · 60,000 miles · NC

My car began to smell like gas when driving and my car started jerking, and making a weird noise..so I pulled over on the side of the road. It smelled like fuel through my air vents while driving, and when I popped the hood to look under it with my boyfriend there was a leak, and it was spewing out fuel out of the pump. What was the scariest part about it is there was no warning light or any thing that told me there was a fuel leak we had to find out for ourselves. I had called kia to see if they would replace it because it basically was a brand new car with only 60,000 miles on it and they said it was not under original warranty so there was nothing they could do for me. I had to buy the part myself which costed me around 500 dollars, then I had to buy a fuel line which was another 50, then get it replaced which costed me another 200. I was extremely upset because it was basically a brand new car doing this.. And I want to be reimbursed for my troubles. I was out of work, couldn't drive my vehicle, and had to pay for a problem that was not my fault. It was the manufactures fault. I am glad I caught it when I did and pulled over on the side of the road because my car boyfriend and I could have bursted into flames. I am extremely upset. I am never buying another kia again unless they reimburse me for the troubles they have caused me and many others. I am scared to drive my kia now knowing that anything could happen to it, or that my fuel pump may go out another time. The engine is definitely faulty and it has caused me and my boyfriend fear, and anxiety. We are scared to see what may happen next.

Filed May 17, 2018 · Electrical, Engine · 65,000 miles · CA

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.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

Questions about the 2013 Kia Optima jerking

Is jerking or lurching a common problem on the 2013 Kia Optima?

23 of 1,388 owner complaints about the 2013 Kia Optima (2%) mention jerking or lurching. The model year with the most reports is 2012.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2013 Kia Optima?

There are 0 recalls and 11 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2013 Kia Optima

Engine failure 185Stalling 158Check engine light 155Knocking 132Fire or smoke 126Loss of power 63Won't start 51Steering noise 43Warning lights 36Headlights 33Oil consumption 31Airbag light 28Fuel smell 28Pulling 25ABS 23Sunroof shattered 18Grinding brakes 17Fuel pump 17Fuel leak 15Hesitation 15Won't shift 15Harsh shifting 13No deployment 12Backup camera 10Misfire 10Shudder 9Steering lock-up 9Adaptive cruise 8Brake failure 8Power steering loss 8Seat belt 7Key fob 6Overheating 6Slipping 5Sudden acceleration 5

All model years of the Kia Optima

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