Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Kia Optima owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while parking the vehicle and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The contact restarted the vehicle, shifted the vehicle into drive and then shifted back to park and the contact was able to shut off the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed. On another occasion, the contact stated while pulling out the driveway the brakes applied unintendedly with the brake light remaining illuminated. The traction control warning light, the ABS warning light, the auto lock warning light illuminated and the code "EPB auto hold" was displayed. The contact shut off the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 155,000.
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.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at night, the low-beam headlights failed to properly illuminate the roadway, causing a driving hazard. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact made several unknown local dealers aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the low-beam headlight was not providing proper illumination while driving, making it difficult to see the roadway. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 176,000.
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. …
My paint has been chipping really bad. Also I had a few recalls taken care of at modesto Kia once I got my vehicle back and drove it back home (about an hour and a half away) I started smelling something burning, I looked under the hood and couldn't find anything wrong so then a few days later I smelled the same thing but this time I heard a loud pop I got out and noticed my fog light had shattered, and the housing is completely burned. So now my fog lights won't work and I have to make sure the fog lights are turned off because I don't want there to be power going to the loose wires, the head lights get extremely hot to the touch the fog light got so hot it burned a hole through the bumper. Then about two weeks ago the airbag light turned on and it won't turn off, I did some research and found out that when the air bag light is on there is a huge chance the airbags won't deploy. …
When I turned the ignition on the car wouldn't start. But the ABS light and all other lights flickering when trying to start the car. The alarm kept going off. Passenger side front and rear windows won't function. Smell like something was burning. This is the second incident ([redacted]). Fuses had to be removed to silence the alarms on the first incident on [redacted] because the lights were still flickering on and off when car wasn't on. I had my car serviced at the West Broad Kia Dealership in Richmond, Va. Thank you!
The vehicle's headlights have been extremely dimmed for years and my wife has just "dealt with it". We've had all the bulbs replaced and the issue persisted. Given recent medical conditions paired with this technical oversight, this could lead to severe injury or death if not resolved. Let me also add that the headlights no longer turn on as of this morning and Kia refuses to acknowledge or claim responsibility for this because "the issue stems from identical vehicles manufactured in South Korea and not Georgia" ... even though the symptoms very identically line up to TSB Number: WTY014.
I own a 2013 Kia Optima. The low-beam headlight was not providing proper illumination while driving at night, making it difficult to see the roadway. Took the vehicle to the local dealer, the mechanic was able to see the failure, but stated that my car was made in the US. So the Recall that is out for dimming headlights from cars made in South Korea does not apply to my car. Stated it would cost $720 per headlight assembly plus labor. The car was not repaired. The manufacturer should cover cars made in the US also if the ones in South Korea have the same problem and are being fixed.
The chrome finish on the inside of the low beam headlight reflectors has disintegrated resulting in very dim, almost unusable headlight light output. The dealer states while the manufacturer has a tsp and warranty extension (WTY014) on Korean-built Optimas for this MY it does not apply to American-built Optimas - despite the headlight being manufactured in Korea on the US models and it having the exact same issue. This extension should apply to all Optimas during the covered MY that have this issue.
Headlight complaints in other Optima years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2013 Kia Optima?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the lights of the 2013 Kia Optima, 3% of the model year's 1,386 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Kia Optima headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2013 Kia Optima, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2013 Kia Optima headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to lights problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.