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2013 KIA OPTIMA — ENGINE

fire · 2237146 · 2026-08-19

Vehicle

Make
KIA
Model
OPTIMA
Year
2013
Manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Component
ENGINE

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

On July 14, 2026, the vehicle's engine was replaced by an authorized dealership under an official Kia recall. On August 16, 2026, while driving on the highway, heavy smoke suddenly began emitting from the engine compartment. When attempting to slow down, the braking system suffered a total loss of power and failed completely. To stop the vehicle, it had to be steered into the highway median to intentionally scrape against it to force a stop. Immediately upon exiting the vehicle, heavy flames were observed under the engine compartment before completely engulfing the front of the car. The fire department extinguished the fire, and the vehicle is a total loss.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11758049
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown