80 complaints reported

2013 Kia Optima Structure

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
80
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2026

The vehicle paint is bubbling and peeling

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2025
Oct 2025

I have a 2013 Kia Optima and my paint on the vehicle is pilling so bad and fast it is exposing the body of the vehicle. I have done plenty of research and this is a commonly known problem with the pearl white paint jobs. It will start effecting the body and exterior of my vehicle and then turn efforts onto the inside of the vehicle. This is a huge problem so please as a huge company take responsibility and fix this problem.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2021
Aug 2025

3 years ago the paint on my car started peeling. I drove my car from rideshare and was unable to continue due to the visual condition of my car. After further research, it's a nationwide problem. I dont have the money to afford a full paint job and put a bad taste in my mouth when thinking about referring people buying a Kia or my next car purchase. I have lost thousands of dollars due to kid's negligence on their paint.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022
Jul 2025

PAINT ON MY KIA OPTIMA HAS BEEN PEAL LIKE THE PAINT JOB WAS BAD IT WAS NEVER PAINT IT HAS ORGINAL PAINT FROM WHEN IT WAS FIRST OPERATED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Jun 2025

While driving 55 mph down the road the window trim flew off of the rear driver side window and a week later the other side flew off hitting the car behind us. Not a very safe thing to be happening while driving.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2022
Apr 2025

The white paint on my car (Snow White Pearl) has been chipping and peeling off near the windshield and rails on the side as well the hood. This is a known problem for KIA's with this particular white colored paint and KIA should really address is. Touching up just the locations it's happening in is not a fix ... The car needs to be properly repainted to fix the issue. KIA has not addressed this for customers and really need to as this happens for spanning several years and different models.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2016
Jan 2025

The paint is chipping heavily and apparently this is an issue with older Kia vehicles due to a primer issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2024
Dec 2024

Pearl white color paint chipping, and breaking due to water and air. Bad batch of primer and coating has caused the paint to chip and peel across the body of the car.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2021
Dec 2024

Car paint started peeling on the whole car and according to dealers it's a common problem with the pear paint and I need it fixed

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2024
Oct 2024

My car's paint began chipping and peeling about a year ago, it continues to get worse day by day and exposed areas show a bare metal with some areas rusting. This is happening very rapidly and appears the whole car may lose its paint quickly. Please help!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2024
Jul 2024

Paint on driver side rear door is delamination from the car body. This is the Pearl white color

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2024
Jun 2024 Crash

Pearl white paint is pealing and chipping. Falling off going down the road. Car looks terrible and is making rust a possibly.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2022
Jun 2024

The paint on the vehicle is badly peeling due to defective primer. Thousands of other have the same issues from what I see in parking lots. I have gotten it fixed but it doesn't hold up due to primer.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc. Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 9999 TBD TBD, Manufacturer: ODI Demo Co
Incident: Mar 2015
Jun 2024

This is not a safety issue but it is an issue that seems to be happening on many Kia vehicles, especially those with the Snow White paint color. My car is 11 years old but in great shape with only 62,200 miles. The paint looks almost brand new with no other flaws in the car other than there are spots on the hood and roof where the paint is bubbling up and peeling off with no damages to those areas. It appears the paint no longer adheres to the silver primer.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2024
May 2024

The paint on my car is peeling off in sheets it is not adhering to the body. There is no way that I believe I can have it repainted because they would have to take all the existing paint off because even if they paint it over it it's not stuck to the body. There is no recall and I really think there should be. My paint is the white pearl paint like everyone else's who's peeling off.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2021
Apr 2024

Large areas of paint are coming off of the vehicle. The system will not allow the 2mb JPG pictures to be added.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2021
Apr 2024

Paint peeling off 2013 Kia Optima. Either a paint or primer issue by the car manufacture Kia Corp. "Snow White Pearl" is the color of the paint.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2024
Jan 2024

I am experiencing sudden paint delamination on the A pillar. Paint color is snow white pearl. I have not yet contacted the dealer but am seeing many similar online reports for this paint color on Kia vehicles. The area is not otherwise damaged. I noticed the problem on 1/21/24 when the car was stationary. The bad area is now increasing in size. The vehicle has 79,269 miles, is kept outdoors and goes through a car wash approximately monthly.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2024
Nov 2023

I have been the owner of my 2013 white kia optima since 2020 and have had my paint peeling from the front, both sides and rear of my car.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2020
Nov 2023

SAME STORY OVER AND OVER 2013 WHITE PEARL PAINT GARAGE KEPT, NO ACCIDENTS AND PAINT IS LITERALLY CHIPPING AWAY SIDE OF THE CAR DOOR ROOF ABSOLUTELY APPALLING. KIA THE FACT THAT KIA HAS THOUSANDS OF THIS COLOR ON THE ROAD IS EMBARRASSING FOR ALL THE LOYAL CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE TO DRIVE THEM. KIA KNOWS THAT ALL OF THEM WERE PAINTED WITH NO PRIMER. CHEAP PAINT SPRAYED ON BARE METAL AND HAS LEFT ALL OF US STRANDED. THIS CLEARLY IS A COMPANY WITH NO INTEGRITY OR CARE FOR CUSTOMERS LET ALONE OUR LIVES .THIS NEEDS CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2022
Nov 2023

2013 Optima SXL with snow white pearl paint. Paint began coming off in areas around the windshield back in 2017. At the time I thought it may have had something to do with the people who replaced my windshield. Had a 50 cent piece size area come off the hood in the car wash shortly after. I have continued to experience paint bubbling and loss ever since. Now I'm considering an upgrade but am worried about my trade in value due to the condition of the paint.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2017
Nov 2023

PAINT CHIPPING!!!! (photos attached) I have encountered many of Kia manufactured vehicles with the same issue. The paint bubbles and then peels off, leaving a visible grey (primed) area. I am located in North Carolina. The weather is not harsh and I cannot think of any other reason this would be occurring. When attempting to get the paint repaired / vehicle painted, I was informed of a recall and/or class action associated with this situation. I would like clarification and resolution of this matter.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2015
Nov 2023

The door latches don't spring back into a position that allows the door to be closed again, once it has been opened. I have to stick my finger in the latch hole in the door while pulling out the latch handle to put the latch back into the position where the door will close. So far, this problem has effected three of the four doors in my sedan.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Oct 2023

The paint on my pearl white kia optima is peeling badly, primarily on the hood but now its starting to peel near the doors.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2023
Oct 2023

I have a snow pearl white kia that the paint started chipping off and is continuing to do such all over the vehicle. There is an area on the hood with rust starting where the paint starting chipping first. I have contacted kia and the rep looked for recalls but there were non for paint. The warranty was only for 3 years on the paint but the issue didn't start happening till after that. I have seen other SWP colored kia's with the same issue and there is a forum on FB with many other kia owners having the same problem. The prominant color seems to be the white one's but others are affected as well.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2013 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019

Trend Over Time

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Quick Summary

The 2013 Kia Optima has 80 Structure complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.