2012 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,263 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Kia Optima, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 7 defect investigations. It scores 66/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 103,535 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2012 Kia Optima sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2001–2010, 2017–2020.
Avoid
Where 2012 sits among all Optima years
What owners report
“I was driving down the highway and my engine started making a clicking/knocking sound and lost all power. It completely stopped working. After i had it towed, the mechanic told me it sounded like there was bearing that had worn off in the bottom of my engine.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Optima
“When i turn my steering wheel it makes a clicking noise & vibrates at time. Makes noises when ii ma driving on less that supremely smooth roads”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Optima
“When driving the vehicle the engine light is on & under the hood is smoking . It smells like burnt rubber or just burning something. This started happening right after the engine light came on. It’s not safe to drive my vehicle at this point”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Optima
“I was driving on the freeway in the state of utah. I was going 65 mph on the freeway when the car started shaking, followed by a stall on the engine that forced me to slow down and park on the side of the freeway. I have no idea what happened but i heard cracking noise coming from the engine. Now…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Optima
“The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Optima
“Check engine light comes on and upon check the the fuel pump sensor has made 3 different sensors go. My fuel jumps all over the place. From a full tank to empty or the reading changes while driving. There is also a smells of gas that can be smelled while driving as well coming from the vents.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Optima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 811 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 82,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 52,006 and 118,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners…
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Optima vehicles. The right and left headliner plates may not be secured properly, which can result in the plates detaching in the event of a side curtain air bag deployment.
Fix: Dealers will secure the headliner plates, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 26, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product…
Fix: Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air…
Fix: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU…
Kia Motor Company (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Optima, 2012-2014 Sorento and 2011-2013 Sportage vehicles. Machining errors during the engine manufacturing process may cause premature bearing wear within the engine.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine assembly, and replace the engine if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 20, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Led to recall campaign 20V088000.
Led to recall campaign 18V907000.
Led to recall campaign 17V224000.
Technical service bulletins
241 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2012 Kia Optima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Optima TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Kia Optima reliable?
The 2012 Kia Optima drew 1,263 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 66/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2012 Kia Optima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Kia Optima are engine (417 complaints), steering (188), and electrical (155).
At what mileage do 2012 Kia Optima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Kia Optima problems around 82,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 52,006 and 118,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Kia Optima have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Kia Optima. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.