KnownCarProblemsHome › Kia › Optima Hybrid › 2012
2012 Kia Optima Hybrid Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 109 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid, most often about the engine (67% of complaints, typically around 95,000 miles). It is the most complained-about Optima Hybrid model year since 2000 and has 3 recalls.
⚠ Safety advisory1 recall for this car came with a park-outside warning. See below and check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Most common 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid problems
Engine
73 complaints · 67%Half of these problems showed up before 95,000 miles.
My vehicle is a 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid. I have basically had engine problems since driving off the lot. Started small and ended up like many others here where after experiencing very loud revving in the engine as I was bringing my car to a stop there was a loud boom from the rear of the vehicle and a thud. I felt like…
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid. While driving 65 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard coming from the engine. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, turned off and restarted the vehicle, but the noise persisted. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the…
Electrical
20 complaints · 18%Half of these problems showed up before 101,500 miles. Parts named most often: propulsion system, 12v/24v/48v battery.
The orange square wrench light on the dashboard came on but as soon as the car was turned off would go away. No trouble codes showed up. It happened 3 times in a week so once it popped on, went to the dealership to diagnose while it was still running. While driving there, the car had very little power-making the left…
The hybrid system broke down at 85k. Was replaced by Kia after threatening legal action. At 103k. We never missed maintenance or a oil change. The engine through a rod on a 5 lane interstate doing 65mph, blowing and destroying the engine. Putting my family of 5 at serious risk. Kia wants 4500k or 8000k to replace the…
Brakes
12 complaints · 11%Half of these problems showed up before 70,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that while attempting to drive uphill and on gravel with the electric drive mode activated, the vehicle failed to move forward. The contact pressed the button to deactivate the electric drive mode, but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact released the…
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid. 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 while driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights were…
Transmission
10 complaints · 9%Half of these problems showed up before 86,000 miles.
Approaching a stop light, the automatic transmission started downshifting. As it went through each gear there was a short pause followed by a jerking car motion. Accelerating through the intersection, the engine started to rev like the clutch was out on the transmission. As I was on a busy state highway, this put me…
I literally just had my engine replaced (blew in august at 85k miles, dealership had my car for six months while I waited on an engine, cost $7k). I got my car back in mid-february. On march 25th, I was at a stop light, and when I accelerated, the car lagged and lurched forward. This continued any time I shifted into…
Steering
9 complaints · 8%Half of these problems showed up before 72,000 miles.
Inherently bad electronic power steering coupler. Broken wile still relatively low milage. Makes a very bad clunking noise when steering and going over bumps and causes steering wheel to wobble.
When I move the steering wheel from side to side I can hear a popping noise when I am driving as well as when I am at a stop. The steering wheel has excessive vibration and raddling when I am driving between 65-75 on the highway, it decreases at 80 MPH. I have gotten my tires checked as well as an alignment so it is…
Other or unspecified
8 complaints · 7%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles.
The engine shifts really hard and my car will shut down in the middle of the highway and today while driving several of my warning lights came on in the car and one advised me to stop the car and do not drive.
Vehicle was in motion at 35 MPH and suddenly lost acceleration, woul d not go faster then 15 MPH for about 1/2 mile then gave message "hybrid system failure, please pull over and turn off vehicle." the dealership service department says they have replaced the engine with a used one, replaced the hyper-transmission?…
Speed control
5 complaints · 5%Half of these problems showed up before 42,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated while in park and crashed into a garage door, without any warning. The contact reversed the vehicle and placed the vehicle in park. The contact mentioned when exiting the vehicle, it began to shake, jerk and attempted to…
Purchased the car used at 25000 miles from a dealership. Car was fine, smooth for about 10 months. Did oil changes as usual. Noticed some jerking recently when I would come to a complete stop but didn't really bother me at first. Then I noticed it was having trouble accelerating from a complete stop. It would…
Air bags
4 complaints · 4%On 11/3, my wife was in accident in our optima, wherein she was t-boned. She was driving approximately 30mph, when another driver drove through a stop sign and, presumably, accelerated into the middle of the driver side of our car. None of the airbags deployed, and we're convinced that one should have. After speaking…
I was involved in a high speed, rear end collision in which I was traveling at approx 55mph when another large vehicle changed lanes from right to left, right in front of me causing me to collide with them. The result was significant front end damage to my car and significant bodily injury to myself because of the…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2012 Kia Optima Hybrid recalls
Brakes: control unit/module
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
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 of the safety risk, were mailed november 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed march 29, 2024 through june 18, 2024. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc284.
Full defect summary
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 hydraulic electronic control unit (hecu) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Engine
Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, kia dealers will update the knock sensor detection system (ksds) software, free of charge. The recall began january 27, 2021. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc200.
Full defect summary
Kia motors america (kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 sorento, 2012-2015 forte and forte koup, 2011-2013 optima hybrid, 2014-2015 soul, and 2012 sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
Risk: If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
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 connector and the vehicle harness connector. For all other affected vehicles, kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began september 28, 2018. Owners may contact kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is sc165.
Full defect summary
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 bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Hyundai and kia ABS module fires
Summary
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 (hecu) manufactured by the equipment supplier mando. The part 573 recall reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by mando. Safety recalls included in this audit query (aq) review include: hyundai recalls 20v-520, 20v-543, 21v-161, 21v-160, 21v-303, 22v-056, 22v-810, and 23v-651. Kia recalls 16v-815, 20v-518, 20v-519, 21v
Pedestrian alert sounds
Summary
Nhtsa received a petition on or about july 18, 2022, requesting that federal motor vehicle safety standard (fmvss) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the united states. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under odi number 11486072. Fmvss 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kg or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after march 1, 2021.on january 27, 2023, NHTSA opened defect petition (dp) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matt
Loss of motive power
Summary
The national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated july 13, 2022, petitioning the agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain hyundai motor america, inc. And kia america, inc. Vehicles spanning model years (my) 2005-2021. The petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are
Engine fires
Summary
On march 29, 2019, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened two preliminary evaluations (pe19-003 on hyundai and pe19-004 on kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year hyundai and kia vehicles.â during the pe investigations, hyundai and kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types.â the remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement.â additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modif
Electrical overstress
Summary
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation to determine if the failure of airbags to deploy during severe crashes, in certain vehicles, was the result of a safety related defect.â during the investigation a complex failure was studied that can result in non-deployment of subject vehicle air bags and other restraint system devices in severe crash events. The subject vehicles may be equipped with an airbag control unit (acu) for the supplemental restraint system (SRS) electronic control unit (ecu) manufactured by zf-trw. â the ecu receives signals from crash sensors mounted in the vehicle and deploys the vehicle air bags and seat belt pretensioners in accordance with m
Non-crash vehicle fires
Summary
During this preliminary evaluation (pe), the office of defects investigation (odi) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (my) 2011-2014 kia optima, my 2011-2014 kia sorento and my 2010-2015 kia soul vehicles equipped with theta II, gamma, nu and lambda II engines (approximately 1.7 million vehicles). Odi also reviewed field and other data on other kia vehicles (approximately 3.6 million additional vehicles) equipped with the same engines used in the above-mentioned vehicles.as a result of this pe, kia has issued NHTSA recalls 20v-750 and 2
Non-crash vehicle fires
Summary
In a letter dated june 11, 2018, the center for auto safety (cas) petitioned the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (my) 2011-2014 kia optima and sorento, and hyundai sonata and santa fe vehicles. In a letter dated july 24, 2018, cas requested that my 2010-2015 kia soul vehicles be added to the petition. Cas stated that there is a higher number of complaints to NHTSA regarding non-crash fires on these vehicles compared to other similar vehicles. The office of defects investigation (odi) had already opened recall queries (rq17-003 and rq17-004) on all kia and hyundai vehicles equipped
Questions about the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid
- What are the most common problems with the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (73 complaints, typically around 95,000 miles); electrical (20 complaints, typically around 101,500 miles); brakes (12 complaints, typically around 70,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid have?
- 3 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from September 25, 2023 (brakes). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2012 a bad year for the Kia Optima Hybrid?
- It is the most complained-about Optima Hybrid model year since 2000, with 109 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.