2012 Kia Optima: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
917
Complaints
5
Recalls
25
Crash reports
77
Fire reports
34
Injuries
90.9
Severity index
Severity index 90.9 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Kia Optima ranks 39 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 70% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 397 | 43.3% |
| STEERING | 187 | 20.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 122 | 13.3% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 88 | 9.6% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 87 | 9.5% |
| POWER TRAIN | 54 | 5.9% |
| AIR BAGS | 48 | 5.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 42 | 4.6% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 397 of 917 complaints (43.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 45 |
| 2013 | 24 |
| 2014 | 34 |
| 2015 | 37 |
| 2016 | 90 |
| 2017 | 72 |
| 2018 | 79 |
| 2019 | 134 |
| 2020 | 103 |
| 2021 | 81 |
| 2022 | 45 |
| 2023 | 57 |
| 2024 | 59 |
| 2025 | 38 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 17 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V907000 | 19/12/2018 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 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 Improvement Campaign. The h |
| 18V363000 | 01/06/2018 | AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE | 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 prete |
| 17V224000 | 31/03/2017 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 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. |
| 22V560000 | 01/08/2022 | STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 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. |
| 23V652000 | 25/09/2023 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 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 Con |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.