2012 KIA Optima Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 122 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2012 KIA Optima, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 79,000 miles.
- 122electrical system complaints
- 79,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 73 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 122 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 18 a fire, 3 an injury.
KIA Optima electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Optima | 14 | 9% | — |
| 2019 Optima | 23 | 11% | 18,000 |
| 2018 Optima | 33 | 14% | 39,463 |
| 2017 Optima | 25 | 10% | 24,000 |
| 2016 Optima | 104 | 14% | 66,500 |
| 2015 Optima | 135 | 13% | 81,250 |
| 2014 Optima | 60 | 10% | 71,500 |
| 2013 Optima | 146 | 11% | 86,900 |
| 2012 Optima | 122 | 13% | 79,000 |
| 2011 Optima | 63 | 11% | 85,650 |
| 2010 Optima | 13 | 17% | 75,000 |
| 2009 Optima | 16 | 14% | 66,500 |
| 2008 Optima | 15 | 10% | 97,000 |
| 2007 Optima | 14 | 8% | 89,500 |
| 2006 Optima | 23 | 15% | 65,150 |
| 2005 Optima | 29 | 20% | 99,000 |
| 2004 Optima | 45 | 20% | 85,000 |
| 2003 Optima | 25 | 18% | 78,769 |
| 2002 Optima | 14 | 13% | 72,000 |
| 2001 Optima | 17 | 12% | 9,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists electrical system for the 2012 KIA Optima. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The horn stops working, steering heat stop working, control functions and air bag warning. I changed the clock spring and it fixed all those issues the first time but within 6 months all those issues happened again. Is there something more wrong?
A issue with the Valve cover gasket leaking into the engine causing a misfire. Making the car suddenly stop while driving which is very unsafe. I took the car to the dealership and they want to charge me for the repairs. I have 2 kia optima hybrid and both cars have the same issue around the same…
Unknown but We were driving home from friant in motion when the car died and started smoking, no indication light were on before until after the incident all warning lights were on dash. Our lives were put at risk due to this. We were not able to control steering wheel or to get out of the way of…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 KIA Optimas have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 122 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2012 KIA Optima (13% of the 920 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 KIA Optima electrical system?
No recall currently lists electrical system for this vehicle.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 79,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
Other 2012 KIA Optima problems
- Engine problems (398)
- Steering problems (188)
- Power Train problems (54)
- Service Brakes problems (52)
See all 2012 KIA Optima problems or electrical system problems across all Optima years.