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EquipmentPart report

2012 Kia Optima Equipment Problems

Complaints
3about this part
Share
0%of 920 total for the year
Median mileage
12,187miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the equipment of the 2012 Kia Optima, 0% of the 920 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 12,187 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Making a call with my bluetooth equipped in the vehicle, looked down to verify connection, by the time I looked up I was a foot away from a parked vehicle, I swerved as to the left as much as I could but it was too late, I slammed into the vehicle causing damage, my hood and engine were practically crushed in and along the passenger side of my vehicle, my car came to a hault before jumping over the median. None of airbags deployed. I was going speed of 50-60 miles per hour.”

NHTSA complaint #10563701, filed 2014-02, 13,000 miles

“I have noticed over twenty times that the trunk would open by itself. It would be found open after I get to my car or while driving it would just open up on its own. Last month my trunk, was shut, doors locked, we had a heavy rain that night and the next day I went out, and the trunk was open up all the way. The trunk flap was soaking wet and under it, there was a foot of water and Kia does not give you a tire when you buy a new one. It cost me $80.00 to get everything dried out and water removed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10653598, filed 2014-11, 7,589 miles

“Gas pedal would not work. Avis puts rubber floor mats over cloth floor mats that have hooks embedded in time to hold the factory floor mats in place. I did not know they had did this. Over the course of several hours of driving the rubber floor mat slid forward under the gas pedal rendering it inoperable; I coasted over to side of road and discovered the problem, pulled the rubber floormat back towards the front seat and it happened a 2nd time a few hours later where I lost complete use of the gas pedal so I put the rubber mats in the trunk. I reported this to avis. …”

NHTSA complaint #10479639, filed 2012-10, 12,187 miles

Related service bulletins

Equipment: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201510%
201230%
201120%
201011%
200742%
200632%
200521%
200452%
200321%
200233%
200175%

Other parts of the 2012 Kia Optima

Engine
398 complaintsSteering
188 complaintsElectrical system
122 complaintsBrakes
88 complaintsOther or unknown
88 complaintsFuel system
54 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
54 complaintsAir bags
48 complaintsVehicle speed control
40 complaintsBody and structure
39 complaintsExterior lighting
31 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
28 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2012 Kia Optima

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology