10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
4 / 51
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
79,925 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Kia Optima engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Kia Optima Owner Comments (Page 2 of 17)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #319

Apr 232022

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Kia started losing power on freeway was able to pull over then it died and wouldn-€™t start back up motor seized up battery is good electrical is good it-€™s a push start and engine won-€™t crank or turn over or nothing

- San Bernardino, CA, USA

problem #318

Apr 182022

Optima

  • miles
Engine replaced under the recall campaign after failure and have had issues since with the car wanting to start. Turns over several times before finally getting it to start. Fuel pump and fuel line replaced out of pocket as well as a sensor out of pocket and still having the same issues intermittently then today while driving approximately 35 to 40 MPH the car just shuts off in the middle of the highway in morning traffic and almost caused an accident, without warning. Still took several times to crank before car finally restarted and made it maybe 4 miles before shutting off again while driving without warning and then smelled as if something was burning. Car has had scheduled maintenance as advised by KIA for warranty on motor but if something is not done about all of these same complaints then someone is going to get killed. Very unsafe!

- Preston, GA, USA

problem #317

Mar 312022

Optima

  • miles
2012 Kia Optima Engine oil lights flickers on slowing.. I have checked the oil and the Filter they look excellent and to the correct level.

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #316

Mar 222022

Optima

  • 248,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently in the middle of the highway. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to push the vehicle to the side of the road with the assistance of the Police Officers. The vehicle was towed to the contact-€™s residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 248,000.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #315

Nov 032021

Optima

  • miles
My car was put down for a recall awhile back i took it to kia because i was recently have a problem with it so i thought it could be the recall, but it wasn-€™t i told them since my car has already been there 2 weeks can they just replace the recalled engine they said no they wouldn-€™t do it unless my car actually malfunctions so they put a knock sensor and updated my vehicle ever since then i-€™ve been having problems and my car sometimes on the high way will not accelerate and will stall and jerk badly which is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS also recently my car is malfunctioning error -€œ old codes -€œ which didn-€™t make sense to me or the repair service people at KIA

- Arlington, TX, USA

problem #314

Nov 272021

Optima

  • miles
Was driving on freeway, at 75 mph when the engine seized with no warning

- Grantsville, UT, USA

problem #313

Nov 242021

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Knocking on the engine began and car stopped suddenly. Smoke started coming out of the engine bay and also from the vents inside. Severe engine knocking when accelerating. Smoke all over inside detected and very scary situation arose.

- Woodside, NY, USA

problem #312

Oct 112021

Optima

  • miles
My engine failed. Dick Withams here in Waterloo, IA was paid by Kia to replace engine for free due to my warranty. Dick Withams rushed the process and allowed me back on the road with no coolant plug( which was detected immediately) I returned the car and Dick Withams attached a plug so my coolant wouldn't spill over on the ground. Every time I pressed my brakes THERE WAS A HORRIBLE SOUND LIKE MY DRIVE AXIAL WAS NOT PUT TOGETHER WHEN Putting the engine back. Kia is allowing Mechanics to fix these recalls of MAJOR SAFETY ISSUES FOR myself and my family. I then returned vehicle to Cedar Falls, IA Dick Withams to fix issue Friday morning. They have yet to communicate anything with me. Now I'm just without a vehicle even though it's covered under warranty. It should be against the law for the car dealership to return a recalled engine without driving the car to see if they rushed the service and failed to put vehicle back together CORRECTLY.

- Waterloo, IA, USA

problem #311

Oct 062021

Optima

  • miles
Driving to work on I40 West during traffic hour which was about 7:50am my car just started loosing speed and I had to pull off on the left side of the road. Car did not turn back on. Had my car towed to the mechanic and he states it was the engine. Kia replaced my engine not even 3yrs ago because of a recall.

- Fuquay-Varina, NC, USA

problem #310

Oct 072021

Optima

  • miles
I was driving on the highway and suddenly lost acceleration, the check engine light began flashing. The car went into limp mode. I got it to an auto parts store and had them put it on the scanner. It is showing code P1326. I have it scheduled to be assessed at Kia. Research on this code with the Kia says, it could need a system update, knock sensor replaced, or the engine replaced. Kia does have a recall out for this issue but my car doesn-€™t currently fall under the recall. My car has always been mechanically maintained at appropriate intervals by Kia. This is a problem.

- Fairfield Township , OH, USA

problem #309

Oct 052021

Optima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My car lost power going 70mph and the engine light came on. I had it scanned and the code was P1326. Now my car will not move. This was a reported recall on Kia Optima from years 2011-2014. My car is a 2012 Kia Optima. I called dealership and they said my VIN is not under this recall but I am having the same exact problem as the recall reported in 2018.

- Clarkville, TN, USA

problem #308

Sep 262021

Optima

  • miles
My car keeps overheating when left in park and at an idle state. This problem occurs everytime I am in park at idle for more than 4 min. This has occured since the time I have purchased the vehicle.

- Hoopa, CA, USA

problem #307

Sep 022021

Optima

  • miles
I was driving down the street and smelt somethinf burning and the car lost power and was driving slow I pulled over and it smelled like burent. Now the car has no power, wont charge the hybrid battery and has a load knockinf noise

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #306

Jul 082019

Optima

  • 13,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated while driving 50 mph when a noise coming from the engine compartment was heard and saw smoke emitting from the engine compartment. The contact pulled over and upon investigation, a fire was underneath the engine compartment. The contact waited until the fire was extinguished naturally and the fire department was not called. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to contact's residence. The vehicle was then towed to a local mechanic where it was confirmed that the engine caught fire and was repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with, NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (ENGINE) however the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000

- Dallas, TX, USA

problem #305

Aug 302021

Optima

  • miles
Car stalls when it-€™s hot outside and while using the A/C

- Marietta, GA, USA

problem #304

Jul 092021

Optima

  • miles
While driving at the speed limit on July 9th 2021 my kia optima started smoking within a minute of us pulling over the front of the car was on fire

- Hermitage, TN, USA

problem #303

Jun 292021

Optima

  • miles
Driving at 60 mph on the highway engine seized up with no warning what so ever no engine light or oil light. Once vehicle stopped checked oil and it was almost empty. No warning of oil pressure or oil low. Vehicle always inspected an oil change done on time. Can't find recall on my vin but other 2012 models had a recall for this exact reason. I was almost hit by a semi when the vehicle just died with no warning at all and everything locked up. Never had 1 issue with this vehicle until now. And I am worried kia will not fix it when clearly other optimas of the same year had the same issue. I can't understand why when vin search it doesn't show this recall. It's all over the internet.

- Louisville , KY, USA

problem #302

Jul 032021

Optima 4-cyl

  • miles
MY VIN IS [XXX] ITS A 2012 KIA OPITMA HYBRID 2.4L AND I SEE IT HAS THESE RECALLS ON IT NEEED TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO ABOUT IT MY NUMBER IS [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Clinton, SC, USA

problem #301

Jun 232021

Optima

  • miles
I driving to park, I heard a loud popping noise and i them preceeded to pull out the driveway and al-€™s 5 minutes in the drive the KIA hybrid warning system came on and then told me to park the ending at the nearest location to park. the car started smoking real lot bad and me and my kid exited the vehicle because of all the smoke. the oil was everywhere on the car, on the motor, leaking out of the car.i then got car towed back home

- Senoia, GA, USA

problem #300

May 282021

Optima

  • 147,850 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 40 mph, the vehicle began to stall. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was being serviced. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 147,850.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

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