2012 Kia OPTIMA HYBRID problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
109 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
87,200 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 99 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 72 of 109 complaints (66.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 18 | 16.5% |
| Braking behavior | 16 | 14.7% |
| Steering behavior | 11 | 10.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 8.3% |
| Engine operation | 8 | 7.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 72 |
| Electrical System | 18 |
| Power Train | 10 |
| Steering | 9 |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 |
| Service Brakes | 6 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 |
Engine: 72; Electrical System: 18; Power Train: 10; Steering: 9; Unknown Or Other: 8; Service Brakes: 6; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 6; Vehicle Speed Control: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 8 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 33 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 29 |
| 150,000 and above | 7 |
Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 33; 100,000 to 149,999: 29; 150,000 and above: 7
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 10 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 32 |
| 2019 | 16 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2013: 4; 2014: 3; 2015: 7; 2016: 8; 2017: 21; 2018: 32; 2019: 16; 2020: 6; 2021: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 2; 2024: 5; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 18 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 11 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10778126 · 2015-09-28 (September 28, 2015)
OUR CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR THE 4TH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. LAST SPRING THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE MESSAGE "HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING! SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE". THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY (REGULAR, NOT HYBRID) SO WE HAD THAT REPLACED (OUT OF WARRANTY - WE PAID FOR THAT). THIS PAST AUGUST, THE WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN - THE DEALER SAID THERE HAD BEEN A TECHNICAL BULLETIN, AND THEY PERFORMED AN UPDATE (COVERED BY WARRANTY). WE HAD THE CAR BACK FOR A FEW DAYS AND THE MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN, AS WELL AS TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10778126 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10969077 · 2017-03-28 (March 28, 2017)
I BOUGHT A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID I ALSO BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH MY VEHICLE. NOVEMBER 2016 MY WIFE AND TWO KIDS WERE ON THEIR WAY TO WORK AND SCHOOL WHEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT EVEN TURN. I CALLED THE CAR COMPANY I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T WORK ON HYBRIDS SO I NEEDED TO FIND A KIA DEALERSHIP I FOUND ONE HUNDRED MILES AWAY I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE STARTING BATTERY WAS BAD IN IT AND WOULD HA…
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10969077 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10537233 · 2013-08-26 (August 26, 2013)
I HAVE HAD 2 ISSUES: MY UVO SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES AND MY SYSTEM IS GOING TO BE REPLACED AGAIN TODAY. I HAVE HAD BRAKE ISSUES, MY MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND ITS GOING BACK IN TODAY FOR BRAKES. NOW MY CAR IS PULLING TO THE LEFT! I HAVE 25,000 MILES ON THIS CAR! *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10537233 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10638311 · 2014-09-23 (September 23, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND A LADY PULLED IN FRONT OF ME. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND SWERVED TO THE RIGHT SO I WOULD AVOID HITTING HER. THE NEXT THING I KNEW I SMACKED INTO A POLE. FOR THE PAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW AND WHY I HAD SO MUCH DAMAGE TO MY CAR WHEN I WAS ONLY GOING 25 MPH. I FINALLY REALIZED THAT THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP MY CAR EVEN WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED JULY 10, 2013 AND ONE YEAR LATER ON THE SAME DAY JULY 10, 2014 MY BRAKES FAILED ON MY CAR WHILE I WAS W…
Owner-reported narrative. 21,988 miles reported. Look up ODI 10638311 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10498354 · 2013-02-16 (February 16, 2013)
SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE DRIFTS LEFT AND RIGHT CONSTANTLY AND YOU HAVE TO USE TWO HANDS ON STEERING WHEEL JUST TO KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT AND FROM PULLING LEFT OR RIGHT. LESS NOTICEABLE IN CITY DRIVING BUT STILL DRIFTS. BROUGHT IT TWICE TO THE DEALER AND TECH DROVE IT AND TOLD ME ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN SPECS AND IT WAS FINE I JUST NEED TO GET USED TO IT. THIS IS VERY UNNERVING AND DANGEROUS. HOPE THE LEMON LAW WILL HELP ME. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10498354 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10845692 · 2016-03-09 (March 9, 2016)
BOUGHT THE CAR NEW IN 2012 FROM FUCCILLO KIA IN CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA FOR MY WIFE. SHE NOTICED THE VERY SLIGHT "CLUNKING" NOISE IN 2014 WITH ABOUT 50K MILES ON IT AND DIDN'T THINK IT WAS MUCH OF A PROBLEM. IT GRADUALLY BECAME VERY, VERY LOUD AND SHE COULD NOW FEEL THE CONSTANT "CLUNKING" WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL OR HITTING SMALL IMPERFECTIONS IN THE ROAD. SHE BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION AT ABOUT 65K MILES AND AFTER RESEARCHING THE NOISE ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN THOUSANDS OF KIA AND HYUNDAI VEHICLES FROM 201…
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10845692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10712278 · 2015-04-22 (April 22, 2015)
WE FIRST TOOK IT TO EDWARDS KIA IN COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA ON 2/11/15. WHEN I ORIGINALLY TOOK IT TO THEM, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAD JUST COME ON AND THE CAR HAD JUST STARTED DOING THE LUNGING AND HESITATING WHEN SHIFTING IN LOWER GEARS. IT WAS AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS STICKING. THEY DOWNLOADED A COUPLE UPDATES AND TURNED THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT OFF. THEY ADVISED THE LIGHT CAME ON BECAUSE OF THE UPDATE THAT WAS NEEDED AND SAID THAT THE SHIFTING /IDLING ISSUE WAS BETTER. AS SOON AS I DROVE IT, I NOTICED IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. ON …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10712278 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10552403 · 2013-11-15 (November 15, 2013)
THIS CAR SEVERELY HESITATES/STALLS AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT INTERSECTIONS (RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, YIELD SIGNS, AND ETC). CAR HESITATES/STALLS FOR 2-3 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATING WHILE AT A DEAD STOP. THIS HAS CAUSES SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS AND SCARES TO MY FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MYSELF. THIS MORNING, I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DID NOT ACCELERATE/RESPOND UNTIL 2-3 SECONDS LATER. THIS IS SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS PROBLEM, WHILE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC INCOMING CARS CAN CLOSE THE SAFETY GAP QUICKLY IN 2-3 SECONDS. COLD WEATHER …
Owner-reported narrative. 14,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10552403 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10615352 · 2014-07-22 (July 22, 2014)
(MY REPORT IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS ID 10552403) THIS CAR SEVERELY HESITATES/STALLS AFTER COMING TO A STOP (RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, YIELD SIGNS, AND ETC). CAR HESITATES/STALLS FOR ~2-3 SECONDS BEFORE ACCELERATING WHILE AT A DEAD STOP. THIS HAS CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR ACCIDENTS. WHEN IT HAPPENS, I PUSH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND AT ALL FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AS INCOMING CARS CAN CLOSE THE SAFETY GAP QUICKLY IN 2-3 SECONDS. COLD WEATHER CAUSES THE CAR TO HESIT…
Owner-reported narrative. 450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10615352 at NHTSA ↗