Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Kia Optima submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 48 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 48, in the owner's own words
I had a engine replacement under Pi1803 they gave me the vechile back w active abs light exuast leak and damaged click spring refused ti look at till I paid dx fee this all appeared the day I went to pick uo vechicle
I had a engine replaced 1600 miles ago delarsship advised it was ok to drive gave me a vechicle back with abs light tracation control light on along with a exuast leak
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?
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the buttons on the steering wheel became inoperative. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the clock spring assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. A dealer was contacted and made the contact aware of an unknown recall, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
To: Administrator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 USA Subject: Formal Safety Defect Claim Regarding Unaddressed Recalls — 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid (VIN: [XXX] ) From: [XXX] Email: [XXX] Phone: [XXX] Vehicle Information: - VIN: * [XXX] ** - Make / Model: 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid - Mileage: approx. **250,000 miles** - Current Location: Moldova (vehicle manufactured in Korea for the US market) --- ## Summary of the Problem I am writing to file a **formal safety defect claim** regarding my 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid, VIN * [XXX] **, which, despite having documented recall campaigns, has never had critical parts replaced. As a result: 1. **Internal scoring and scratches (zadir)** have been detected within the engine, consistent with **metal shavings / debris** circulating in the oil system. 2. There is **metallic residue (shavings)** found in the oil pump, which strongly suggests that worn or damaged components (likely from a manufacturing defect) were never replaced during the recall. 3. Given the extraordinarily high mileage (≈ 250,000 miles), the continued use without the required recall repairs poses **significant safety risks** and potential for further engine failure or fire. 4. I was not provided with a proper remedy when recall notices were issued — in my case, the relevant parts were not replaced in a timely fashion (or at all), despite the recall campaigns being active, leading to the deterioration of the engine. --- ## Legal and Technical Basis ### Recalls Applicable to My Vehicle - NHTSA Recall **20V750** for the 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid: This is a recall related to engine defects, including risk of engine fire. [oai_citation [XXX] ] [XXX] ) - NHTSA Recall **23V652**: This relates to the Hydraul INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owned a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that, while stopped and attempting to complete a left turn an SUV failed to yield and collided with the front driver side of her vehicle. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle, spun across the intersection, and careened off the roadway only coming to a complete stop after colliding head-on with a tree. The contact also stated that the seat belt Emergency Locking Retractor failed to deploy allowing her to jolt forward violently and hit her head on the steering wheel. The air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility but had yet to deemed a total lost by the contacts insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was later transported to an area hospital and treated for chest pain and neck pain. The contact also received an MRI due to possible concussion. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,000.
The contact owned a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V363000 (Air Bags) however, it failed to prevent the recall safety risk. The contact stated that while his mother was driving at approximately 45 MPH with the grandmother seated in the front passenger seat, another vehicle cut in front abruptly and switched back into their original lane, causing the contact's mother to crash into the rear of another vehicle ahead. The air bags did not deploy. No warning light had illuminated. The contact's grandmother was taken to a local hospital for injuries including a swollen face, both arms harmed, broken teeth, 3 broken ribs, and back pain. The contact's mother was later taken in a personal vehicle to a local hospital for injuries sustained for bruising on their chest, back and neck pain, and an injured toe on her left. A police report was filed. The insurance provider deemed the vehicle totaled and took it to a tow lot. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 129,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My airbag light is on and I have no power to my steering wheel controls including my horn.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the air bag sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.
I took my car in for the air bag recall in 2018. When I picked up my car the air bag light was on. I called the Kia service line and they told me the light should go off on its on. So I drove home. I drove to work and back home and the light was still on. So I called the Kia service again and they told me to bring in the vehicle which I did. They checked and told me that they had no way of turning off the light. So I just drove home thinking everything was ok. Fast forward 2022, I had a seperate problem that forced me to take my car back to the kia service shop. They checked things in my car and I was shocked to learn that my air bag would not work in case I was in an accident. I told them this light has been on since after they did the air bag recall work but I did not feel supported here. the price tag to fix it is $1470.65. I feel that I am being treated wrong here because their initial work caused this light to turn on and they told me it was not related but now this vehicle check says it is a big concern if it is not fixed. I drive my three children to school in this vehicle. I am afraid for them and myself. I don't know what to do. This was part of the air bag recall and they caused this light to turn on and they need to fix it for me.
2012 OPTIMA 45,000 MILES BOUGHT IN 2013. REGULAR ON TIME SERVICE AT LITHIA KIA OF ANCHORAGE WHERE PURCHASED. AIR BAG LIGHT TRIGGERED AFTER OIL CHANGE. DESPITE WARRANTY AND EXTENDED BUMPER - BUMPER COVERAGE, HAD TO PAY $150 TO HAVE THE AIR BAG CODES READ AND RESET. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO PERFORMED A RESET FOR THE PASSENGER WEIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. THE SRS SYSTEM IS DEACTIVATED WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. IN MY CASE, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD DEACTIVATED DUE TO UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. HISTORICAL CODES THAT WERE PULLED BY THE DEALER'S KIA SRS READER SHOWED LOW POWER CODES AND THE WEIGHT MANAGEMENT MALFUNCTION. I SHOULD NOTE MY INTERSTATE BATTERY IS 1 YEAR OLD AND BOTH BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR ARE FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. MY VEHICLE FALLS UNDER THE CURRENT RECALL, HOWEVER KIA AND MY DEALER SKIRT FIXING THE PROBLEM BY THE FACT THAT I AM HAVING A CODING AND PROGRAMMING ISSUE AND NOT A BROKEN MODULE OR CLOCK SPRING. THE SERIOUSNESS OF A NON FUNCTIONING AIRBAG (SRS) SYSTEM IS A BIG DEAL AND A BIT SCARY. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SKIRT RECALLS UNDER TECHNICALITY AND SHOULD BE HELD FULLY LIABLE IF THE SYSTEM FAILS LEADING TO INJURY. ESPECIALLY AS METICULOUS AS MY WIFE AND I ARE ABOUT MAINTAINING OUR VEHICLES. RECALL NUMBER : SC165 THANK YOU.
MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN THE CAR IS ON. ALSO THE HORN DOES NOT WORK, WHICH I WAS TOLD IT IS CONNECTED TO THE AIRBAG PROBLEM. I HAD A MECHANIC CHECK THE CODE AND THE CODE SAID IT WAS THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE IS A RECALL ON AIRBAGS FOR THE KIA OPTIMA BUT NOT FOR MY 2012 EX. THE SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME AS DESCRIBED FOR THE RECALLED KIA OPTIMA AIRBAGS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY CAR IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE TRIED TO SEE IF IT WAS A SIMPLE CABLE CONNECTION ISSUE UNDER THE SEAT BUT THAT HAS NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO PAY $$$$ TO GET THE AIRBAG FIXED WHEN THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH KIA OPTIMA AIRBAGS. BUT I ALSO DO NOT WANT TO LOSE MY LIFE BECAUSE THE AIRBAG DOES NOT WORK AND KIA WON'T FIX IT UNDER A RECALL.
I BOUGHT MY CAR 3 MONTHS AGO. NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES, MAKE SURE I DO MY OIL AND ALL,NO LIGHTS HAVE COME ON ON MY DASH BOARD EXCEPT THE AIRBAG LIGHT AS OF RECENTLY. I WAS DRIVING IT TO PICK UP MY SON AND MY CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN AND I NOTICED MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON SO I PULLED OVER TO THE GAS STATION AND CHECKED MY OIL. NO ISSUE I JUST GOT AN OIL CHANGE THE WEEK BEFORE. MY ENGINE IS KNOCKING NOW. WITH NO WARNING OR ANYTHING.
MY GEAR SHIFT IS STUCK IN DRIVE I CAN NOT PUT IT IN PARK IF I TURN MY CAR OFF IT WON'T CRANK BACK UP PLEASE HELP I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AN THIS IS MY EVERYDAY CAR
MY CAR SLOWED DOWN IN WOULDN'T REACH OVER 2000 RPM AND THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT BLINKING AND WHEN I PUT IT ON A COMPUTER ENGINE CODE P1326 POPPED ON. IT'S CALLED THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE COMBUSTION QUALITY INPUT SIGNAL AFTER KIA DEALERSHIP OF SKIBO ROAD SUPPOSEDLY ALREADY FIXED THE PROBLEM BACK IN JUNE 2019 NOW IT'S SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 N IT CAME ON AGAIN N YES LAST YEAR HAD TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. I WAS DRIVING ON A STREET IN THE MORNING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 WHEN IT HAPPENED AND IT WAS RAINING.
I BOUGHT A 2012 KIA OPTIMA FROM AUTONATION IN AMARILLO,TX AND I HAVE MULTIPLE SAFETY RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE WHICH AUTONATION DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE RECALLS CAN CAUSE A FIRE AND A FATAL ACCIDENT. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO KIA DEALERSHIPS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THE RECALLS. KIA HASN'T FIXED OR REPLACE THE SAFETY RECALLS. I WILL NOT HAVE ME OR A FAMILY MEMBER DIE CAUSE THE NEGLECT THAT KIA HAS BEEN DOING ON MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA" VIN# [XXX]". I HAVE FILED A SETTLEMENT CLAIM WITH KIA SETTLEMENT CLAIM'S DEPARTMENT "CLAIM #[XXX]". I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 KIA DEALERSHIP'S. I'VE DONE ALL OF THE STEPS KIA DEALERSHIP HAS ASKED ME TO DO AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX OR REPLACE THE RECALLS. I USE MY 2012 KIA FOR MY DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS CAUSE I'M DISABLED. I LOST FAITH AND CAN'T TRUST THIS 2012 KIA OPTIMA THAT IM STILL MAKING CAR PAYMENTS. I NEED THIS CAR FIXED BEFORE ME OR ONE OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS DIES IN A CAR ACCIDENT FROM THE NEGLECTED RECALLS FROM KIA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
LAST YEAR I WAS TOLD BY KIA IF MY STEERING WHEEL CLICKED TO BRING IT IN ASAP, AT THE TIME IT WASN'T DOING THAT. A MONTH AGO IT DID, I BROUGHT IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WASN'T COVERED. THE CLOCK SPRING ASSY FAILED. PLUS IT HAD TO DO WITH THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING. SOME ARE COVERED OTHERS ARE NOT, EXPLAIN TO ME PLEASE THAT IF THEY ALL ARE DOING THE SAME THING WHY AREN'T THEY ALL COVERED? PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU.
THERE ARE A FEW RECALLS ON MY CAR. AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED TO GO TO GREENWAY KIA IN LONGWOOD, FL. HOWEVER, UPON ARRIVAL THEY TRIED TO CHARGE US FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS AND STATED THAT THE RECALL IS NOT VALID WITHOUT US PAYING FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS. THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO ADVISE US THAT THE PARTS THAT WE NEEDED UNDER THE RECALL WERE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL AND THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THEN MENTION THAT IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR THEM AND CHEAPER FOR US TO JUST BUY A NEW CAR. WE DECIDED TO LEAVE AND TRY TO DO MORE RESEARCH. I DID CALL OUR MECHANIC HE CONFIRMED THERE WERE RECALLS FOR OUR VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED ANOTHER KIA DEALER AND THEY ADVISED THERE WERE RECALLS ON OUR CAR AND THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHARGE FOR THE DIAGNOSTICS AND/ OR REPAIRING THE CAR UNDER RECALL.
MY AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON AND STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING. MY INTERIOR 3WAY SWITCH LIGHT RANDOMLY TURNS ON AND STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING AND WON'T SHUT OFF UNTIL THE CAR IS OFF.
10-15 MPH T BONED A CAR THAT RAN A RED LIGHT. AIR BAG DIDN'T GO OFF
WAS DRIVING AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS) AND 18V907000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AS THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED OVER A YEAR AGO. GERVAIS KIA (6 INDUSTRIAL AVE, LOWELL, MA 01851, (978) 454-1202) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WERE TO BECOME AVAILABLE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE CONTACT HAD TO VEER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER UPDATED THE ENGINE MODULE SOFTWARE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 13157669. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER ON 10/05/2018 FOR CHANGE OIL, FRONT BRAKES AND RECALL CAMPAIGN. BUT IT LOOKS IT WASN'T DONE BECAUSE THE AIRBAGS PANEL LIGHT IS ON AND THE BRAKES NEVER FEEL THIGHS LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE A JOB DONE. I LET THE DEALER KNOW ABOUT IT BUT THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME JUST TO CHECK AND FIX. WHEN BEFORE IT WASN'T LIKE THAT
MY CAR HAS TWO RECALLS AND THE CAR STOP UNSTABLE.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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