2012 Kia Optima Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/14/2026

121Electrical System complaints

13.2%Of all 916 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE397 · 43.3%

STEERING185 · 20.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM121 · 13.2%

Unspecified / other86 · 9.4%

POWER TRAIN53 · 5.8%

Share of the 916 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Kia Optima overview page.

What owners report

“AT 20000 MILES MY FOG LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK , THE WEIRD PUT THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL TO TURN RIGHT THEY WOULD COME ON FOR A…”NHTSA complaint 10722507 — filed 05/31/2015

“2012 KIA OPTIMA SX CAR WENT INTO AUXILIARY MODE FIRST, BUT UPON PUSHING THE BUTTON THE PUSH START BUTTON A SECOND TIME THE ENGINE TURNED…”NHTSA complaint 10658483 — filed 12/10/2014

“KEY FOB WAS PLACED ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR TO ENABLE FEMALE ADULT TO PLACE CHILD INTO SAFETY BOOSTER SEAT. KEY FOB WAS LEFT…”NHTSA complaint 10633609 — filed 09/16/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Kia Optima have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Kia Optima: 121 of 916 complaints on file (13.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Kia Optima have in total?

916 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 25 involved a crash, 76 involved a fire, 34 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.