What 916 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Optima

The anti lick brake symbol is showing on my dash board this has happened for about 4 weeks

NHTSA ODI 11451400

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.

NHTSA ODI 11437932

The brake light stays on.. causing the battery to drain. Even the vehicle is completely stopped / ignition off.

NHTSA ODI 11433345

While in cruise control hitting the breaks resulted in the car not wanting to slow down or stop. Had to go off road inorder to not hit vehicles in front of me. I turned off ABS and this issue isn't there. I have no warnings for my ABS system and this doesn't happen often. However it's getting worse now this is the worse it has ever been.

NHTSA ODI 11422871

BRAKES DO NOT WORK PROPERLY,CHANGED PADS BUT STILL SAME PROBLEM. A NOISE ON ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SPEED MORE THAN 65-70 MPH. DRIVERS SEAT DON'T WORK PROPERLY.

NHTSA ODI 11406854

BRAKES SQUICK EVEN AFTER REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT AND HAS A SLOWER RESPONSE TIME THEN USUAL AND CAUSED A REAR END ACCIDENT, COOLING AND HEATED SEATS STOPPED WORKING ON THE DRIVER SIDE WHICH I MET OWNERS OF MY EXACT CAR SAID THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED TO THEM, AND THE PASSENGER SEAT CONTROLLERS DOESN'T WORK TO OPERATE ADJUSTABLE SEATS! THE SUSPENSIONS HAS BEEN BAD EVERY SINCE THE RECALL ON THE ENGINE; FOR SOME REASON IT WAS GIVING BACK TO ME WITH THAT PROBLEM FROM KIA DEALERSHIP. BACK-UP CAMERA IS MALFUNCTIONING FOR YEARS NOW AND CAR DOESN'T EVEN BEEP WHEN GETTING TOO CLOSE TO OBJECTS/OTHER VEHICLES ANYMORE EITHER FOR YEARS! I'M JUST FINDING OUT ABOUT THE PROCESS, RECALL LAWS AND RIGHT TO AN INVESTIGATION.*DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11405106

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LAMPS ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF HOWEVER, THE BRAKE LAMPS REMAINED ILLUMINATED WITH THE ESC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THE BRAKE LAMPS OFF, WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11324092

VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKE ACTIVATE RANDOMLY ILLUMINATING THE ABS BRAKE SIGNAL ON DASHBOARD,WHILE IN MOTION AND WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE AND HAS MADE THE VEHICLE COME TO A NEAR COMPLETE STOP. EVEN IF THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT INCREASE SPEED, ONLY DECREASE. THE ISSUE HAPPENS 8/10 TIMES WHILE MAKING TURNS AND APPROX 5/10 WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON FREEWAY . THIS HAPPENED ON 11/08/2019 IN THE EVENING, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO KIA AND THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR FOR 20 MILES AND DIDN'T SEE OR EXPERIENCE ANY ISSUES. MY CAR IS A 2012 AND ONLY HAS 58, 388 MILES. I DEMANDED THEY KEEP LOOKING BUT THEY CAUGHT AN ATTITUDE LIKE I MADE THE SCENARIO UP AND ANY STATED THAT I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR WITH THEIR MECHANIC AS THEY "CANNOT REPLICATE MY DRIVING", LIKE I'M DRIVING IN THE [XXX] INDY 500. SINCE IT IS NOW SUNDAY, AND THE DEALER IS CLOSED IT WILL BE SITTING IN THEIR SERVICE CENTER MONDAY MORNING! PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11279229

I WAS DRIVING 60-70 MPH WHEN MY HYBRID SYSTEM ALERTED ME THAT MY BREAKS WERE AN ISSUE. I THEN TRIED TO SLOW AND COULD NOT. THE CAR SLOWED ITSELF AS A SAFTY PROCAUTION BUT I WAS IN 70 MPH TRAFFIC. NOT SAFE. IT WOULD NOT COMPLETELY STOP SO I WAS FORCED WITH THE OPTION OF HITTING A TREE TO MAKE IT STOP. KIA SAYS THAT IT MY BREAKS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE SINCE. I HAVE MY CAR WORKED ON REPEATEDLY TO AVOID THIS AND NOW LOOK? SOMETHING MALFUNCTIONED THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE.

NHTSA ODI 11278499

VEHICLE'S ABS BRAKE ACTIVATE RANDOMLY ILLUMINATING THE ABS BRAKE SIGNAL ON DASHBOARD,WHILE IN MOTION AND WITHOUT TOUCHING THE BRAKES. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE AND HAS MADE THE VEHICLE COME TO A NEAR COMPLETE STOP. EVEN IF THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT INCREASE SPEED, ONLY DECREASE. THE ISSUE HAPPENS 8/10 TIMES WHILE MAKING TURNS AND APPROX 5/10 WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON FREEWAY . THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE LAST 4 MONTHS. FOR EXAMPLE ON FRIDAY 10/11/19 THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATED, CAUSING THE CAR TO COME TO A SUDDEN DECELERATION 12 TIMES WITHIN A 30 MILE DISTANCE. THE LOCAL DEALER STATES THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. VEHICLE JUST HIT 127,000 MILES. SECOND OWNER SINCE 32,000 MILES. REGULARLY SERVICED AND PROFESSIONAL MAINTENANCE.

NHTSA ODI 11268285

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES LOST POWER AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE ABS INDICATOR ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND REMAINED LIT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE BY AAA. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE CONTACT CALLED TEXAS MOTORCARS HOUSTON TEXAS AT 832-794-0499 (LOCATED AT 11031 BISSONNET ST, HOUSTON, TX 77099), BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11258377

BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONING. BRAKE LIGHT ON ALL THE TIME RENDERING CRUISE CONTROL AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL INOPERABLE. LOSS OF POWER IN ENGINE AS IT THINKS BRAKES ARE APPLIED MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. ROOT CAUSE IS BRAKE PEDAL STOPPER (KIA PART 32876-36000) DEVELOPING A PUNCTURE HOLE OVER TIME MAKING THE BRAKE SWITCH BELIEVE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. KNOWN ISSUE ON OTHER KIA MODELS. BELIEVE THE SORENTO ALREADY HAVE A RECALL FOR SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR.

NHTSA ODI 11252103

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE (BRAKE) ON ITS OWN. WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC BECAUSE MY CAR IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO DECELERATE WHILE PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. IT HAPPENED ONCE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH AND WITHIN SECONDS DECELERATED TO ABOUT 40 MPH WITHOUT EVER PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. DUE TO THIS IT APPEARS MY "TRACTION CONTROL" WARNING INDICATOR BECOMES ILLUMINATED. I AM AWARE THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS EXACT SAME THING BUT ONLY FOR THE 2012-2014 KIA FORTE (RECALL NUMBER 17V773000). THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE/HAZARD FOR WHICH THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO THE 2012 KIA OPTIMA AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI 11244338

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

NHTSA ODI 11234032

MY CAR HAS TWO RECALLS AND THE CAR STOP UNSTABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11223080

BRAKELIGHTS COME ON, EVEN WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF. WHEN BRAKELIGHTS CAME ON DURING DRIVING, THE GAS PEDAL WOULD NOT WORK TO ACCELERATE THE CAR. BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON WITHOUT EVER TOUCHING THE BRAKE. APPARENTLY THE KIA FORTE 2012-2014 HAS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE BUT NONE HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE OPTIMA. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY LOSES ACCELERATION POWER. VERY DANGEROUS, SPECIALLY WHEN MERGING OR PASSING ON AN EXPRESSWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11185894

BRAKE SWITCH RECALLED ON 2011 MODELS, BUT MY 2012 WILL NOT START MOSTLY WHEN IT GETS COLD OUTSIDE, BRAKE PEDAL STIFFENS AND WONT DECOMPRESS FOR ENGINE TO START, PUSH BUTTN WONT START CAR BRAKE LIGHTS DONT WORK. VEHICLE WILL LEAVE STRANDED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WILL WORK AND THEN NOT WORK, INTERMITTEN.

NHTSA ODI 11170286

TRAVELING ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY, APPROACHED SLOWING/STOPPED TRAFFIC. ATTEMPTED TO STOP, BUT ROADWAY WAS SLIPPERY, ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE HAD TO RESORT TO PUMPING BRAKES AND STEERING TO AVOID ACCIDENT. WAS REAR ENDED AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR. NON OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COMPARTMENT INTRUSION INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, BUT THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY COLLAPSED.

NHTSA ODI 11165556

2 DAY AGO I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE FREEWAY AND MY CAR START ACTING WEIRD LIKE IT WANTED TO STOP, I PAID NO MIND. SO THEN THAT NIGHT COMING HOME FROM WORK IT START ACTING UP AGAIN, THIS TIME I SAW MY BRAKE LIGHTS TURN ON AND MY CAR STARTED SLOWING FIWN. I HAD LOST ACCELERATION I HAD NO RESPONSE TO THE GAS PEDAL. I WOULD STEP ON MY BRAKES THEN RELEASE AND THE LIGHTS WOULD GO BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENED THE WHOLE 45 MINS BACK HOME. SO THE NEXT MORNING I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH ON WHAT COULD CAUSE THIS FOUND OUT THAT THE BRAKE SENSOR STOPPER WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY ON THE KIA FORTE. BUT IT SEEMS THAT THIS HAPPEN TO THE KIA AS WELL. IT IS VERY DENGEROUS TRYING TO DRIVE LIKE THIS ESPECIALLY ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11122362

BRAKE LIGHTS STAYED ON WHEN CAR WAS OFF CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT STAYED ON PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION TOOK TO DEALER THEY SAID IT NEEDED NEW BRAKE PEDAL SENSOR $160 TO REPLACE

NHTSA ODI 11118420

BREAK LIGHTS STAY ON AT ALL TIMES WHEN PARKED AND EVEN WHEN IN MONTION EVERY TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11055647

I FIRST NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD RANDOMLY DISENGAGE WHILE GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. THEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS A TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET. WHEN I FIRST PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR STARTED TO GO AND THEN SUDDENLY I LOST ALL ACCELERATION. I LET MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND THEN PUSHED BACK DOWN AND WAS ABLE TO GO. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS I WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC FOR SEVERAL EXTRA SECONDS LONGER THAN NECESSARY. A SIMILAR SITUATION HAPPENED A COUPLE OF MORE TIME AND WHEN I PARKED THE VEHICLE AT HOME I NOTICED THAT BRAKE LIGHT WAS STAYING ON AFTER I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE SENSOR WHICH FIXED ALL OF THE ABOVE PROBLEMS. I WOULD LIKE TO NOT THAT HYUNDAI ISSUED A RECALL ON THE NEARLY IDENTICAL SONATA FOR THIS SAME ISSUE AND DID SO YEARS AGO AND YET NOTHING FOR THE OPTIMA.

NHTSA ODI 11047857

BRAKE PEDAL RELEASING AS I AM PUSHING DOWN ON IT COMING TO A STOP. HARD TO GET THE CAR TO COME TO A STOP AT TIMES. CAR IS MISSING ON ACCELERATION. CAMERA DOES NOT WORK 80-90% OF THE TIME. A/C STOPS WORKING WHEN SITTING STILL OR PARKED.

NHTSA ODI 11024006

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY ACCELERATED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED WITH CAUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,538. UPDATED 10/25/17*LJ CONSUMER STATED: WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILL, WITH BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, GETTING READY TO STOP AT STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY TO A SPEED OF 30 TO 35 MPH. I DID NOT ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I DID SHIFT THE VEHICLE FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE UNCONTROLLABLY. I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WITH MY FOOT AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAD OCCURED. I DID TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON AUG.11,2017. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. UPDATED 10/3/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 11013874

MY KIA OPTIMA ABS SYSTEM WILL RANDOMLY MAKE A CRUNCH SOUND WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKES, AND I LOSE SOME ENGINE POWER IMMEDIATELY AFTER TO THE POINT THAT MY CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON BUSY HIGHWAYS WHERE I HAVE TO FEAR CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. KIA DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE ISSUE, THEY HAD MY CAR FOR A DAY AND REPAIRED THE STEERING COLUMN AND SENT ME HOME, ONLY FOR THE PROBLEM TO OCCUR AGAIN THE FOLLOWING WEEK.

NHTSA ODI 11010881