Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
5XXGM4A74CG••••••2012 Kia OPTIMA
That is about average for the 2012 Kia OPTIMA — 11 complaints per build across 75 builds.
12on this build
845on the model
75builds in total
1involved a fire
Most reportedEngine 6Vehicle Speed Control 2Fuel/propulsion System 2Service Brakes 2
What owners of this build wrote
Service BrakesfireNov 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, he noticed that there was smoke inside the cabin. The contact stated that while making a turn, a significant amount of smoke and heat was coming through the A/C vents, causing him to recline the seat.…
EngineMar 2025
I was driving home at night around 8pm. I was merging into the slow lane and my car completely lost power. A semi truck was right behind me. Luckily I was able to get over to the emergency lane safely. My car had no acceleration at all or any control of the steering. Prior to…
SteeringMar 2023
The component that failed is the steering coupler. I believe this is a huge issue as it can affect the steering of the car, causing frequent vibrations and jittering of the steering wheel. No, it doesn't need to be inspected, it is obvious as this has been recalled in their…
Air BagsOct 2020
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…
Vehicle Speed ControlAug 2017
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…
Read all 12 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 75 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
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Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN 5XXGM4A74CG028568 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.