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.
5XXGM4A7XCG••••••2012 Kia OPTIMA
That is about average for the 2012 Kia OPTIMA — 11 complaints per build across 75 builds.
18on this build
845on the model
75builds in total
1involved a fire
Most reportedEngine 9Steering 4Exterior Lighting 3Electrical System 2
What owners of this build wrote
EnginefireJul 2024
The engine caught fire and exploded after I parked it and exited the car and the recall repair was done on the engine July 5 2024 by Kia dealership
Service BrakesFeb 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. 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 contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…
Exterior LightingJul 2023
My 2012 Kia optima headlamps are extremely dim, even though I’ve replaced the lightbulbs with the highest possible lumens, multiple times, the headlamp assembly continues to dim. This requires that I ride with my high-beams on to drive at night. The lights have been dimming for…
SteeringMay 2021
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel was stiff and making clicking sounds. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was waiting to speak to a representative. The vehicle…
Fuel SystemJul 2019
The contact owns a 2012 kia optima. While driving with the accelerator pedal depressed, the vehicle decelerated on its own. When the accelerator pedal was released and depressed again, the vehicle would accelerate normally. In addition, when accelerating from a stop, the vehicle…
Read all 18 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:
Loading owner complaints…
PRO
Upgrade to Pro
You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.
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 5XXGM4A7XCG080237 · decoded Sep 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.