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.
KNAGM4A79C5••••••2012 Kia OPTIMA
This build is quieter than most: 6 complaints against 11 for the average 2012 Kia OPTIMA build.
6on this build
845on the model
75builds in total
1involved a fire
Most reportedEngine 4Steering 2Vehicle Speed Control 1Service Brakes 1
What owners of this build wrote
EnginefireNov 2019
The contact owns a 2012 kia optima lx. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 mph. When the contact turned on the defrost there was a burning odor. The vehicle was then parked when the engine caught on fire. The contact called the fire department to extinguish the…
Engine And Engine CoolingOct 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving up an incline at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact became aware of smoke coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The…
Power TrainJan 2021
Transmission has a hard pull when it down shifts from third gear to second gear and a harder pull on first gear this is a automatic transmission. In regular gears going in drive would actually do fine I noticed a week later when I was out driving for about an hour that the car…
SteeringJul 2018
While driving, steering makes noise and rattle. Contacted kia dealer in fremont and kia corporation about the issues. No response
EngineMar 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-25 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently in the middle of the highway. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The…
Read all 6 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 KNAGM4A79C5275103 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.