The clock spring keeps failing which is causing the air bag light to remain on; the horn to not work; various functions of the dashboard; and steering wheel heat.
2012 Kia Optima: airbag warning light
23 of the 923 complaints about the 2012 Kia Optima describe airbag warning light.
- owner complaints
- 23
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- typical repair cost reported
- $825
- typical mileage
- 102,000
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 1 service bulletin for this area of the car. See below
Airbag warning light by model year
What owners say
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 129,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My car started losing its lights one by one. I lost the front right light first, then yhe right back side light, and now the brakes lights. I replaced all the bulbs and still does not work. Then my car just cut off while driving with no notification. I towed it in to Mavis. They checked and said the battery was not keeping charge. I paid to replace the battery ,belt and alternator. Four days later my check engine light, battery indicator, airbag indicator, door indicator came on and still is on.
My airbag light is on and I have no power to my steering wheel controls including my horn.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the air bag sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 127,000.
I took my car in for the air bag recall in 2018. When I picked up my car the air bag light was on. I called the Kia service line and they told me the light should go off on its on. So I drove home. I drove to work and back home and the light was still on. So I called the Kia service again and they told me to bring in the vehicle which I did. They checked and told me that they had no way of turning off the light. So I just drove home thinking everything was ok. Fast forward 2022, I had a seperate problem that forced me to take my car back to the kia service shop. They checked things in my car and I was shocked to learn that my air bag would not work in case I was in an accident. I told them this light has been on since after they did the air bag recall work but I did not feel supported here. the price tag to fix it is $1470.65. I feel that I am being treated wrong here because their initial work caused this light to turn on and they told me it was not related but now this vehicle check says it is a big concern if it is not fixed. I drive my three children to school in this vehicle. I am afraid for them and myself. I don't know what to do. This was part of the air bag recall and they caused this light to turn on and they need to fix it for me.
2012 optima 45,000 miles bought in 2013. Regular on time service at lithia kia of anchorage where purchased. Air bag light triggered after oil change. Despite warranty and extended bumper - bumper coverage, had to pay $150 to have the air bag codes read and reset. The technician also performed a reset for the passenger weight management system. The SRS system is deactivated when the airbag light is on. In my case, it was found that the passenger side had deactivated due to unknown circumstances. Historical codes that were pulled by the dealer's kia SRS reader showed low power codes and the weight management malfunction. I should note my interstate battery is 1 year old and both battery and alternator are functioning correctly. My vehicle falls under the current recall, however kia and my dealer skirt fixing the problem by the fact that I am having a coding and programming issue and not a broken module or clock spring. The seriousness of a non functioning airbag (SRS) system is a big deal and a bit scary. The manufacturer and dealer should not be able to skirt recalls under technicality and should be held fully liable if the system fails leading to injury. Especially as meticulous as my wife and I are about maintaining our vehicles. Recall number : sc165 thank you.
My airbag light stays on when the car is on. Also the horn does not work, which I was told it is connected to the airbag problem. I had a mechanic check the code and the code said it was the driver's side airbag. The dealership said there is a recall on airbags for the kia optima but not for my 2012 ex. The symptoms are the same as described for the recalled kia optima airbags. I don't understand why my car is not part of the recall, especially since it is a major safety issue. I have tried to see if it was a simple cable connection issue under the seat but that has not resolved the problem. I really do not want to pay $$$$ to get the airbag fixed when there is a known problem with kia optima airbags. But I also do not want to lose my life because the airbag does not work and kia won't fix it under a recall.
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 pulled over to the gas station and checked my oil. No issue I just got an oil change the week before. My engine is knocking now. With no warning or anything.
My airbag light turned on and stays on while driving. My interior 3way switch light randomly turns on and stays on while driving and won't shut off until the car is off.
Was driving and the air bag light on.
Air bag light on. Clock spring defective. Diagnosed and repaired at local kia dealer ($389.39)
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Air bags: air bag/restraint control module
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
- Risk
- If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all other affected vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC165.
Recall number 18V363000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2012 Kia Optima airbag light
Is airbag warning light a common problem on the 2012 Kia Optima?
23 of 923 owner complaints about the 2012 Kia Optima (2%) mention airbag warning light. The model year with the most reports is 2007.
How much does it cost to fix airbag warning light on the 2012 Kia Optima?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $825 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2012 Kia Optima?
There is 1 recall and 1 service bulletin for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2012 Kia Optima
Engine failure 145Check engine light 100Stalling 90Knocking 88Fire or smoke 76Steering noise 56Loss of power 51Won't start 45Jerking 29Warning lights 27Fuel pump 19Harsh shifting 19Sunroof shattered 19ABS 17Headlights 17Hesitation 16Grinding brakes 15Oil consumption 14Pulling 14Won't shift 13Adaptive cruise 10Fuel smell 10Backup camera 7Tire blowout 7No deployment 6Misfire 6Slipping 5Steering lock-up 5Sudden acceleration 5
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