2012 Kia Optima: grinding or squealing brakes

Filed Sep 19, 2025 · Acceleration, Brakes · AL

While in park and driving the instrument panel will show, "Check Brake" and "Hybrid System Warning! Safely Stop and Do not Drive". This is accompanied by the engine not responding to the gas pedal. The brake pedal will also loose pressure and once pushed the brakes will lock up making a grinding noise. The problem has not been able to be duplicated by the dealer. However there are multiple forms and online communities dedicated to try to resolve this issue since it's so prevalent. This issue causes a major saftey hazard as the car comes to a grinding halt and does not respond to the driver. From online sources it seems the problem is prevalent across years and models and only tied to hybrid vehicles.

Filed Feb 1, 2025 · Brakes, Electrical · CA

The car instrument panel showed two messages "check brake " and also "hybrid system warning safely stop and do not drive" The brakes stopped working and the car will not accelerate. I stopped reset the battery and started the car as if nothing was wrong. this happens intermittently when i drive the car for over an hour. the brakes are brand new the brake cylinder is working fine. only when this warning come up the brakes feel like they are grinding. a lot of owners are complaining about this. I am wondering if there is a recall for this issue.

Filed Nov 22, 2023 · Engine · SC

A piece of carbon build up was caught on the exhaust valve not allowing it to close and causing no compression. The carbon build up is known in every kia engine as everyone knows they came out the factory with defects. With the exhaust valve burnt it scored the cylinder and none of it is covered under the extended warranty and I have seen many people with the same problem and all the dealership does is grind off the burnt oil on the exhaust valve and return it to the costumer while it is a ticking bomb. It is known to the dealership that this is a defect in the engine and which they told me on the phone while all calls are recorded. There was no sign that this was going to happened to the car. I was driving and the next second the car is shaking violently with the engine light on.

Filed Jan 12, 2023 · Brakes, Engine · GA

My car keeps slowing down while driving. The breaks are squeaking and rubbing and making a loud sound. The lights keeping coming up on the dash board

Filed Oct 13, 2022 · Transmission · 45,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, he heard an abnormal grinding sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

Filed Oct 15, 2021 · VA

While driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle produced a grinding noise then lurched a few times every couple of minutes and then the engine shut down. Luckily I was able to safely coast to a stop while going downhill and stop the vehicle at the side of the road. Turned the engine off, waited one minute, then pushed ignition button. Hybrid system started but engine did not. Shifted to Drive, pressed accelerator, but vehicle would not proceed. Turned everything off and waited five minutes. Pushed ignition button and hybrid system and engine started and shifted to drive. Vehicle would drive at underpowered speed and was able to drive 2 miles home at 35 mph. As I drove into driveway, the engine shutdown again. This occurred just a few hours ago, so it has not been serviced by anyone.

Filed Sep 14, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 107,000 miles · WA

Transmission issues: between 2nd and 3rd gear. Would lag then jerk the car with some torque once it caught 3rd gear. Had to get 2 replacement transmissions because of this issue. Also engine seizer issue, my engine started to seize when I was going 45 miles an hour with alot of traffic behind me. Then all of a sudden it started making loud thunking noices then a very loud grinding noise and then I was stuck on a road not being able to get above 22 miles and hour, there was no shoulder to pull over. And I was stuck trying to go uphill and all these cars behind me. I ended up having to stop the car and leave it in the middle of a 2 lane road on a hill with the emergancy break on. Kia knew it was another seized engine which I thought it was my transmission again which I had brought in because this 3rd transmission was having the skilling issues around 20-25miles and hour, but after they knew I wasnt going to buy another kia again they wouldnt fix my trans that should probably be recalled anyways. But they thought it was another optima seized engine, and even though all optimas are recalled for this exact same issue, they say that mine isnt covered becasue its a hybrid and has a motor in the car also so its different set up. But theres are others online with this kia optima 2011-2013 hybrid engine seizer just like all the other optimas. And I think the hybrids should be included in the recall. As we are having the same issues. This was a very dangerous issue

Filed Feb 19, 2020 · Lights, Steering · 93,000 miles · NY

On feb18 2020 head lights again stopped working new bulbs were put in oem replacements light go off when ever they want this is extremely dangerous if your a rural roads interior light stay on or go off on there own but mostly it's the head light that work when they want to this issue happens when driving and when stationary kia has to do something to repair the problem this isn't a wear and tear people's this is subpar craftsmanship on a safety issue and I'm afraid someone will die. I have read other complaints where the car owners payed 400.00 to replace the wiring and bulbs only to have it happen again. My other issue is that kia used a plastic star locking bearing in the steering column that broke and I had to fix at my expense mechanic said it's a problem with the cars. When driving the car making a turn you would feel the grinding in the steering wheel and hear clicking. This was on regular city paved streets.

Filed Apr 29, 2019 · Body, Electrical · TX

Side mirror stopped working driver side. The motor from power fold mirror keeps running non stop making the grinding noise and also causing the battery to drain.

Filed Sep 7, 2016 · Engine · 68,000 miles · FL

Car has been maintained with regular oil changes every 3 to 5000 miles. Car was not giving any issues until two days ago when the engin shut off while driving. We restarted it and it was knocking loudly, sputtering and squealing. We towed it to a kia dealer the following morning who ran diagnostics and said the engine is blown and full of sludge. They won't honor the warranty since we can't provide every single oil change receipt since the day we purchased the car. We did provide what we could as we lived in a few states with the car and didn't always use the same shop. The car was in motion when the vehicle just completely shut off without and warning lights.

Filed Jun 29, 2016 · Airbags · CA · crash

I am an officer (off. [xxx]) with the madera (california) police department. I investigated a traffic collision where the driver of a 2012 kia optima collided with a parked vehicle going approx. 35 MPH. The impact sent the parked vehicle forward approx. 3-4 feet into another parked vehicle causing damage to all 3 vehicle. The kia sustained significant damage to the right front bumper / fender area and sheared the right front tire off. The impact was enough for the kia to roll over and cause damage to the left front tire and rim from grinding into the roadway. The parked vehicle it collided with sustained moderate damage to the left rear and driver's side area. When it was shoved forward it sustained minor front end damage and caused minor damage to the back bumper of the second parked vehicle. There was centrifugal rim marks from the kia after impacting with the first parked vehicle. The right front tire was broken from the axle. The kia was heading n/b and came to rest in an almost total e/b position from the collision. My concern is that the airbags did not deploy with such an impact and damage sustained. The driver was wearing his seatbelt and did not sustain any injuries. This occurred on a city street. The report # is madera pd incident [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Jun 4, 2016 · Engine · 127,000 miles · FL

While driving home the car suddenly lost all power for no reason. Got the car jumped and it started but was sluggish. No indicating lights ever came on. Drove the car to work for the next 2 days (approx 450 miles) with no issues so I though it weird but a fluke. Two days later approximately 2 blocks from my house the car suddenly locked up for a split second (heard the tires chirp) but kept rolling. The car had no power, all lights, radio, etc stayed on but the engine was not running. I let the car coast into my driveway to park it. The car starts fine but the engine is definitely shot. Sounds like the connector rods are bent. Loud knocking and sometimes a squeal that sounds like metal on metal. Checked the oil and there was minimal oil but again no indicating lights ever came on. The car is only 4 years old with 127,000 mile but has always been maintained to kia specs. Upside down on the loan already which I wouldn't have a problem with if the car ran. Now I owe on a loan for a car I can't drive.