There are 9 owner-reported tires & wheels complaints for the 2012 Kia Optimain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK OPTIMO H431 TIRES, SIZE 225/45R 18V. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE TIRE GAUGE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOUND AN AIR BUBBLE IN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
ALL 4 HANKOOK OPTIMO 225/45/18 TIRES THAT CAME WITH MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA SX VEHICLE DEVELOPED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL WITHIN 18 MONTHS. DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS AND ADVICE FROM THE DEALERSHIP ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED AROUND THE 2 YEAR POINT FROM PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
2012 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STRUCTURAL DEFECT IN VEHICLE TIRES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN ON A SNOW COVERED, BUT PLOWED STREET, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A VERY DANGEROUS SKID IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. HE COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE GOING 5 MPH. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO CARS OR PEDESTRIANS NEARBY, BUT WHILE THE CAR WAS SKIDDING, HE CRASHED INTO THE DIAGONAL STREET CORNER WHICH CAUSED THE REAR FENDER TO BE SCRAPED AND THE TIRES MISALIGNED. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS, WHERE THE VEHICLE SKIDDED AND HYDROPLANED ALWAYS CAUSING HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED A BULGE IN THE REAR TIRE THAT DID NOT HIT THE CURB.
AFTER 15,000 MILES TIRE DEVELOPED A HUGE BUBBLE ON THE SIDE WALL OF THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW WITH ORIGINAL TIRES FROM DEALERSHIP(NEXEN).THESE TIRES SHOULD BE OUTLAWED. RIGHT AFTER I GOT IT TO A MECHANIC SHOP, IT EXPLODED AND WAS SITTING ON THE RIM. I WAS VERY FORTUNE TO NOT BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURED. I CAN SEND PICTURE ALSO. I HAVE HAD TWO FLAT TIRES WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE. NOT INCLUDING THE 2ND PAIR THAT THE BUBBLE DEVELOPED AT THE FRONT. THE NEXEN TIRES TREAD LIFE IS VERY SHORT TOO.. THEY SEEMED TO DRIVE BETTER IN SLIGHTLY WET CONDITIONS THAN DRY; ODD. :/ I RECEIVED NO COMPENSATION FROM THE KIA DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM. *TR
MY WIFE HAD A FLAT TIRE WHEN SHE HAD HELP TO GET IT CHANGED THERE WAS NO SPARE TIRE SO THE PERSON LEFT BECAUSE HE COULD NOT DO ANY THING. THAT LEFT MY WIFE AND MY LITTLE GIRL ALONE ON A ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE FOR 4 HOURS UNTIL I COULD GET THERE AND PICK THEM UP . I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID THEY DONT PUT SPARE TIRES IN THERE CARS ANY MORE THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE THEM PUT THEM IN BECAUSE IT IS DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE TO BE STRANDED IN MIDDLE OF NO WHERE . WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR NO BODY TOLD ME THERE WAS NO SPARE IN THE 2012 KIA OPTIMA. IF I KNEW I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE AND COULD BE HAZARDOUS IF THE CONTACT WAS LEFT STRANDED IF THERE WAS A BLOW OUT. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IF THERE WAS A BLOW OUT WHILE THERE WERE OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE, THE TOW TRUCK WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE THE OTHER PASSENGERS. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO PURCHASE A SPARE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT FAILED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 7,200.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A SPARE TIRE. THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH AN AIR PUMP AND A CAN OF FIX A FLAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THAT A SPARE TIRE DID NOT COME WITH THE VEHICLE. THEY OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
THERE IS NO SPARE TIRE AND ONLY A INFLATION KIT. A BLOWOUT OF THE SIDEWALL CANNOT BE REPAIRED WITH THIS KIT. COULD BE STRANDED AND HARM DONE TO THE OWNER. HOW COULD IT BE LEGAL AND SAFE TO ALLOW MANUFACTURERS TO NOT INCLUDE A SPARE TIRE??? *TR
THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE ONE OF MY TIRES. DURING AN OIL CHANGE AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE NOTIFIED ME OF A BUBBLE IN ONE OF THE TIRES. I PURCHASED THE CAR OCT (28), 2011. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT DATE OF THE TIRE BUBBLE NOTIFICATION BY THE DEALER REP, BUT IT WAS DURING THE 2011 CALENDAR YEAR. THE REP STATED THAT UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WARRANTY THE TIRES! IS THERE ANY RECOURSE TO HAVE THAT OR ALL THE TIRES REPLACED? THE TIRE (ALL FOUR) IS A HANKOOK OPTIMO H431 225/45 R18 . 95V, RADIAL TUBELESS, MADE IN KOREA. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026