2012 Fisker Karma: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2012 Fisker Karma: 5 recalls, 6 owner complaints and up to 20 mpg combined.
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Recalls
5 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Electrical Vehicle recall #11V598000 · 2011 · 239 vehicles
What's wrong: Within the high-voltage battery, certain hose clamps May have been positioned incorrectly during assembly. If positioned incorrectly, the battery compartment cover could interfere with the hose clamps, potentially causing a coolant leak from the cooling hoses.
Why it matters: If coolant enters the battery compartment, an electrical short could occur possibly resulting in a fire.
The fix: Fisker will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high-voltage battery with a new part at no cost to the owner. The safety recall began on January 5, 2012.
Electrical Vehicle recall #12V241000 · 2012 · 19 vehicles
What's wrong: Within the high-voltage battery, certain hose clamps May have been positioned incorrectly during assembly. If positioned incorrectly, the battery compartment cover could interfere with the hose clamps, potentially causing a coolant leak from the cooling hoses. This recall is an expansion of safety recall 11v-598.
Why it matters: If coolant enters the battery compartment, an electrical short could occur possibly resulting in a fire.
The fix: All known owners will be notified and instructed not to charge or drive the vehicle. Owners will be advised to contact an authorized Fisker dealer who will arrange transporting the vehicle directly to their repair facility. The repair facility will replace the high-voltage battery with a new part,…
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #12V413000 · 2012 · 1,377 vehicles
What's wrong: A manufacturing defect in the low temperature cooling fan May result in a direct short.
Why it matters: A direct short May ignite the fan housing, shroud and surrounding components, causing a vehicle fire.
The fix: Fisker will notify owners, and dealers will remove the two potentially affected low temperature cooling fans and replace them with one improved low temperature cooling fan, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 24, 2012.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V004000 · 2017 · 811 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators May rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Karma will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began on September 8, 2017. Karma automotive client services team can be reached at clientservices@karmaautomotive.com or by calling 1-855-288-6109. Karma's number for this recall is 5.84.17.001.01.
Airbags Vehicle recall #19V181000 · 2019 · 472 vehicles
What's wrong: These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment, that May explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Karma has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 0 mention a fire, 0 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Electrical (4): the most common themes are warning light on (3), electrical failure (3).
- Transmission & drivetrain (2): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Fuel & propulsion (2): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
- Engine & cooling (1): no single recurring theme in the descriptions.
Complaints peaked in 2015 (2 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 3 years old, at a median of 8,529 miles.
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 L 4-cyl turbo hybrid | Automatic (A1) | Rear-Wheel Drive | 20 | 21 | 20 | Premium Gas or Electricity |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2012 Fisker Karma.
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Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
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FAQ
Does the 2012 Fisker Karma have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recalls for the 2012 Fisker Karma. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2012 Fisker Karma problems?
Owners have filed 6 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are electrical (4), transmission & drivetrain (2), fuel & propulsion (2).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Fisker Karma get?
EPA ratings run up to 20 mpg combined (2.0 L, Automatic (A1)), across 1 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2012 Fisker Karma repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.