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2012 Fisker Karma Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

12 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.00 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical11V598000

Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery

IF COOLANT ENTERS THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

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. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FISKER CONSUMER AFFAIRS AT 1-855-575-7577, OPTION 2, 6AM - 7PM (PST) MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

FISKER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 FISKER KARMA PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 1, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 3, 2011. 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.

Critical12V413000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan

direct short may ignite the fan housing, shroud and surrounding components, causing a vehicle fire.

Remedy & full details

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. Owners may contact Fisker consumer affairs at 1-855-575-7577, option 2, 6am - 7pm (pst) Monday through Friday.

Fisker Automotive (Fisker) is recalling certain model year 2012 Fisker Karma passenger cars manufactured from June 15, 2011, through July 9, 2012. A manufacturing defect in the low temperature cooling fan may result in a direct short.

Critical12V241000

Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction Battery

IF COOLANT ENTERS THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

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, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FISKER CONSUMER AFFAIRS AT 1-855-575-7577, OPTION 2, 6AM - 7PM (PST) MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

FISKER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 FISKER KARMA PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 22, 2011, THROUGH JANUARY 20, 2012. 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.

Critical19V181000

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy & full details

Karma has notified owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began March 25, 2019. Owners may contact Karma customer service at 1-855-288-6109. Karma's number for this recall is 5.84.17.001.01.

Karma Automotive (Karma) is recalling certain 2012 Fisker Karma vehicles ever registered in the states of Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the District of Columbia. 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.

Serious17V004000

Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy & full details

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.

Karma Automotive LLC (Karma) is recalling certain 2012 Fisker Karma vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. 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.

Complaint volume

12 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

0Crashes
0Fires
0Injuries
0Deaths

Across 12 complaints. Severity Index 0.00.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System4 · 33%Power Train2 · 17%Fuel/Propulsion System2 · 17%Engine And Engine Cooling1 · 8%Service Brakes, Hydraulic1 · 8%Exterior Lighting1 · 8%Unknown Or Other1 · 8%
  1. Electrical System — 4 reports
  2. Power Train — 2 reports
  3. Fuel/Propulsion System — 2 reports
  4. Engine And Engine Cooling — 1 reports
  5. Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 1 reports
  6. Exterior Lighting — 1 reports
  7. Unknown Or Other — 1 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2012

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.