Karma (1st)
Reliability Overview
The 2012 Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sedan that exists at the intersection of three bankruptcies. Henrik Fisker founded Fisker Automotive Inc. in 2007 to build it; the company filed Chapter 11 in November 2013 after delivering roughly 2,500 cars. Wanxiang Group bought the assets and revived production as Karma Automotive, which still operates from the original Moreno Valley, California facility. The Karma is unrelated to the Fisker Ocean (2023-2024), which came from a separately founded Henrik Fisker company that also went bankrupt. Two Henrik Fisker startups, two bankruptcies, two different sets of owners left holding the bag.
NHTSA recorded only 5 complaints for the 2012 Karma across more than a decade in service, two of which involve high-voltage battery module failures. Two federal recalls (11V-598 and 12V-241) cover a battery cooling hose-clamp defect that could allow coolant intrusion into the high-voltage pack and cause an electrical short or fire. Both recalls were active during the original ownership cycle and required full pack replacement at no cost to the owner, but campaign-completion verification on a specific car is essential before buying because remedy windows are now closed and obtaining a remedy retroactively is uncertain.
This page is a thin-data record. Production volume was low, NHTSA submission rates from collector vehicles tend to under-represent real-world failure modes, and the absence of complaints does not mean the absence of problems. The pack-cooling hose-clamp issue was material, the original A123 Systems cell chemistry has known thermal characteristics for its era, and the UQM Technologies dual rear motors have their own service-life pattern. Karma Automotive provides limited support for these original cars and shares much of the chassis architecture with its later Revero and GS-6 vehicles, which keeps some parts logistically possible.
For the 2026 buyer, the Karma is a collector or enthusiast vehicle. Treat the warranty as long expired, budget for specialist service, and verify both recalls are completed before signing. The car remains one of the more visually distinctive plug-in hybrids ever produced and a genuine piece of US EV history, but it does not function as practical transportation in the way it did when it was new.
Battery & Propulsion Reliability
Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV)
Battery & propulsion complaint analysis for the 2012 Fisker Karma
That's below the typical rate for PHEVs in this dataset (median 5.6 per year). Battery & propulsion complaints are lower than peer average for this category.
What kind of battery complaint?
Among the 2 battery-related complaints, here's the type mix. These percentages describe what the complaints are about — not how reliable the vehicle is overall.
Propulsion battery defects, capacity loss, BMS faults, replacement claims.
Battery & propulsion recalls (2)
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.
Consequence: IF COOLANT ENTERS THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
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.
Consequence: IF COOLANT ENTERS THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD OCCUR POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
Sample complaint excerpts
High-Voltage Battery
- [2012] THE HIGH VOLTAGE LITHIUM-ION BATTERY IS FAULTY AND BURNS OUT OR SHORTS OUT THE BATTERY MODULES.
- [2012] TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FISKER KARMA. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD NOT BE REPLACED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V598000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,059.
Source: classified from NHTSA complaint and recall data. "Battery-related" includes high-voltage propulsion battery, charging system, hybrid drivetrain, electric propulsion, regenerative braking, 12V auxiliary battery, and thermal-event complaints. Other complaints (suspension, steering, brakes, infotainment) appear in the engine and vehicle-level sections. Rates are absolute counts, not normalized per-VIN — high-volume models naturally produce more raw complaints than low-volume ones. Self-reported death and injury counts are capped per complaint to limit form abuse.
Buyer's Guide
Who the 2012 Karma works for. The Karma is for collectors, designers, and EV-history enthusiasts who understand they are buying a low-volume orphan from a defunct manufacturer with limited parts logistics. The design holds up. The driving experience (4.6-second 0-60, all-electric mode under 50 mph, range-extender V6 above) remains interesting. For someone who wants a striking weekend or short-distance car and has an independent EV specialist or Karma Automotive service relationship in their region, the math can work. Budget reserves for inevitable battery and electrical work.
Who it does not fit. The Karma is not a daily driver and not a sensible primary vehicle for anyone who cannot accept extended downtime when a major component fails. Pack replacement is six figures and the supply chain is constrained. The 2.0L turbo range extender uses a GM Ecotec engine, which is easier to service than the EV side, but the integration software and high-voltage interface tooling are proprietary. Anyone wanting an EV from the same era as a daily driver should buy a 2012-2014 Tesla Model S instead; the Tesla parts network is intact.
Inspection priorities before buying any Fisker Karma. Confirm both NHTSA recalls (11V-598 and 12V-241) are marked completed at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov by VIN. Verify the high-voltage battery is the post-recall replacement pack, not the at-risk original. Inspect the battery compartment for any evidence of historical coolant intrusion. Request a current pack health diagnostic from a Karma Automotive authorized service center if accessible. Document range-extender engine condition (compression, timing chain, normal Ecotec maintenance items). Run a vehicle history report and confirm odometer accuracy. Current-owner priorities. Document the current pack-replacement status, identify a parts-and-service relationship through Karma Automotive or an experienced independent specialist before failure forces one, and join collector-network forums that track Karma-specific parts availability.
Recalls (2)
Fisker is recalling certain model year 2012 Fisker Karma passenger cars manufactured from September 22, 2011, through January 20, 2012. An expansion of safety recall 11V-598. 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. If coolant enters the battery compartment, an electrical short could occur possibly resulting in a fire.
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. If coolant enters the battery compartment, an electrical short could occur possibly resulting in a fire.
Alternatives in Luxury Sedan
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fisker Karma and who made it?
The 2012 Fisker Karma is a plug-in hybrid luxury sedan designed by Henrik Fisker and built by Fisker Automotive Inc. between 2011 and 2012. Roughly 2,500 cars were delivered before Fisker Automotive filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November 2013. The company's assets were sold to Wanxiang Group, which revived production under a new entity called Karma Automotive. The 2012 Karma is unrelated to the Fisker Ocean (2023-2024), which was built by a separately founded company called Fisker Inc. that also filed bankruptcy in June 2024.
What are the most common Fisker Karma problems?
NHTSA has only 5 complaints on file for the 2012 Karma, two of which involve the high-voltage battery (failures of individual modules, replacement claims). Production volume was low and complaint submission rates from collector-grade vehicles tend to under-represent real failure modes. The two NHTSA recalls (11V-598 and 12V-241) both address a battery cooling hose-clamp defect that could allow coolant intrusion into the high-voltage pack and trigger an electrical short or fire. Both recalls should have been completed during the original ownership cycle, but VIN verification before buying is essential.
Can you still get parts and service for a 2012 Fisker Karma?
Limited support exists through Karma Automotive, the Wanxiang-owned successor to Fisker Automotive that resumed Karma production as the Revero (2017+) and currently builds the GS-6. The 2017-2020 Revero shares the original 2012 Karma chassis and many components, which means some cross-sourced parts are still available. Independent EV specialists handle simpler work. Drive motor assemblies (built by UQM Technologies) and the A123 Systems lithium-ion battery modules are the hardest items to source; A123 Systems was also bought by Wanxiang in 2013, providing some technical continuity. Treat the 2012 Karma as a low-volume collector vehicle with constrained parts logistics.
Does the Fisker Karma have a working warranty in 2026?
No. Fisker Automotive Inc.'s original warranty obligations were extinguished by the November 2013 bankruptcy, more than a decade before this writing. Karma Automotive does not extend any factory warranty to original 2012 Karma vehicles. Any service is paid out of pocket. The two battery recalls (11V-598 and 12V-241) remain federally mandated remedies regardless of warranty status, but obtaining the remedy now requires working with whichever dealer or authorized service center will still take the campaign.
How much does a 2012 Fisker Karma cost in 2026?
Original MSRP ranged from approximately $103,000 to $116,000 in 2012 dollars. Used 2012 Karma prices have varied widely in the collector market, generally trading between $25,000 and $60,000 depending on condition, mileage, recall completion, and pack health. Cars with documented battery service history and both recalls completed command meaningful premiums. Cars with unknown pack history, no service records, or unresolved recalls trade at deep discounts that reflect the cost of a potential pack replacement (six figures, not easily sourceable).
What recalls affect the 2012 Fisker Karma?
Two NHTSA recalls were issued for the 2012 Karma, both addressing the same high-voltage battery cooling hose-clamp defect: 11V-598 (December 2011, first wave) and 12V-241 (May 2012, expansion covering later production). Both recalls required replacement of the entire high-voltage battery pack at no cost to the original owner during the active recall period. Check current recall status by VIN at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov to confirm whether the campaign was completed on any specific car.
Is a 2012 Fisker Karma worth buying as a used car?
Only for collectors and enthusiasts who understand the support situation going in. The Karma is a striking, well-designed plug-in hybrid sedan with documented production history and design pedigree. It is not a daily driver. Anyone considering one should verify both recalls are completed, document pack health, locate parts support before buying, and budget a meaningful reserve for inevitable specialist service. Buyers wanting an unusual EV experience without the parts-support headache should look at a Tesla Model S from the same era instead.
How is the Karma different from the Fisker Ocean?
Different companies, different decades, different vehicles, different chemistry. The 2012 Karma was a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) luxury sedan built by Fisker Automotive Inc. using A123 lithium-ion cells and a GM-sourced 2.0L turbo gasoline range extender. Roughly 2,500 were delivered. The 2023-2024 Ocean is a fully electric crossover built by Fisker Inc., a separately founded company, using CATL NMC pouch cells and a 106 kWh pack. Roughly 7,500 Oceans were delivered. Both companies share Henrik Fisker as founder; nothing else mechanically connects them.
What should I check before buying a 2012 Fisker Karma?
Verify both NHTSA recalls (11V-598 and 12V-241) are completed by checking VIN status at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov. Confirm the high-voltage battery is the post-recall replacement pack, not the original at-risk pack. Request a recent pack health diagnostic from a Karma Automotive authorized service center if possible, or an independent EV specialist familiar with A123 lithium-ion modules. Document the range-extender engine condition (2.0L Ecotec turbo, normal maintenance applies). Inspect for water intrusion in the battery compartment. Run a vehicle history report. The two biggest risks are pack failure and parts logistics, in that order.
Does the Karma have NHTSA crash test ratings?
NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2012 Fisker Karma. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 5 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: low. Last updated: 2026-05-18.