Kia Forte Complaints (2012)
292 consumer complaints on file.
- #11110215July 9, 2018AIR BAGS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NOV 7 2016 WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT ON A MAIN STREET WITH TWO CAR LENGTHS BETWEEN ME AND PERSON IN FRONT, DUE TO THE HEAVY VOLUME OF TRAFFIC. I WAS HIT IN THE REAR, END BY AN SUV, THEN SLAMMED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND SENT BACK AGAIN AND SLAMMED THE CAR THAT INITIALLY HIT ME. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN CRASH WITH LONG TERM EFFECTS.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11105179July 2, 2018ENGINE
MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE DOWN THE HIGHWAY. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM KIA DEALER ABOUT 11 MONTHS AGO WITH ~115,500 AND IT NOW ONLY HAS ~118,100 MILES ON IT. SO WE ONLY DROVE IT LESS THAN 3000 MILES OVER THE LAST ONE YEAR. WHILE HE WAS TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, HE STARTED HEARING A CLANKING NOISE AND THEN THE CAR STOPPED AND WOULD NOT DRIVE ANY LONGER. HE SAID NO ENGINE WARNING LIGHT EVER CAME ON. ONLY HIS OIL MAINTENANCE LIGHT HAD COME ON RIGHT BEFORE IT OCCURRED. HE CHECKED THE OIL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE OIL WAS FINE AND STILL HAD APPROXIMATELY 2000 LIFE MILES REMAINING ON IT. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC THAT INSPECTED THE CAR AND HE SAID THE ENGINE IS SEIZED UP. BUT, HE SAYS SEES NO MAINTENANCE RELATED REASON FOR WHY THIS ENGINE HAS SEIZED UP LIKE IT HAS. I DID SOME CHECKING ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES REPORTED FOR THIS. WE FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL BY HYUNDAI AND KIA FOR AN ISSUE THAT SOUNDS EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT OCCURRED TO OUR ENGINE. I BELIEVE THIS CAR HAS THE SAME ENGINE OR AT LEAST HAS THE SAME ISSUE AS THE OTHER ENGINES, WHICH ARE SAME YEAR MODELS, BUT DIFFERENT MAKE. I BELIEVE THE 2012 KIA FORTE HAS THE EXACT ISSUE AS THE OTHER MULTIPLE RECALLED MODELS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME DILIGENCE DONE FOR THIS MODEL TO SEE IF THE SAME ISSUE HAS OCCURRED WITH OUR ENGINE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE FORTE OWNERS THAT HAVE ALSO HAD THIS COMPLAINT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11099038May 31, 2018AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
FATAL MVA INVOLVING FRONT-END COLLISION. AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 1
- #11098392May 29, 2018ENGINE
I HEARD KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE AT APPROX 132,000 MI WHICH GOT WORSE PROGRESSIVELY. THE SAME 2.4 LITER ENGINE THAT WAS RECALLED IN THE OPTIMA. THERE SHOULD BE RECALL ON THE FORTE 2.4 ENGINE AS WELL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11094156May 16, 2018SERVICE BRAKES
BREAK LIGHT STILL ON WITH OUT PRESS THE PEDAL
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11092008May 5, 2018ENGINE
I BOUGHT MY 2012 KIA FORTE BACK IN 2015 WITH APPROX. 40K MILES ON AND THIS LAST SUMMER OF 2017 THE VECHILE WOULD NOT START AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM WORK ONE EVENING. I DROVE IT JUST FINE TO WORK AND WHEN I GOT HOME AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. AFTER TOWING IT TO A MECHANIC I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. AS THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE THAT IS IN THE OPTIMA AND SPORTAGE THAT HAVE RECALLS ON THEIR ENGINES, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE FORTE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS AS WELL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11091220May 1, 2018ENGINE
TAKATA RECALL CAR STARTED TO MAKE NOISES. THEN AFTER GETTING IT CHECKED OUT I WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE! IT IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. BOUGHT USED FROM A DEALER IN 2013. ENGINE DIED ON THE WAY HOME STILL HAVE A LOAN AND CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT!!!! SAW MULTIPLE PEOPLES COMPLAINTS ONLINE FOR SAME PROBLEM! WHEN WILL I HAVE A RECALL TO DRIVE A CAR THAT I AM STILL PAYING FOR. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND GOING STRAIGHT ON A STATE ROAD WHEN THIS ACCURED. SPEED LIMIT ON STATE ROAD I WAS ON IS 50 WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED PINGING ELECTRICAL WENT OFF THEN MOTOR STOPPED. THIS CAUSED US TO HAVE TO PUSH VEHICLE OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11088729April 17, 2018TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT, SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY OR DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN PROMPTED. FURTHERMORE, UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION, THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE HAD TO BE ENGAGED IN ORDER TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11082657April 3, 2018STEERING
THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO MAKE A CLUNK WHEN YOU TURNED IT NOW THE EPS LIGHT IS FLASHING AND THE POWER NO LONGER WORKS THIS CAR HAS 67 THOUSAND MILES ON IT I
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11080341March 20, 2018AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT'S SON WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUFFERED CONTUSIONS, A BRAIN INJURY, AND WAS IN A COMA FOR TWO WEEKS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11076880March 8, 2018ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF COMPLETELY. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE LIGHTING AND STEERING TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEN TOWED TO VAN SYCKLE KIA (729 HOGAN RD, BANGOR, ME 04401) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11076607March 7, 2018SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHEN DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATE. THE BULBS IN THE TAIL LIGHT BURN OUT FREQUENTLY ON AVERAGE OF 60-90 DAYS..
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11065330January 26, 2018ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MADE A TURN AT APPROX 12 MPH. CAR BUMPED INTO NEUTRAL WHEN GROCERIES TIPPED OVER. HEATER, RADIO, AND ENGINE ALL QUIT. COULD NOT BE RESTARTED, VEHICLE HAD ZERO POWER. STRANDED IN INTERSECTION. TOWED TO REPAIR, INFORMED ENGINE HAD SEIZED DUE TO OVER-REVVING IN NEUTRAL. HAD ZERO POWER, COULD NOT OVER-REV. KIA AND WARRANTY COMPANY REFUSING ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR COVERAGE. BEING TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AND A NEW STARTER. ESTIMATED REPAIR $8500, MORE THAN TWICE BLUEBOOK VALUE. I SEE AFTER RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH KIA VEHICLES OF THIS ERA. APPROX. 83000 MILES, ALL SERVICE UP TO DATE. I NOTICE ON THE AUL REPORT THE AMOUNT OF WEAR ON THE ENGINE, AND THE DESCRIPTION OF THE DAMAGE USING WORDS LIKE "HEAVILY SCORED AND WORN TO COPPER BACKING." I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THIS KIND OF DAMAGE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE MINUTE OR SO THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE DRIVER WAS AWARE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. (SHE SAW THE GROCERIES TIP OVER AND HIT THE SHIFTER).
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11057344December 29, 2017VISIBILITY/WIPER
I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET WHEN I ALL OF A SUDDEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE COME FROM ABOVE. SECONDS LATER, I START HEARING SOME RATTLING ABOVE ME. WHEN I AM ABLE TO PULL OVER, I OPEN THE COVER TO THE SUN ROOF AND A PIECE OF GLASS FALLS. I IMMEDIATELY CLOSE THE COVER AGAIN SO NO MORE GLASS CAN FALL INTO THE CAR. MY SUN ROOF IMPLODED AND BROKE EVERYWHERE. THANKFULLY I HAD THE SUN ROOF COVER CLOSED OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT. I READ ONLINE THAT HAD HAPPENED TO OTHER PEOPLE BEFORE BUT KIA TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SUN ROOF AND SOMETHING HAD TO OF FALLEN ON THE GLASS CAUSING IT BREAK. I ENDED UP HAVING TO PAY MY DEDUCTIBLE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11040818October 28, 2017ENGINE
AT 70,000 MILES THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AT COLD START UP AND CONTINUING TO GET WORSE. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 5,000 TO 7,000 AS KIA RECOMMENDS. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY SAID MY ENGINE IS NOT A RECALL. I READ NHTSA IS LEADING THE KIA RECALL BUT NOT SURE IF THAT'S ACTUAL FACT OR NOT. WHAT I HOPE FOR IS THAT MORE INVESTIGATION GOES INTO THE REGULAR 2.0 ENGINE THAT'S IN MY CAR. I READ KIA HAS A 2.0 TURBO RECALL AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TURBO PART IS ABOUT SINCE IT'S AN EXTERNAL PART OF THE ENGINE. I HAVE ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS OF OIL CHANGES UNTIL I PURCHASED THE CAR IN THE 43,000 MILES RANGE FROM MY ORIGINAL LEASE. I THEN RECORDED EVERY OIL CHANGE DONE BUT DON'T HAVE THE RECEIPTS. I DO ALL MY OWN WORK NOW BECAUSE I DON'T TRUST KIA AND IF ONE TRIES TO CALL THEM IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK TO ANYONE. I'M ACTUALLY NOT SURE HOW MUCH LONGER MY CAR WILL RUN BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO TRADE IT IN AND SEND THIS ISSUE ONTO SOMEONE ELSE LIKE KIA IS DOING TO IT'S CUSTOMERS. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE ENGINE FAILS WHEN I'M DRIVING IT BUT I NOW HAVE IT DOCUMENTED. AT SOME POINT I'LL HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND REALLY DON'T FEEL I SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE SINCE I HAVE FOLLOWED KIA'S MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS. I'M NOT SURE IF NHTSA CAN HELP MY ISSUE BUT I DON'T KNOW WHO TO TURN TO. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY SINCERELY [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11033991October 17, 2017AIR BAGS, ENGINE
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON RIGHT AFTER HITTING 108K MILES. CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AMY ACCIDENT. NO AIRBAGS HAVE EVER DEPLOYED. THE LIGHT JUST CAME ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF.ALSO CAR MAKES HUMMING SOUND WHILE IDLING WITH THE FOOT OFF THE GAS. BOUGHT CAR BRAND NEW AND I'M BEING INFORMED THAT OTHER MODELS THAT ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE ARE BEING RECALLED.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11031742October 4, 2017ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS AND THE ENGINE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WITH SOME NOISE, AND NOISE STARTED TO GET LOUDER AND LOUDER, I STOPPED THE ENGINE AND I HAD TO TAKE THE ENGINE APART TO SEE INSIDE TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, I FOUND METAL DEBRIS FROM THE ENGINE IN THE OIL BAN AND CYLINDER #2 AND # 4 ROD BEARING WORN OUT, AND FROM WHAT I READ ABOUT THE HYUNDAI PROBLEM, ALL HYUNDAI UNDER RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, I DONT KNOW HOW COME KIA NO RECALL SO FAR AND THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE INSTALLED ON HYUNDAI.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11022087September 7, 2017SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE CAR GOES OUT OFTEN SINCE I BOUGHT IT, MORE COMMONLY THE RIGHT SIDE. I HAVE REPEATEDLY CHECKED AND REPLACED FUSES AND BULBS. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT WON'T LAST A MONTH BEFORE SOMEONE TELLS ME MY BRAKE LIGHT IS NOT WORKING. THIS IS A HAZARD. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY ISSUES WITH THE WIRES OR FUSES, BUT THROUGH RESEARCH FOUND EARLIER MODELS OF THE KIA FORTE HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE PROBLEM BEING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH BY THE PEDAL. KIA NEEDS TO FIND A FIX FOR THIS AND DO A PROPER RECALL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11006631July 20, 2017ENGINE
THIS CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED BY DEALERSHIP. ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A TAPPING NOISE INSIDE, AND DEALERSHIP TOLD WIFE IT WAS NORMAL. THIS LAST TIME I TOOK CAR IN , AND FIND OUT THAT ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SAME ENGINE BEING RECALLED ON OTHER VEHICLES, BUT NOT ON MY YEAR OF CAR. NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO REPORT THIS ISSUE.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #11002899July 3, 2017ENGINE
KNOCKING IN ENGINE CAUSED BY THROWN ROD BEARING. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN CRUISE WHEN VEHICLE STARTED KNOCKING. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR ANYTHING BEFORE OR AFTER! WAS CHANGING OIL REGULARLY
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0