Kia Forte Complaints (2012)

292 consumer complaints on file.

#11765165September 18, 2026
ENGINE
VEHICLE & INCIDENT DETAILS * Vehicle: 2012 Kia Forte Hatchback * VIN: KNAFU5A26C5641380 * Incident Date: August 21, 2026 * Relevant Recalls: NHTSA Campaign 23V652000 (Recall SC284) & NHTSA Campaign 20V750000 (Recall SC200) * Kia Corporate Case Number: 26367714 * Dealership: AllStar Kia San Bernardino, CA COMPLAINT DESCRIPTION I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a severe vehicle fire incident involving a vehicle subject to active fire safety recalls, and subsequent corporate misconduct that threatens the integrity of the federal safety recall evidence. On August 21, 2026, my 2012 Kia Forte Hatchback suffered an engine compartment fire while parked. The fire originated in the center engine area, which directly aligns with the failure footprints outlined in federal fire safety recalls SC200 (20V-750) and SC284 (23V-652). I personally extinguished the fire, and the vehicle is a total loss. Following the incident, Kia America opened corporate product liability case #26367714, and the vehicle was towed to AllStar Kia San Bernardino for formal review. Kia America and its local dealership are now engaging in coercive tactics that actively obstruct a proper safety investigation. The dealership is pressuring me to sign a standard mechanical "repair order". I have explicitly refused to sign this order because it authorizes local mechanics to dismantle, alter, or touch the vehicle, which would compromise or permanently destroy critical fire evidence before a qualified corporate product liability review takes place. I have formally provided Kia Corporate with a conditional authorization allowing ONLY a certified Kia Corporate Fire Investigator to inspect the vehicle on-site. In response, Kia Corporate sent an email explicitly threatening that if I do not provide an unconditional signature on the dealership's repair order, they will refuse to proceed with the safety investigation and will force a flatbed to tow the fire-damaged vehicle back to my pri
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760319August 28, 2026
AIR BAGS
Airbag light came on August 21, 2026. I tried several steps to troubleshoot with no resolution. I took it to the local Kia dealership for further inspection. I was terrified to drive the vehicle because of the airbag failure. I explained to the technician that I had read that there was an warranty extension for the exact clock spring failure. I met the qualification (2011-2016 /unlimited mileage) but I was required to pay $493.05 for this repair.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11759750August 26, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed an abnormal sound for approximately five minutes, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact then became aware of a fire underneath the vehicle. The contact opened the hood and extinguished the fire using water and dirt. The vehicle was unoccupied. The contact stated that the vehicle had just been parked, and the engine was off prior to the failure. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to tow the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11747944July 2, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
My vehicle is a 2012 Kia Forte EX. The vehicle experienced a corrosion-related brake line failure that affected braking performance and created a safety concern. The brake pedal became soft/sank, and the vehicle had unsafe braking behavior, requiring repair at a Kia dealership. The failed component was a brake line, which is a safety-critical part of the braking system. The repair was completed at customer expense after Kia declined goodwill or reimbursement assistance. Kia Customer Care case number: 2622663. My concern is that this does not appear to be ordinary wear only. This vehicle had prior Kia underbody corrosion campaign history under SC141, titled “Application of Additional Anti-Corrosion Material.” Kia confirmed to me that SC141 involved applying additional anti-corrosion/undercoating/cavity wax material to certain underbody components to help protect against corrosion. Kia also confirmed that SC141 was completed on my vehicle before the brake-line repair. Kia’s position is that SC141 did not cover brake lines or brake replacement, and that brake-line corrosion is normal maintenance/customer-pay because the vehicle is out of warranty. I understand Kia’s warranty position, but my complaint is about the safety issue and possible design-related corrosion vulnerability. The failed brake line appears to be routed in an underbody area exposed to corrosion risk, possibly near hardware, brackets, covers, or areas where salt/water can collect. In my view, this may represent a corrosion-trap design issue involving the routing/location of a safety-critical brake line, rather than simple routine maintenance. I am filing this complaint because corrosion-related brake line failure can result in reduced braking ability or loss of braking, and I believe this issue should be documented and reviewed for potential safety-defect trends involving this vehicle/platform.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745725June 22, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Vehicle: 2012 Kia Forte Recall: NHTSA 23V-652 (Kia SC284) – HECU/ABS fuse recall My vehicle underwent this safety recall in 2025. The dealership replaced the HECU fuse. Immediately upon leaving the dealership after the recall repair, the same warning lights returned. I contacted the dealership immediately before fully leaving the area to report the issue. I also contacted Kia Corporate after the warning condition returned. Kia was aware the warning lights returned immediately after recall completion. I was advised if the vehicle later entered limp mode again, to contact Kia roadside assistance for towing support per prior guidance. The warning condition was not resolved by the recall repair. The brake warning light remained present, additional warning indicators later appeared, and the vehicle ultimately entered limp mode in January 2026, resulting in loss of reliable transportation and safety concerns. Due to this condition, I was forced to rely on a rental vehicle for an extended period at significant personal cost totaling several thousand dollars. I'm a single parent with a child requiring ongoing medical appointments, making reliable transportation essential. Kia only approved a limited "goodwill payment" of $191.40 for an earlier rental period, while refusing reimbursement for the substantially larger rental costs incurred after the recall failure and progression to limp mode. When the vehicle entered limp mode, I had to arrange towing because Kia assistance was not available as they closed out the recall. Kia is now requiring out-of-pocket diagnostic payment before determining whether the issue is related to Recall 23V-652, despite the warning condition returning immediately after recall repair and later progressing to limp mode consistent with the original failure symptoms. I am reporting a potentially ineffective recall remedy and unresolved recurrence of the safety condition addressed under Recall 23V-652.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742145June 4, 2026
AIR BAGS
There is a class action lawsuit concerning the airbag control unit not functioning properly leading to safety issues during a crash. The case is called ZF-TRW Airbag Control Unit Product Liabilty Litigation. Case number XXX My Kia Forte was on the list of recalled vehicles. I have been having electrical problems with my car and this may be the answer I have been looking for !! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11731572April 16, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound, and there was a burning oil odor coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (ENGINE); however, the contact was unable to schedule an appointment because the dealer was unreachable. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11721956March 4, 2026
ENGINE
While driving, the engine suddenly shut off without warning. The vehicle lost power in traffic, creating a safety risk. There were no warning signs before the failure. The oil level was properly maintained and oil changes were performed regularly. The dealership diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the engine needs to be replaced. The exact mechanical cause was not clearly explained to me.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705749December 17, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Engine started screeching out of nowhere, sounded like something fell through, there was no warning of any kind, car was running seemingly fine prior to this, car was jolting and not going anymore and something also sounded as if it had popped, it started knocking and caught fire and was smoking, breaking down on the side of the road and has been in another state since this occurred just sitting at a hotel because we had to get a rental car. We did call Kia in Georgia to have this issue rectified as we had recently bought this vehicle and were unaware there was a recall on it, however we did some checking and the previous owner also let us know there is a recall for engine fire. I do have the papers for that. Kia advised us they would not be responsible, but Panama City fl Kia where we live were willing to look at that car prior to this incident and take care of the recall, the previous owner never went but now the car has caught fire whilst we were driving in it 7.5 hours away from our house out of town with our children in the car. We had to pull over off of the interstate because the car was on fire and get out on the side of the road and all of had to evacuate. I do believe that if we had been going any faster, we may have even became fatalities because the car locked up. It turned off actually as I was turning to to the exit and just coasted far enough to not be hit in the middle of the road. It was terrifying and we had to move fast and smoke was starting to come through, it started dropping oil everywhere just spilling out lv its almost like the entire underneath of the motor just dropped or something. I’m not quite sure but it was sudden and it has been absolutely miserable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11697284November 3, 2025
ENGINE
Back in July my car started jerking, stalling, and smoking. There was a recall 20v750 open for engine fires. The dealership check it out and said everything looked good. They installed a knock sensor related to the problem. Last week my car did it again leaving me stalled on the interstate at night. There is now a P1326 code for the knock sensor which confirms that there was a issue. However I'm being told that due to my mileage the warranty had expired and there isn't anything they can do.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694846October 21, 2025
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle, followed by a loss of motive power. The malfunction indicator light and ABS warning light were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694456October 20, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the brake lights failed to illuminate, and while inspecting the lights in the rear of the vehicle, the contact became aware that the socket where the brake light bulb was located was melting from the light overheating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer did not diagnose the cause of failure. The brake lights were not repaired. It was confirmed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V363000 (Air Bags) and 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer stated that NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); recall might have contributed to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693939October 16, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Every two months I have to change the bulb for the break lights. It burns out fast. Not only is it burning out fast but its melting and takes several days for pry the melted material out. Also smells like something is going to catch fire with this. This started over a year ago but I didnt know i can report it to be investigated as a recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11692569October 10, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, AIR BAGS, ENGINE
The contact's cousin owned a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked unattended by the privacy fence. The contact was alerted by her nephew and observed that the vehicle was on fire. The front windshield had shattered, and smoke was visible inside the cabin. The fire appeared to originate from the dashboard area. The contact used a fire extinguisher to suppress the flames with the assistance of her brother. The local fire department arrived on the scene and completed extinguishing the fire. The airbags deployed during the incident, and the fire department declared the vehicle a total loss. Upon investigation, the contact was able to link the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Air Bags). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11687569September 16, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine suddenly seized, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11684597September 2, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
In forte koups installed with a factory wing allows for water to collect in taillights causeing a no start issue for my vehicle
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11676604July 28, 2025
AIR BAGS
My wife got an accident in June 2022 but air bag did not work so I contacted Kia 6/22/2022 sent proof photo but just no good excuse why air bag did not work. It should be recalled for this matter. Defective airbag or sender.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11673392July 14, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Kia denied repair and replacement of components damaged by a known safety recall (Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit) on my 2012 Kia Forte Coupe, VIN# [XXX] . There was also a recall on the “Knock Sensor”, but I was unaware of the recall and paid for the repair out of pocket. Specifically, I was seeking repair or replacement of the starter and battery, as well as any other component that I wasn’t aware of, which was compromised as a direct result of the defective HECU system covered under the recall. They denied the repair because they said that the warranty was voided because the car had a salvage title, but the request to repair was not a warranty issue. The recall involves the HECU potentially causing electrical shorts and engine compartment fires, which can damage surrounding electrical components — including the battery and starter. These are not wear-and-tear items in this case, but parts affected by the consequences of a manufacturer-recognized safety defect. The internal electrical short circuit condition of the HECU fuse caused an overcurrent, which resulted in the wire from the solenoid cable of the starter burning and damaging the starter. As well as the wire of the negative battery terminal, which also resulted in the battery being damaged. I even left the battery and the starter on the floor of the car to show proof that these occurrences happened due to the defect of the HECU fused because when I purchased a new battery and starter the overcurrent of the HECU caused white smoke to appear and was about to catch fire and burn out the replacement parts as well. Kia has declined to perform these recall-related repairs, citing that the vehicle holds a salvage title, which was issued due to hail damage only. I respectfully contended that the cosmetic damage had no connection to the mechanical or electrical condition of the vehicle and in no way contributed to the failure of the battery or starter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664831June 4, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
the VCM motor has a "coupler" that operates intake manifold runner, this coupler brakes apart , causing vehicle to loose engine power, engine light comes on, code P200. kia dealer recommends to replace the intake manifold that comes with new VCM motor, if you replace it you're self then you need to take vehicle to kia dealer to have them update software for the new VCM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664454June 2, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
My vehicle is affected by NHTSA Recall Number 23V652000, I have taken my vehicle to Jim Ellis Kia of Kennesaw on several occasions, I believe 3 separate occasions to try and get this recall resolved. Each time I am told that the fix, a replacement fuse, is not being accepted by my vehicle. Each time they attempt to replace the fuse, the vehicle goes into anti-theft mode where the alarm goes off consistently. The dealership is unable to tell me why and states they can not complete the recall because of this. Initially, they tried to state the issue was that engine oil was seeping through into my engine harness and that I would need a new engine harness, sending me home with a quote for $3,000 to fix the issue. That same night I took my vehicle to an actual professional, who told me the dealership had no clue what they were talking about and that there was no oil in my engine harness. I returned to the dealership requesting that my vehicle only be looked at by the master technician, after the master tech reviewed the vehicle he agreed there was no oil in the engine harness and that that was a misdiagnosis. Absolutely absurd to think they can send a customer home with a $3k quote with no oversight before doing so. The master tech stated he could not figure out the incompatibility of my vehicle and the recall remedy, and stated I would have to pay $300 for them to do a full electrical review as a first step of troubleshooting. I can not believe that a massive corporation like Kia is sticking a customer with a MASSIVE fire hazard of a vehicle that is a result of their negligence and telling me that 'although we have a fix, for some reason the fix doesn't work for your car and you're going to have to pay us to figure out why.' This is absolutely unacceptable, I am a college student and while driving my only form of transportation, I constantly have to hope that I am not a victim of fatality at the hands of Kia.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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