Kia Forte Complaints (2012)

292 consumer complaints on file.

#11386061January 2, 2021
ENGINE
DEVELOPED A VERY SUBTLE TICKING NOISE IN 2018, HAPPENING MOSTLY AT LOW SPEEDS, GONE AFTER WARM UP. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP (NAPLETON'S IN URBANA, IL), AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT LOCATE ANY NOISE AND DIDN'T FIND ANY IMPACT ON DRIVABILITY. I CONTINUED DRIVING THE CAR, WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES (ALL MY MAINTENANCE WAS DONE AT THE DEALER), UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2020, WHEN THE NOISE BECAME VERY VERY NOTICEABLE, AT ALL SPEEDS AND ALMOST CONSTANT. BECAUSE I HAD MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER KIA DEALERSHIP IN OAKLAND AND THEY SAID THEY CAN INSTALL A USED ENGINE REPLACEMENT (WITH 30 K MILES ON IT ALREADY) FOR A MINIMUM OF 6200 BEFORE TAX. I THOUGHT THEY WERE KIDDING, TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EVEN DO SO MUCH AS CHANGE THE OIL IN THAT VISIT.... WELL THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AGREES ON THE ROD BEARING BEING ON ITS WAY OUT AND THAT THE ENGINE CAN SEIZE AT ANY POINT. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TORE DOWN THE ENGINE TO DIAGNOSE IT. I NOW HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN THE CAR'S WORTH TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T SEIZE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND KILL SOMEONE, OR HAVE TO SELL IT FOR SCRAPS, DESPITE INSTALLING BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, A NEW EVAP CANISTER (CRACKED AND FAILED SMOG TEST IN CALIFORNIA)AND PURGE VALVE JUST THIS YEAR ALONE. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE NOW. KIA NEEDS TO FIX THIS. THESE ENGINES NEED TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. FORUMS ARE FULL OF FAILED KIA FORTES FROM 2012, SOME MUCH EARLIER THAN MINE. 93.5K MILES SINCE BUYING IT IN AUGUST 2013).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11384573December 22, 2020
ENGINE
FAILING OIL PUMP AT 140K MILES
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11384634December 22, 2020
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I PREVIOUS REPORT NUMBER 11384011, PICTURES UPLOADED: DRIVING TO REPAIR LOCATION ON FREEWAY AND THE CAR STARTING SMOKING AND BURST INTO FLAME FROM THE ENGINE. MANAGED TO STOP AND GOT OUT OF THE BURNING CAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED FIRE SERVICE WHO CAME AND STOP THE BURNING. CAR TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP FACILITY. *LN *AS*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11384357December 21, 2020
ENGINE
ENGINE ALWAYS HAS HAD EXCESSIVE BLOW BY. AND NOISE. SMELL FUEL AT TIMES. DER SYS ITS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11384011December 18, 2020
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DROVE MY 2012 KIA FORTE FOR ABOUT HALF A MILE AROUND OUR STREET AND I STARTED SMELLING BURNING ODOR AND BEFORE I COULD GUESS, WHERE THE SMELL WAS EMANATING FROM, I SAW HEAVY SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT AND SIDE OF THE HOOD. I FRANTICALLY MANAGED TO STOP AND PARK. I TRIED TO OPEN THE HOOD BUT I COULDN'T. AFTER MANY TRIES WITH THE HEAT I FINALLY OPENED IT. AS THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE, I REALIZED IT WAS VERY HOT, WHILE OTHER PARTS OF THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COOL. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT AFTER 30 MINUTES, I SAW THE CHECK ENGINE SIGNAL ON THE DASHBOARD. I SIMPLY PARKED CAR ON THE CURVE, LOCKED IT TO FIND A TOW TRUCK. NEXT DAY CALLED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, AFTER I GAVE THEM MY IN NUMBER. THEY SAID TO CHECK AFTER 1/27/21, THE DATE THE CURRENT RECALL WILL BE PUBLISHED. THEY SAID TO TAKE MY CAR FOR KIA DEALERSHIP AND PAY FOR REPAIRS. THEY THEY WILL REFUND ME IF IT IS PART OF THE RECALL ON 1/27/21.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11383231December 13, 2020
ENGINE
ABOUT A WEEK AGO CAR WAS RUNNING FINE EXCEPT IT WOULD SHUT OFFF WHILE DRIVEING ON OCCASION AND THROWING NO CODES SO MATT TAYLOR KIA COULD T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT..THE CAR HAS DEVELOPED A VERY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE ,PUTTING OFF A VERY BAD SMALL AND SMOK E OUT THE EXHAUST,AND RECENT OIL CHANGE AND WE CHECK THE DIP STICK AND OIL IS BEYOND LOW WICH DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE.THE CAR HAS THE 2.4 ENGINE WICH SADLY IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST DESPITE MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS THAT ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ENGINE FIRES.I REFUSE TO LET MY SON GET BACK IN HIS VEHICLE THIS CAR NEEDS ADDED TO THE MASSIVE RECALL LIST ON KIA MOTORS ASAP BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11378644December 9, 2020
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I HAVE HAD AN ENGINE KNOCK FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF NOW AND HAVE SEEN ALL THE RECALLS FOR SAME ENGINES IN OTHER VEHICLES. MY CAR ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED AS OF YET IT APPEARS. WE HAVE THE SAME THETA 2 ENGINES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11382784December 9, 2020
ENGINE
AT AROUND 125,000 MILES - I NOTICED A TICKING SOUND AND TAPPING COMING FROM THE ENGINE ON MY 2.0L MPI "THETA II" 2012 KIA FORTE. AT FIRST IT WENT AWAY QUICKLY AFTER STARTUP BUT THEN WHEN IT GOT COLDER THAT WINTER IT GOT NOTICEABLY LOUDER AND IS NOW CONSTANTLY PRESENT AT 157,930 MILES, SPEEDING UP AS I ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AT AROUND 128,800 MILES AND HE SAID THAT I WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE ENGINE TAKEN APART TO DO MORE DIAGNOSIS AND THAT IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO JUST DRIVE IT TO SEE IF IT GETS WORSE. I'VE GOTTEN DOCUMENTED REGULAR OIL CHANGES SINCE I WAS THE OWNER IN 2017, SWITCHING TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP AT MY MECHANIC'S SUGGESTION AFTER HAVING THEM CHECK OUT THE TAPPING/TICKING ISSUE. THESE OIL CHANGES HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM, INSTEAD IT'S CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH EACH WINTER MAKING IT SLOWLY GET WORSE. IN DOING SOME SEARCHES, I'M NOT ALONE IN MY EXPERIENCE AND I'M APPARENTLY LUCKY THAT I'VE MADE IT THIS LONG WITH MY THETA II ENGINE. WHEN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN BEGAN FOR THE GDI ENGINES I WAS HOPEFUL THAT KIA WOULD DO THE RIGHT THING AND INCLUDE THE MPI ENGINES. HOWEVER, WHILE THEY HAVE EXPANDED THE RECALL TO INCLUDE MPI ENGINES, THEY HAVE NOT EXPANDED IT TO INCLUDE 2.0L MPI ENGINES WITH THE SAME COMPONENTS THAT CAN WEAR EXCESSIVELY INCLUDING CONNECTING RODS/CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS. MANY 2.0L MPI OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED FAILURES, INCLUDING FELLOW ENTHUSIASTS THAT LOVE AND TAKE CARE OF OUR VEHICLES, AND I WORRY ABOUT THE DANGER THAT CAN OCCUR WITH A SUDDENLY FAILING ENGINE, LET ALONE THE POTENTIAL FIRE RISKS. I BELIEVE THAT THE 2.0L MPI ENGINE KIA FORTE MODELS SHOULD ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I HAVE ATTACHED DOCUMENTATION FROM PARTS DIAGRAMS THAT SHOW THE PARTS COMMONALITY BETWEEN THE 2.4 MPI AND 2.0L MPI ENGINES. I
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11378597December 8, 2020
ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE ENGINE MADE A REALLY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT THIS TIME. HAS A CONSISTENT KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING. NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11378195December 7, 2020
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN WARMING UP THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OF THE KNOCKING SOUND RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC OR A KIA DEALER. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000 (ENGINE) AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11378120December 6, 2020
ENGINE
2012 KIA FORTE KOUP CAR WILL SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVEING AND VERY LOUD KNOCK IN THE ENGINE TOOK IT TO KIA IN LANCASTER OHIO VEHICLE THROWING NO CODES WHY IS THIS ENGINE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL I HAVE SEEN OTHERS ASK THE VERY SAME QUESTION FOR EXACT VEHICLE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11377821December 3, 2020
ENGINE
BACK IN 2018 MY ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO A SHOP AND THEY SAID THAT MY ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I'VE HAD KEPT REGULAR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WITH THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH THE 2012 FORTE USES HYUNDAI AND KIA'S 'THETA II' ENGINE. THE THETA II ENGINES COULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROCESS ISSUE. SURE ENOUGH I DID INDEED HAVE ENGINE FAILURE AND HAD TO PAY AN ARM AND A LEG TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. NOW I FEAR THAT THIS SECOND ENGINE WILL FOLLOW SUIT. ONLY SOME MODELS FELL UNDER THE RECALL BUT KIA REALLY NEEDS TO CONSIDER THE 2012 FORTE MODELS AND ANY OTHER MODEL THAT FALLS IN RANGE. DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND KIA NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE! I HAD TO CALL EMERGENCY SERVICES TO RESPOND TO MAKE SURE THE FIRE WENT OUT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11376959November 29, 2020
ENGINE
DRIVING WHEN IT STALLED ALONG WITH MINOR SMOKING FROM ENGINE AREA ON SEVAERAL OCCASIONS. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL KIA TO SEE IF THEY MAY HAVE INSIGHT AS TO WHAT MIHJT BE THE CAUSE ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY WOULD NEED TO INDSPECT CAR ALONG WITH A HEFTY HOURLY FEE. AND WITHIN SEVERAL DAYS IT STALLED , THE ENGINE CAME ON THEN DIED. I TOWED CAR HOME. IT WOUL START AND RUN FOR APPR. 2 MINUTESWITH A VERY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. I THEN HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO MECHANIC SHOP TO HAVE IT CHECKED TO BE TOLD IT WAS BLOWN DUE TO THROWED RODS AND WOULD NEED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT WGICH I DID HAVE DONE. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE SHOP TO THE ISSUES KIA HAD HAD AND WAS HAVING WITH THE THETA ENGINE AS THATS WHAT MY CAR HAD. IVE CONTACTED THE MAIN KIA OFFICE WITH MY ISSUE AND COMPLAINT ONLY TO BE TOLD MY CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND THEY COULDD NOT ASSIST ME AND DECLINED ANY OTHER CALLS IVE TRIEDTO PLACE TO THEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11376768November 27, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE NHTSA WEBSITE SAYS I HAVE A RECALL UNDER MY VIN NUMBER BUT WHEN I GO TO THE KIA WEBSITE AND ENTER IT FOR SERVICE IT SAYS NO RECALL FOUND, SO I CAN NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11366704October 27, 2020
ENGINE
I BOUGHT MY 2012 KIA FORTE WITH ABOUT 9,000 MILES IN 2014. I USED GOOD PENNZOIL SYNTHETIC OIL AND DID REGULAR OIL CHANGES. MY ENGINE STARTED TICKING AT ABOUT 110,000 MILES. I WROTE IT OFF AS A TICKY LIFTER. AT 184, 000 MILES MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED OIL. LESS THAN A QUART LOW, SO I FILLED IT. 5 MILES LATER CAR DIES AND WON'T TURN OVER AGAIN. MECHANIC SAYS ENGINE LOCKED UP. THEN I READ ONLINE THAT THIS 2.4 THETA ENGINE HAS BEEN RECALLED IN LATER MODEL KIAS AND HYUNDAI. BUT NOT IN EARLY YEARS BECAUSE OF SOME CODE NUMBER. GIVE ME A BREAK. KIA NEEDS TO PAY UP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.I AM CALLING EVERYONE I CAN TO KEEP THIS ISSUE OUT THERE. MAKE THEM DO A RECALL. NBC NEWS IS NEXT ON MY LIST. I WAS ON A CITY STREET GOING ABOUT 30. LUCKILY NOT PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF SOMEONE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11365607October 21, 2020
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I DIDN'T GET THE RECALL FOR THE BRAKES IN 2018 RADIO JUST WENT OUT LAST YEAR FOR NO REASON WINDOW ON PASSENGER JUST STOPPED WORKING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11361463September 28, 2020
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS EMITTING A SOUND LIKE THAT OF A DIESEL ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING SOUND WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL UNKNOWN DEALERS WERE CONTACTED WERE CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ISSUE WAS COMMON WITH SIMILAR VEHICLES. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CRANK BEARING HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11351504August 27, 2020
ENGINE
ENGINE KNOCKING & CLICKING. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE ENGINE FROM KIA FOR THESE MODELS. IT HAPPENS ON STARTUP AND FADES AFTER DRIVING AWHILE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11349101August 13, 2020
AIR BAGS, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
MARCH OF 2020 WE BAGAN NOTICING A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE MOTOR UPON COLD STARTS WHICH INCREASES AS THE IDLE SPEED INCREASES. ALSO MAKES THE SAME KNOCKING NOISE WHILE ENGINE IS AT RUNNING TEMPERATURE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE A CONNECTOR ROD OR CONNECTOR ROD BEARING ISSUE. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT OF THE THETA II MOTOR. ALSO AROUND THE SAME TIME THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS RECALL SC158 BRAKE PEDAL STOPPER PAD. WE WERE INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF PARK WITH ENGINE OFF AND KEYS NOT IN IGNITION, ALMOST CAUSING COLLISION WHEN CAR ROLLED INTO STREET. AGAIN, KIA STATED THAT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. *LN*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11342636August 1, 2020
AIR BAGS
IT SAYS ON HERE THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR TODAY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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