Kia Forte Complaints
2,563 consumer complaints on file.
- #10649762October 24, 2014WHEELS:RIM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIMS ON ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE RIMS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10641716October 6, 2014AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING IT TO FLIP OVER AND CRASH INTO A DIRT HILL. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR HEAD INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10641531October 5, 2014SERVICE BRAKES
I RECENTLY HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS ON MY 2010 KIA FORTE. IT WAS NOT DUE TO BRAKE WEAR OR ANY OF THE NORMAL BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM WAS ALL MY BRAKES SEIZED UP AND THE REAR ONES IN PARTICULAR HEATED UP TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE CLOSE TO FAILING. THE DEALER SAID IT MAY HAVE NOT OCCURRED, IF THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN MORE MILES DAILY YET NO FURTHER INFORMATION COULD BE PROVIDED ON THE BRAKE ISSUE. I LIVE IN AN AREA THAT HAS MANY CLASSIC CARS AND MY WIFE?S OWN AUNT OWNED A CAR EVEN THOUGH SHE COULD NOT DRIVE IT IN HER LATER YEARS, SO IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO WOULD DRIVE HER TO APPOINTMENTS AND ELSEWHERE. AS LONG AS A VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN DAILY, WHICH THIS WAS, I DON?T BELIEVE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED. KIA MOTORS ALSO DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED AND COULD PROVIDE NO EXPLANATION. I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE OF MY CONCERNS OF POSSIBLE BRAKE FAILURE AND THAT THE BRAKE PARTS SUPPLIED ON THE KIA APPARENTLY DO NOT CONTAIN ANY ANTI-CORROSIVE MATERIALS OF ANY TYPE AND THE INTENSE HEAT CAUSED MY BRAKE FLUID TO BECOME CONTAMINATED. FROM SERVICE ORDER: CUSTOMER STATES WHEN DRIVING SOMETIMES RIGHT AND LEFT WHEEL BREAKS GET VERY HOT; INSPECTED FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FOUND PADS ARE STUCK IN THE ANCHORS AND NEEDS SLIDE SERVICE WHILE PERFORMING SERVICE FOUND REAR PADS GOT SO HOT THEY ARE SEPARATING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED; PERFORMED FRONT AND REAR CALIPER SLIDE SERVICE AND REPLACED REAR PADS ALL WORKING AS INTENDED AT THIS TIME. FLUSH OLD FLUID FROM SYSTEM, CHECK LINKAGE AND HOSES, BLEED AIR FROM SYSTEM, ROAD TEST; PERFORMED BRAKE FLUID FLUSH AS NEEDED, FLUSH CONTAMINATED FLUID, INSTALLED FRESH FLUID AND BLED SYSTEM AS REQUIRED, ROAD TESTED OK *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10640975October 2, 2014SEAT BELTS
THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FREQUENTLY DOESN'T LATCH PROPERLY. IT CLICKS AS IF LATCHED, THEN COMES OUT WHEN THE SEAT BELT IS SLIGHTLY PULLED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10640520October 1, 2014VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
SEPTEMBER 24TH AT 6:30 A.M. TRAVELING AT 65MPH ON 91 FREEWAY. START TO SLOW AND THEN STOP FOR TRAFFIC. TRAFFIC STARTS TO SPEED UP AND MY VEHICLE GOES INTO ?LIMP MODE?. CAR REV METER GOES UP TO ABOUT 5, BUT CAR WILL NOT GO FASTER THAN APPROX. 35 MPH. THEN WITHIN 20 SECONDS CAR SURGES FORWARD AND REGAINS SPEED AND REV COUNTER DROPS TO NORMAL. TAKE CAR TO KIA DEALER ITS PLUGGED INTO THE COMPUTER. AT 3PM HE SAYS THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES. HE AND I TAKE IT FOR A TEST DRIVE FOR APPROX. 20 MILES AND IT DOES NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I ADVISE HIM THAT IT HAS DONE THIS TWICE BEFORE BUT ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS. OCTOBER 1 AT 6:40A.M I AM TRAVELING TO WORK ON THE 91 FREEWAY. I AM DOING 65 MPH AND START SLOWING DOWN TO APPROX. 20 MPH AS I PASS THE 55 INTERCHANGE. AGAIN TRAFFIC SPEEDS UP RAPIDLY. I AM IN THE MIDDLE LANE. I ACCELERATE AND IT GOES INTO ?LIMP MODE?. THE CAR WILL NOT GO FASTER THAN APPROX. 35/40 MILES PER HOUR. THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON. CARS ARE GOING PAST ME AS I AM IN A MIDDLE LANE AND I NEARLY GET REAR ENDED AS A CAR BEHIND ME DOES NOT REALIZE MY SPEED. I PULL INTO THE SLOW LANE JUST IN CASE I NEED TO PULL TO THE HARD SHOULDER. I CONTINUE SLOWLY 5 MILES TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY BY WORK. I NOTICE A BURNING SMELL. I GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND SMELL A VERY STRONG SMELL OF BURNING THAT SMELLS ALL OVER BUT APPEARS TO BE VERY MUCH STRONGER ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE AREA. I TURN THE ENGINE OFF. WHEN I TURN THE ENGINE BACK ON THERE IS NO WARNING INDICATOR ON. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10639468September 26, 2014ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2014, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING OUR 2014 KIA FORTE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE. AS SOON AS I PULLED THE CAR OVER TO THE SHOULDER, FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE HOOD. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. KIA CORPORATE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT HOWEVER, THEY DO NOT WANT TO INVESTIGATE. I NEED HELP! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- Yes
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10637271September 18, 2014AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE MOUTH, CHIN, LIP, AND SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION. THE CONTACT WAS HOSPITALIZED AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 1
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10633424September 15, 2014ENGINE
I DISCOVERED ALONG WITH OTHER KIA FORTE/K3 OWNERS THAT WHEN IT RAINS, WHETHER IT IS MODERATE OR HEAVY, MASSIVE WATER LEAKS INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND NOT MOVE AN INCH AND STILL I FOUND WATER ALL OVER THE ENGINE(AFTER RAINY DAY), BATTERY TERMINAL, FUSE CASE, AIR FILTER CASE, AND MAJORITY OF LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE ROOM AS WELL. DEALER TOLD NOT TO WORRY, BUT I'VE HAD MANY CARS IN THE PAST THAT NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS FLAW. I'M AFRAID THIS CAN LEAD TO MASSIVE ENGINE/RUST POSSIBLY FIRE FROM MASSIVE WATER DROPLETS AND HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ENGINE AND ALL KINDS OF CONNECTORS THAT IS EXPOSED AS A RESULT OF THIS. I PLEAD NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS CRITICAL AND DANGEROUS FLAW POSED BY KIA AND THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE SOLUTION OF IGNORING PASSENGER SAFETY. AS OF NOW, I STOPPED DRIVING IN THE RAIN, AND THIS IS EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT AS A WORKING COMMUTER. I WOULD FIRST TEST THE PART WHERE WINDOW WIPERS MEET AND POUR SOME WATER THERE, AND THEN I WOULD USE PRESSURE WASH TO JUST SPRAY THE HOOD AND YOU'LL FIND WHAT I MEAN. MODERATE RAIN SHOULD NOT CREATE THIS MUCH WATER LEAKS ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THANK YOU. BEST TO CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL IF NEEDED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10631521September 8, 2014UNKNOWN OR OTHER
A HUMMING SOUND / AND VIBRATION IS COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT & DOES NOT COINCIDE WITH ENGINE RPM. FASTER THE SPEED THE LOUDER IT GETS THE LOUDEST @ 45MPH. SOUND IS LIKE A SMALL MOTORCYCLE IT'S NEXT TO YOU. HAVE ALREADY ROTATED/BALANCED TIRES & DIDN'T HELP. IT IS ALMOST A TRANSMISSION WHINE BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE W/ SHIFTING OR WHEN IN NEUTRAL
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10630698September 4, 2014STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,500.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10630711September 4, 2014ENGINE
I PURCHASED THE CAR DECEMBER 2012; 2013 KIA FORTE EX. ABOUT A 9 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR, I WAS DRIVING AND THERE WAS A LOUD KNOCKING NOSE IN THE ENGINE AND ABOUT A HOUR LATER THE CAR STALLED ON ME IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO, CA. I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO SACRAMENTO KIA (2820 FULTON AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95821). AFTER THE CAR WAS DIAGNOSED THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, THEY SAID WHEN THE CAR WAS BUILT A FEW PARTS IN THE ENGINE WERE PUT IN INCORRECTLY WHICH CAUSED MY ENGINE TO BASICALLY OVER HEAT AND START TO FALL APART. SO THEY SAID THAT THEY WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE FREE OF CHARGE. AUGUST 17 2014 AWHILE AFTER THE NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN MY CAR, THE CAR STALLED ON ME AGAIN WITH THE SAME KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AT THE TIME I WAS ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 60MPH. AFTER THE CAR STALLED ON ME I COULD NOT GO ABOVE 30MPH NO MATTER HOW HARD I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL. I HAD TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY HOME ON THE FREEWAY WITH THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON GOING 30MPH. WHEN I GOT HOME I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SACRAMENTO KIA (2820 FULTON AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95821). IT TOOK THEM A FEW DAYS TO A WEEK FOR THEM TO CALL ME AND LET ME KNOW THE CAR WAS THERE. I CALLED TWICE EVERYDAY AND NEVER RECEIVED A CALL BACK WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE BUSY. I DID NOT RECEIVE A PHONE CALL UNTIL THEY CALLED ME THE THIRD WEEK AND SAID THEY ARE ORDERING PARTS FOR THE CAR. I DID NOT AUTHORIZE ANYONE TO ORDER PARTS FOR THE CAR BECAUSE I DID NOT FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. TWO DAYS AGO SEPTEMBER 2 2014 WAS THE DATE I FOUND OUT THAT I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED A YEAR AGO. SO THIS WOULD BE THE THIRD ENGINE FOR MY BRAND NEW 2013 KIA FORTE EX I PURCHASED A YEAR AGO. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10628745August 28, 2014ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2011 KIA FORTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INTERMITTENT ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO MERGE ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE WOULD DROP TO AN IDLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD JUMP FORWARD, WITH THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OF THE ACCELERATOR. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10628753August 27, 2014VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE CONTACT TO CRASHED INTO A LIGHT POST. THE VEHICLE THEN ACCELERATED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10627549August 22, 2014POWER TRAIN
A FEW MONTHS BACK MY SHIFTER (AUTOMATIC SHIFTER) BECAME SLUGGISH AND APPEARED TO TAKE MORE FORCE TO PULL BACK INTO DRIVE. WITHIN THE LAST MONTH THE VEHICLE NOW SLIPS OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL. I HAVE TO HOLD THE SHIFTER BACK INTO DRIVE (WITH FORCE NEEDED TO KEEP PULLING IT BACK AND MAINTAIN THE "D" FOR DRIVE ON THE ODOMETER). IF I AM DRIVING AND I TAKE MY HAND OFF OF THE SHIFTER, IT SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL. THIS IS CREATING AN UNSAFE SITUATION THAT HOPEFULLY IS NOT OCCURRING ON MANY OF THESE VEHICLES. THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT I HAVE MADE MY WAY INTO AN INTERSECTION AND HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE SLIP INTO NEUTRAL. IN ONE CASE I WAS LUCKY TO NOT GET HIT BY PULLING OUT TO GET INTO TRAFFIC AND HAVING IT SLIP INTO NEUTRAL.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10626778August 20, 2014WHEELS, TIRES
BLOWOUT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10619114August 5, 2014ENGINE
ON 2 OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN.THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN APRIL 2014.2ND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS AROUND JULY 29TH 2014. I FIRST REPORT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BACK IN MARCH WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A OIL CHANGE. THEY WOULD NOT PUT IT DOWN ON THE PAPER WORK TO LOOK AT IT SINCE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEN REPORTED IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS KIA. THE NEW DEALERSHIP DID PUT IT DOWN ON PAPERWORK. BUT SINCE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM,THEY WOULD NOT LOOK INTO IT FURTHER. ALSO HAVE REPORTED A ENGINE NOISE TO THE FIRST DEALERSHIP. THEY FIRST TOLD ME IT WAS A STANDARD NOISE. SO WE STARTED GETTING VIDEOS OF THE NOISE. THEY THEN SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE SAME DAY THAT WE PICKED THE CAR BACK UP FROM THE ENGINE BEING REPLACED WE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE CAR. SOME HOW THE RIGHT DRIVE AXLE GOT BROKE. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT WORK AROUND THAT AREA.SO THEN THAT MEANS THAT THEY COMMITTED FRAUD BY FALSIFYING DOCS WHEN THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE. 2 DAYS AFTER FINALLY GETTING THE CAR BACK THE ENGINE NOISE CAME BACK.NOW I GOT TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT LOOK AT THE CAR UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OR THE CAR COMES IN ON A TOW TRUCK. NOW THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE CAR JUST STALLING WHILE DRIVING? WHAT HAPPENS NOW IF WE GET INTO A ACCIDENT.THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. KIA NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR A CAR WITH LESS THAN 14,000 MILES ON IT TO JUST UP AND STALL. I AM TIRED OF HEARING EVERYTHING IS STANDARD. KIA IS FRAUD THEY DO NOT WANT TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY THAT THEY SELL. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10618494August 3, 2014WHEELS, TIRES
ON JULY 31, 2014 I WAS DRIVING 65MPH WHEN REAR PASSENGER TPMS SENSOR GAVE WAY CAUSING TIRE TO LOSE PRESSURE QUICKLY. THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE KICKED SIDEWAYS AND THEN BECAME HARD TO STEER. REAR TIRE WAS SHREDDED AND TIRE SENSOR IN PIECES. REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES TWICE SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE IN 2011 DUE TO TPMS INDICATOR LIGHT ON. FIRST TIME, ON NOV. 7, 2011 REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. TPMS LIGHT CONTINUALLY CAME ON AND HAD TO BE RESET BY TIRE SHOP. TIRES CUPPED SO BAD WE HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR AGAIN. SECOND TIME, ON OCT. 7, 2013 REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES AND TWO SENSORS FROM PREVIOUS FLAT TIRES. IN 2012 AND AGAIN IN 2013, A TPMS GAVE WAY CAUSING THE TIRE TO LOSE AIR QUICKLY. BOTH TIMES I WAS TOLD BY THE TIRE SHOP IT WAS AN ORIGINAL SENSOR THAT CAUSED THE TIRE TO GO FLAT. ONCE AGAIN THE TPMS LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS CONTINUALLY CHECKED AND RESET BY TIRE SHOP. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME AN ORIGINAL SENSOR HAS CAUSED A FLAT TIRE ON THIS VEHICLE AND THE THIRD SENSOR TO BE REPLACED. ONCE AGAIN, THE TPMS LIGHT IS ON AND THE TIRES ARE CUPPING. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10617182July 29, 2014STRUCTURE
MELTING DASHBOARD. UPDATED 7/29/2015*JS
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10616561July 26, 2014ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), SERVICE BRAKES, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
KIA FORTE EX 2014 ESC LIGHT CAME ON AND MY BRAKE LIGHTS WONT LIGHT UP WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS STIFF WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP. CHECKED ALL PLUGS AND BULBS AND THEY ALL ARE GOOD, CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND WILL TAKE ME IN ON MONDAY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10615195July 21, 2014SERVICE BRAKES
CAR BRAKE PEDAL WILL STICK AND NOT COME BACK UP. THIS HAS ALSO CAUSED TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TO COME ON. ONLY OCCURS WHEN IT IS RAINING OR A LITTLE COLD OUTSIDE. 2013 KIA FORTE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0