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2014 Kia Forte

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forte years

Owner complaints for the 2014 Kia Forte are substantially higher than the model-year median of 141.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

262 reports with mileage · 178 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 214 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

32 crash reports36 fire reports23 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

50 reports
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87,000 miles · May 8, 2021
EngineUnknown Or Other

THIS HAPPENED BACK IN JUNE OF 2019. I LEFT WORK NORMALLY AND NOT EVEN 2 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD, MY CAR STARTED STRUGGLING TO MOVE FORWARD. IT WAS BUCKING AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE, BUT STILL TRYING TO GO FORWARD. THEN SUDDENLY IT STARTED MAKING A VERY LOUD TAPPING NOISE, STILL BUCKING AND THEN A LARGE POP AND THE CAR STOPPED MOV…

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THIS HAPPENED BACK IN JUNE OF 2019. I LEFT WORK NORMALLY AND NOT EVEN 2 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD, MY CAR STARTED STRUGGLING TO MOVE FORWARD. IT WAS BUCKING AND COULD NOT ACCELERATE, BUT STILL TRYING TO GO FORWARD. THEN SUDDENLY IT STARTED MAKING A VERY LOUD TAPPING NOISE, STILL BUCKING AND THEN A LARGE POP AND THE CAR STOPPED MOVING SINCE IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THIS ALL HAPPENED WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS. SMOKE STARTED SEEPING OUT OF THE HOOD OF MY CAR. I HAD NO LIGHTS ON IN MY CAR ON MY DASHBOARD. I ALWAYS HAD FREE REGULAR MAINTENANCE(OIL ETC.) DONE AT MY KIA DEALERSHIP. I OBVIOUSLY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AND GOT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD LOOK AT IT IN THE MORNING. THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY, BUT MY ENTIRE ENGINE HAD JUST BLOWN OUT FOR NO REASON. MY CAR WAS ONLY AT 87,000 MILES AND IT WAS JUST TOTALLED. I WASN'T WORRIED INITIALLY BECAUSE I PAID EXTRA FOR THE WARRANTY TO FIX ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS LIKE THIS, HOWEVER I CAME TO FIND OUT THE WARRANTY REFUSED TO COVER THE ENTIRE COST TO REPLACE THE PRICE OF A NEW ENGINE IN MY VEHICLE AND ON TOP OF THAT, WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW IT KILLED THE COMPUTER IN MY CAR, AND THE DEALERSHIP ALSO STRONGLY ADVISED I REPLACED SEVERAL OTHER THINGS ON THE VEHICLE. I'D HAVE TO PULL OUT MY RECEIPTS TO GIVE YOU ALL AN EXACT AMOUNT BUT WE PAID AT LEAST $5,000 - $10,000 OUT OF POCKET FOR THE ENGINE AND COMPUTER ALONE. TODAY IS MAY 8TH, 2021, ALMOST 2 YEARS LATER AND I JUST HAPPENED TO BE ON KELLEY BLUE BOOK TRYING TO SEE WHAT I CAN SELL MY GARBAGE KIA FOR. I HAPPENED TO ENTER MY VIN INTO THE RECALL CHECKER AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EYES, ENGINE RECALL ISSUED LATE 2020. I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED BY ANYBODY ABOUT THIS AND PROBABLY WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD SEEMING AS THEY ALREADY BASICALLY STOLE MY MONEY FROM ME 2 YEARS AGO. I AM REALLY HOPING YOU CAN HELP ME RESOLVE THIS AND MORE THAN HAPPY TO PROVIDE ANYTHING YOU NEED.

NHTSA ODI #11415626

120,000 miles · Apr 11, 2021
EngineService BrakesUnknown Or Other

MY CAR SHAKES WHEN YOU HIT THE BRAKES//DOESNT DRIVE SMOOTH AT ALL. SOMEHOW THE OIL LEAKS THROUGH THE RINGS IN THE ENGINE AND I CANNOT KEEP OIL IN IT. I REFILL THE WHOLE OIL CONTAINER AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH NOW AND PUT OIL STABILIZER IN IT. IF I GET AN OIL CHANGE, IT IS EMPTY THE NEXT WEEK.

NHTSA ODI #11407470

98,900 miles · Feb 25, 2021
Air BagsUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

THE KIA WAS MOVING INTO THE CITY INTERSECTION AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED WHEN A CHEVY BLAZER TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60+ MPH HIT THE KIA, WITHOUT BREAKING AND RIPPED THE WHOLE FRONT END OFF. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THIS RESULTED IN INJURIES.*DT*JB

NHTSA ODI #11397828

131,700 miles · Jan 27, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

PURCHASED ON JUNE 27 2019. 3 WEEKS LATER I STOPPED BY DEALERSHIP FOR ASSISTANCE IT'S BEEN A NIGHTMARE SINCE. CAR HAD BEEN CONSUMING OIL AND I'VE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR REPAIRS. JUST HAD MASTER MECHANIC REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND IT'S ALREADY PLUGGED. KAY ON BOTH ACCOUNTS ASSURED ME NOTHING WRONG, NICE CAR HAS 23 B…

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PURCHASED ON JUNE 27 2019. 3 WEEKS LATER I STOPPED BY DEALERSHIP FOR ASSISTANCE IT'S BEEN A NIGHTMARE SINCE. CAR HAD BEEN CONSUMING OIL AND I'VE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR REPAIRS. JUST HAD MASTER MECHANIC REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND IT'S ALREADY PLUGGED. KAY ON BOTH ACCOUNTS ASSURED ME NOTHING WRONG, NICE CAR HAS 23 BRAINS IT'S THE ECHO DRIVE. ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS AND NO ONE CAN GET A CODE READING, NO ONE BUT KIA. BOTH SERVICE REP, TYLER AND KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AGENT, DEAN THOUGHT I WAS, AND REFERRED TO ME AS WHARTON WHOM PURCHASED THE CAR 2014 AND HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS ACCORDING TO THESE INDIVIDUAL THAT THOUGHT I WAS THERE FOR SAME REASON. DEAN FROM KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME DURING A PHONE CONVERSATION DEC 2020, AND VERIFYING MY VIN NUMBER THAT MY VERTICAL WAS IN FACT ON RECALL LIST. I CALL JAN 20TH 2021 AND TOLD I WAS NOT AND CASE WAS CLOSED DUE TO I BEING INFORMED OF RECALL TO WHICH I CALLED AFTER SEEING ARRIVAL ON LINE. I'M ADVISED TO GO ON YOUR WEBSITE WITH MY VIN NUMBER AND FIND OUT IF I'M PART OF RECALL. I AM NOT. WHY????. THIS CAR OBVIOUSLY IS DEFECTIVE IF I'M THOUGHT TO BE SHANNON TRYING TO TAKE KIA FOR A RIDE AND I'M THE 3RD OWNER WITH SAME PROBLEM AS PRIOR OWNERS. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE. I'VE TURNED TO KIA TO BEGIN WITH AND PAID FOR COMPRESSION TESTS, REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVER 1000.00 DOLLARS AND IT NEEDS REPLACING AGAIN DUE TO OIL CONSUMPTION. FACT IS I WAS SOLD A CAR WITH ENGINE PROBLEMS AND HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR END DUE TO POWER LOSS, LIMP MODE TYLER CALLED IT... IT'S NOT SAFE. WHAT CAN I DO NOW I KNOW I'M OUT 9000.00 DOLLARS ON THIS CAR ON MY SSDI PAY. MUCH MORE DETAILS DOCUMENTED WHO WHAT WHEN HERE AND WHAT WAS SAID. TIMES AND DATES FOR ENTIRE DURATION OF EVENTS STARTING WITH KIRA AT RON BOUCHARDS IN FITCHBURG MASS JULY OF 2019 AND OCT 2020.*DT CONSUMER STATED SHE WOULD LIKE THE COMPLAINT TO BE REMOVED FROM PUBLIC VIEWING.*JB*DT CONSUMER STATED KIA HAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH OIL LEAK IS RECALLED AND WILL NOT MAKE A RECALL APPOINTMENT.*JB

NHTSA ODI #11390262

93,000 miles · Oct 27, 2020
Unknown Or Other

I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHERE THE EMISSION LEAK IS IN MY CAR. I HAVE ONE AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A RECALL OR WHERE IT IS AT OR HOW MUCH IT WILL COST THE REPAIR MAY COST. I HAVE 93 THOUSAND MILES AWAY N IT, AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE GAS CAP CHANGE 2 WEEKS AGO ON MY VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS,SO I WON'T BE TAKING ADVANTA…

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I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHERE THE EMISSION LEAK IS IN MY CAR. I HAVE ONE AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS A RECALL OR WHERE IT IS AT OR HOW MUCH IT WILL COST THE REPAIR MAY COST. I HAVE 93 THOUSAND MILES AWAY N IT, AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE GAS CAP CHANGE 2 WEEKS AGO ON MY VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS,SO I WON'T BE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #11366584

155,000 miles · Oct 17, 2020
Service BrakesUnknown Or Other

GOOD DAY, I OWN A 2014 KIA FORTE EX . THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM GALEANA CHRYSLER JEEP KIA DEALERSHIP LOCATED AT (180 GREYSTONE BLVD. COLUMBIA, SC 29210). THE REASON FOR THIS LETTER IS TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE REGARDING THE KIA FIRE RECALL ARTICLE THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE FORTE MODEL WITHIN THE YEARS SPECIFIED. UPON …

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GOOD DAY, I OWN A 2014 KIA FORTE EX . THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM GALEANA CHRYSLER JEEP KIA DEALERSHIP LOCATED AT (180 GREYSTONE BLVD. COLUMBIA, SC 29210). THE REASON FOR THIS LETTER IS TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE REGARDING THE KIA FIRE RECALL ARTICLE THAT DID NOT INCLUDE THE FORTE MODEL WITHIN THE YEARS SPECIFIED. UPON VEHICLE INSPECTION FROM JT'S KIA DEALERSHIP (THE ABS SYSTEM HAS A LEAKAGE ON THE FIRE WALL SIDE. FOUND THE HECU/ BRAKE MODULE HAS STARTED TO FAIL AND IS LEAKING.) PROOF OF INFORMATION WILL BE IN ATTACHMENTS. THIS 2014 KIA FORTE EX IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. DURING THIS TIME WE HOPE YOU TAKE CONSIDERATION IN LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND RISKY FOR MY FAMILY AND I. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.

NHTSA ODI #11364778

75,000 miles · Aug 17, 2020
Unknown Or Other

MY ANTENNA SHARK FIN FELL OFF MY CAR WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY IT DID NOT HIT A VEHICLE BEHIND ME; HOWEVER, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO SOMEONE ELSE HAD IT HIT THEM OR THEIR WINDSHIELD. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11349931

117,572 miles · Mar 2, 2020
Unknown Or OtherFire

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE GOING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. SMOKE WAS NOTICED FIRST AND THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT WHICH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS EXITED AND FLAMES BEGAN CONSUMING THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11315635

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2020
Unknown Or OtherCrash

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND GEICO CAN COMMUNICATE THIS. MY VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE ACCIDENT. IN 2018 I TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE MANUFACTURER CONCERNING THE RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #11302988

Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2020
Air BagsSteeringUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

AIRBAG LIGHT FOR PASSENGER COMES ON AND OFF WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE DRIVER IS ON NOW, AS WELL AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. THE STEERING WHEEL KNOCKS WHEN THE CAR IS MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN AND THE HORN HAS NOW STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE SOMETHING IS IN THE WAY AND WON'T ALLOW THE PRESSURE…

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AIRBAG LIGHT FOR PASSENGER COMES ON AND OFF WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER SITTING IN THE SEAT. AIRBAG LIGHT FOR THE DRIVER IS ON NOW, AS WELL AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. THE STEERING WHEEL KNOCKS WHEN THE CAR IS MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN AND THE HORN HAS NOW STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE SOMETHING IS IN THE WAY AND WON'T ALLOW THE PRESSURE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. WE HAVE REPLACED BULBS FOR THE TAIL LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR. THIS CAN'T BE NORMAL! WE NOW KEEP BULBS IN THE CAR TO BE PREPARED TO REPLACE AT ANY TIME. WAS INVOLVED IN A WRECK, WHERE A TRUCK RAN THE RED LIGHT AND HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THIS IS TROUBLING AND EXTREMELY UNSAFE.

NHTSA ODI #11298870

Official recalls

3

20V750000 · Engine

Dec 2, 2020

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.

17V773000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages

Dec 1, 2017

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Forte and Forte Koup vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously. It can also allow the shift lever to be moved without depressing the brake pedal, or activate the engine management brake pedal override feature.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing accurate communication to following vehicles that the vehicle is slowing or stopping. Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 30, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC158.

15V015000 · Electrical System

Jan 16, 2015

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014 Kia Forte vehicles manufactured December 5, 2012, to April 17, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the cooling fan resistor may overheat and melt.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the cooling fan resistor overheats and melts, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and for vehicles produced from December 5, 2012 to January 27, 2014, dealers will replace the cooling fan resistor and multi-fuse unit. For vehicles produced from January 28, 2014 to April 17, 2014, dealers will replace the multi-fuse unit only. Owners of vehicles with a 1.8L engine will also have the engine control unit software updated. The recall began on February 20, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC113.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA21003 · Engine Fires

Opened Dec 22, 2021 · Closed Feb 5, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles.  During the PE investigations, Hyundai and Kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types.  The remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement.  Additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modification known as Knock Sensor Detection Software (KSDS) which is intended to detect impending engine failure, alert the driver, and limit engine power (to lessen likelihood of engine failure).KSDS is being installed under recalls and non-safety field actions, and both companies have extended limited engine warranties (see recall files). On December 22, 2021, ODI upgraded PE19-003 and PE19-004 to this Engineering Analysis (EA21-003, covering both Hyundai and Kia) to evaluate the scope of the prior recalls related to engine failures/fires and the efficacy of the recall remedies for the recalls, as well as the long-term viability of related programs and non-safety field actions being conducted by Hyundai and Kia.  The former issue involved approximately 550,000 MY 2013 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2011 Kia Sorento, and MY 2012-2015 Kia Rio.  The latter issue involved approximately 2.5 million recalled vehicles, which have been identified as displaying potential remedy concerns: Hyundai recalls 15V-568, 17V-226, 20V-746, and 21V-727; and Kia recalls 17V-224, 19V-120, 20V-750, and 21V-844. Regarding the recall scope issue, among all of the scope vehicles identified at EA opening, ODI found only the MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with both the Theta II 2.4L 4-cylinder Multi-Point Injection (MPI) and the Lambda II 3.5L 6-cylinder MPI engines experienced relatively high rates of reported fires.  In December 2023, Kia issued recall 23V-877 that will cover about 80,000 MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with the Theta II 2.4L MPI engines.  The remedy will involve an inspection, and if necessary, a replacement of the engine, as well as the installation of KSDS.  It should be noted that in 2021 these vehicles were included in a KSDS product improvement campaign with warranty extension.  For the MY 2011 Sorento vehicles equipped with the Lambda II 3.5L engines, ODI believes that future engine failures/fires involving these vehicles will likely be due to a lax in adhering to the proper or scheduled engine maintenance (regular engine oil changes), rather than a design or manufacturing engine issue. Regarding the issue of the efficacy of the recall remedies, ODI found the majority of the recalled Hyundai and Kia vehicles, by model, experienced lower reported fire rates after the remedies were applied.  Furthermore, ODI found that for most vehicles that did not receive the recall remedies, by model, experienced relatively high fire rates.  To address this problem, Hyundai informed ODI in December 2023, that it will renotify all of its owners covered by the Hyundai recalls of engine failures/fires every 8 months for the next 3 years.  In December 2023, Kia stated that it will renotify the majority of its owners every 8 months for the next 3 years.Several previously recalled Kia models are excluded from the renotification due to their lower reported rates of engine fires.  Overall, the renotification actions will help to increase the recall completion rates, thus reduce the frequency of engine fires in the future. In view of the recall action being taken by Kia and renotification actions being taken by both Kia and Hyundai, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis.  Also, both companies have been released from the 2020-iniated Consent Orders (Kia since November 2022 and Hyundai since November 2023).  The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.  To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.