2012 Kia FORTE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Kia FORTE has 403 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (41% of all complaints), specifically: we were driving our 2012 kia forte ex (sedan) which we had purchased brand new in december 2011 to the store to get bread and were on our way home (only about 2 minutes into the drive) when we saw smoke coming from the front of the car. we pulled over within about 50 feet of seeing it, put it in par. ⚠️ 30 fire reports filed.

30 fire reports 28 crash reports 20 injuries

403

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

165 complaints

41%

• WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR
• 300 MILES AFTER COMPLAINING TO DEALER OF SLIPPING FLOOR MAT STOPPING BRAKING AND RANDOM HIGH ACCELERATION-A REAL ACCIDENT OCCURRED AGAINST A BARRIER IN A PARKING GARAGE. MATS FLIP FAR MORE THAT AUDI AND TOYOTA RECALLS. ENTIRE CAR DAMAGED BY PREVIOUS ACCELERATION(RANDOM) OR BRAKES NOT WORKING DUE TO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. DURING COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO EXCEED 2000 RPMS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 16 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

50 complaints

12%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE IGNITION AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, IT WOULD NOT RELEASE TO THE FLOORBOARD UNTIL REPEATED FORCE WAS APPLIED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY WER
• I WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY APPROX. 3 FEET WHEN THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARDS AT FULL RPM WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE GAS PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET THE CAR TO STOP WAS TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. IT WAS LIKE THE BRAKES WEREN'T WORKING AND THE THROTT
• 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

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE IGNITION AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, IT WOULD NOT RELEASE TO THE FLOORBOARD UNTIL REPEATED FORCE WAS APPLIED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY WER”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

36 complaints

• WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR
• 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 CAR GOT A FLAT TIRE WHILE TAKING A CURVE AND HIT A CONCRETE POLE. THE CAR WAS TOTAL LOSS AND ALL THE FRONT PART WAS SMASHED. THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG WAS THE ONLY TO DEPLOY BUT DID NOT DEPLOY ALL THE WAY, SIDE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOYED. DRIVER GOT A CLAVICLE FRACTURE. ....UPDATED 01/23/15 *BF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 15 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

32 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND PARKED, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING. THE VEHICLE STOPPING AFTER RUNNING FOR ONE FULL HOUR. THE CONTACT HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER HOWEVER, THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE WITH THE VEH
• I WAS PULLED OVER BY TRANSIT POLICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. IF THE PROBLEM FALLS TO THE WARRANTY THEY WILL DO IT, BUT I STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CHECK-UP. MY TAIL LIGHTS WORK, BUT MY BRAK
• MY 2012 KIA FORTE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY RACING, AND ACTING LIKE IT IS OUT OF GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. I ALSO GET PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS: I GET TOLD THAT THEY'RE OUT WHEN THEY AREN'T. I DO REGULAR MAINTENA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND PARKED, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING. THE VEHICLE STOPPING AFTER RUNNING FOR ONE FULL HOUR. THE CONTACT HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER HOWEVER, THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE WITH THE VEH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

LIGHTING

23 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES AND WITH EACH FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER. ON THE FOURTH
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE AS THE ESC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT BOTH TAIL LIGHTS ALSO FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRA
• I WAS PULLED OVER BY A [XXX] AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM LOOK AT IT. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT EXACT PROBLEM ON 2009-2010 MODELS BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE YET ON 2012 MODELS. MY TAIL LIGHTS WORK, BUT MY BRAKE LIGHTS DO N

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES AND WITH EACH FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER. ON THE FOURTH ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 403 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE IGNITION AND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, IT WOULD NOT RELEASE TO THE FLOORBOARD UNTIL REPEATED FORCE WAS APPLIED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY WER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND PARKED, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING. THE VEHICLE STOPPING AFTER RUNNING FOR ONE FULL HOUR. THE CONTACT HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER HOWEVER, THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND AN ISSUE WITH THE VEH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)