This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Vehicle makes a loud ticking noise which seems to be the exact complaint of recall SC147. However, SC147 does not include the Forte. Vehicle has 104,000 miles and has had frequent oil changes conducted by a Kia dealer. All descriptions and videos online point to the rod bearing causing the ticking noise.
My engine has begun making a loud knocking sound and two mechanics have said the engine has a serious problem and needs to be replaced. The knocking started with normal use and regular oil changes. Started while idling and got louder with faster RPM
This engine has always had loud valves. Dealer says nothing to worry about when we bought it in 2012. At 121,000 miles, the engine has suddenly developed a solid knocking from deep within the engine - much like the same conditions that resulted in the optima, sportage, and sorrento engines being recalled. Kia claims there is no issue with Forte engines yet they exhibit the same knocking that ends with catastrophic engine failure due to premature bearing wear. When cold, my 2.0L gas engine clatters more than a diesel truck. Is it possible they are resisting adding the Forte due to the sheer number of those vehicles sold? dealer wants $109 per hour for diagnostics with no cap on hours spent. On the Kia forum I follow, there are people who have waited 3 months for a replacement engine. I'm not looking forward to spending more for a replacement engine than the vehicle is worth. Up until now, this has been a great vehicle. Solid, reliable, one I would jump into and drive 1200 miles on a trip without hesitation. We averaged 38 mpg making trips from NY to fl and back. Now I'm scared to even move it in the driveway. It's just sad that Kia appears to have dropped the ball like this.
My engine started making ticking noises around 60,000 miles. I was told by more than one person that it was just noisy lifters, so I ignored it. Now, at just over 100,000 miles my new mechanic recommended I get it looked at. Kia told me my engine needs replaced and it will cost $6000. The car isn't even worth that much. I always kept up on my maintenance because the salesman when I bought the care told me that if I took care of it, I could expect 300,000+ miles out of it. What a lie. I'm going to continue driving the car in hopes that they do the right thing and expand their recall. Hopefully before I go up in flames.
My engine has begun making a loud knocking sound and two mechanics have said the engine has a serious problem and needs to be replaced. The knocking started with normal use and regular oil changes. Started while idling and got louder with faster RPM
- Naperville, IL, USA
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We have a 2012 Kia Forte that we bought new. Only has 44,000 miles on it. We take care of it and don't drive it into the ground. 2 months ago, engine started making noises, and car started stalling. Check engine light came on and we managed to get it to the shop, where oil and engine were checked. Everything seemed ok, no main reason found as to why. Some more oil was added and were told to drive it to reset everything and the engine light would go off. 2 months, 2 oil changes/tune ups and engine light will not come off. Last week, as we're leaving for my kids birthday party, car keep stalling out when we try to put it into drive. Had it towed to dealer where he says we'll need a new engine. Now we're trying to get Kia to pay for the engine, and we still can't get an answer as to what is causing this. On another note, this is the second Kia engine we've had to get. Our 2015 Kia sorento had to have the engine replaced last summer (when it was only 3 years old). Really wondering why the Forte wasn't included in the engine recall, seems like a lot of people are dealing with this.
Kia fire: I was driving about 20 miles and was stopped at a stop light at a major intersection when the car started to make a knocking sound and then stalled out. I tried to restart the car, which restarted, then immediately stalled out again. Traffic behind me got out of their cars to tell me the car was on fire, but I couldn't see it because it was underneath the hood and smoke was coming from the bottom of the car. 2 other drivers got myself and my daughter out of the car, while another driver used a rag to open the hood and spray the engine block with an extinguisher. My daughter and I didn't sustain any injuries, but did inhale some smoke. The car was inoperable at this point and had to be towed while we waited on a ride. The car was towed to the Kia dealership where they took the engine apart to try to investigate the issue. They were unsure what caused the fire, but the wiring harness seemed to be melted, along with other belts in the engine bay. I had to file this as a claim under insurance, the total damages were above $4500 and my car was out of commission for 3 months.
My son was driving our 2012 Kia Forte down the highway. We bought this car from Kia dealer about 11 months ago with ~115,500 and it now only has ~118,100 miles on it. So we only drove it less than 3000 miles over the last one year. While he was traveling down the highway, he started hearing a clanking noise and then the car stopped and would not drive any longer. He said no engine warning light ever came on. Only his oil maintenance light had come on right before it occurred. He checked the oil on the side of the road and the oil was fine and still had approximately 2000 life miles remaining on it. We had it towed to a mechanic that inspected the car and he said the engine is seized up. But, he says sees no maintenance related reason for why this engine has seized up like it has. I did some checking online to see if there were any issues reported for this. We found there was a recall by Hyundai and Kia for an issue that sounds exactly the same as what occurred to our engine. I believe this car has the same engine or at least has the same issue as the other engines, which are same year models, but different make. I believe the 2012 Kia Forte has the exact issue as the other multiple recalled models I would like to have the same diligence done for this model to see if the same issue has occurred with our engine. There are multiple Forte owners that have also had this complaint.
I heard knocking in the engine at approx 132,000 mi which got worse progressively. The same 2.4 liter engine that was recalled in the optima. There should be recall on the Forte 2.4 engine as well.
I bought my 2012 Kia Forte back in 2015 with approx. 40K miles on and this last summer of 2017 the vechile would not start after returning home from work one evening. I drove it just fine to work and when I got home and shut off the engine, it would not start again. After towing it to a mechanic I was informed that the engine would need to be replaced. As this is the same engine that is in the optima and sportage that have recalls on their engines, I do not understand why the Forte is not included in this as well.
Takata recall car started to make noises. Then after getting it checked out I was told the car needed a whole new engine! it is only 6 years old. Bought used from a dealer in 2013. Engine died on the way home still have a loan and can't even drive it!!!! saw multiple peoples complaints online for same problem! when will I have a recall to drive a car that I am still paying for. The car was in motion and going straight on a state road when this accured. Speed limit on state road I was on is 50 when the engine started pinging electrical went off then motor stopped. This caused us to have to push vehicle off to side of road.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. While driving 20 mph, the vehicle turned off completely. The failure caused the lighting and steering to become inoperable. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic and then towed to van syckle Kia (729 hogan rd, bangor, me 04401) where it was diagnosed that the engine was blown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 76,000.
Made a turn at approx 12 mph. Car bumped into neutral when groceries tipped over. Heater, radio, and engine all quit. Could not be restarted, vehicle had zero power. Stranded in intersection. Towed to repair, informed engine had seized due to over-revving in neutral. Had zero power, could not over-rev. Kia and warranty company refusing any responsibility or coverage. Being told it needs a new engine and a new starter. Estimated repair $8500, more than twice bluebook value. I see after research this is a common problem with Kia vehicles of this era. Approx. 83000 miles, all service up to date. I notice on the aul report the amount of wear on the engine, and the description of the damage using words like "heavily scored and worn to copper backing." I find it hard to believe this kind of damage could have been done in the minute or so the car was in neutral, especially since driver was aware of what had happened. (she saw the groceries tip over and hit the shifter).
At 70,000 miles the engine started knocking at cold start up and continuing to get worse. Oil has been changed every 5,000 to 7,000 as Kia recommends. I have contacted Kia about this issue and they said my engine is not a recall. I read NHTSA is leading the Kia recall but not sure if that's actual fact or not. What I hope for is that more investigation goes into the regular 2.0 engine that's in my car. I read Kia has a 2.0 turbo recall and don't understand what the turbo part is about since it's an external part of the engine. I have all maintenance records of oil changes until I purchased the car in the 43,000 miles range from my original lease. I then recorded every oil change done but don't have the receipts. I do all my own work now because I don't trust Kia and if one tries to call them it's impossible to talk to anyone. I'm actually not sure how much longer my car will run but I'm not willing to trade it in and send this issue onto someone else like Kia is doing to it's customers. I'm not exactly sure what will happen if the engine fails when I'm driving it but I now have it documented. At some point I'll have to replace the engine and really don't feel I should be responsible since I have followed Kia's maintenance requirements. I'm not sure if NHTSA can help my issue but I don't know who to turn to. I thank you for your time and hope you all have a wonderful day sincerely [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Airbag light came on right after hitting 108K miles. Car has not been in amy accident. No airbags have ever deployed. The light just came on and will not go off.also car makes humming sound while idling with the foot off the gas. Bought car brand new and I'm being informed that other models that are having this issue are being recalled.
I was driving the car for about 2 days and the engine oil light came on with some noise, and noise started to get louder and louder, I stopped the engine and I had to take the engine apart to see inside to see what was going on, I found metal debris from the engine in the oil ban and cylinder #2 and # 4 rod bearing worn out, and from what I read about the Hyundai problem, all Hyundai under recall for the same problem, I dont know how come Kia no recall so far and this is the same engine installed on Hyundai.
This car has been well maintained by dealership. Engine began making a tapping noise inside, and dealership told wife it was normal. This last time I took car in, and find out that engine needs to be replaced. Same engine being recalled on other vehicles, but not on my year of car. Not the first person to report this issue.
Knocking in engine caused by thrown rod bearing. I was driving down the highway in cruise when vehicle started knocking. No warning lights or anything before or after! was changing oil regularly
. I was driving on the freeway on my way to work going about 65 mph when I started a hearing a knocking sounds. At first it wasnt that loud I only had a few miles to get to work so I thought I could make it but then the sound got really loud. I pulled of the freeway and parked it at a friends house and he took me to work. So I go back the next day to try to figure out what was wrong with it I checked the oil to see if it was low it was ok. I had just done a oil change about 2 weeks before I tried to turn it on but the car wouldn't crank at all. I had it towed to a shop and the mechanic looked at it and told me that I would a new engine. This is a 2012 Kia Forte with around 80xxx miles on it and now it needs a new engine. I have a 2001 Ford Focus with 190*** miles on it and the only thing I've had to fix on it was the clutch the went out 2 years ago. I'm still paying this car off and I can't even drive it. I'm looking around online and this seems to be a common problem, people just driving and then they hear a knocking sound and then the engine goes out. I took really good care of this car I went above and beyond to make sure that this car would last long yet it didn't matter. Even finding a good engine is hard to do so and expensive when I thought I had one the seller took it apart to see if the engine is worthy of selling it with his warranty promise. He gave me back my money because the engine I bought from him was no good and he didn't want to sell me a a possible faulty engine.
Vehicle purchased used from Kia dealership claiming it was well maintained, one owner, with 60,000 miles. At 65,000 miles, engine started making ticking noise in sync with engine speed. Oil change did not quiet the noise. Dealership diagnosed as "internal" problem, requiring engine replacement.
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- Lowell, MA, USA