Your vehicle report
2014 Kia Forte
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 444
- Received Oct 2013 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving44 complaints · 9.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine knocking from rod or main bearings31 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Airbag warning light stays on29 complaints · 6.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #20V750000Kia 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.
- Recall #17V773000Kia 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Jul 2018
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 32 crashes, 36 fires, 29 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 23 |
| 2015 | 21 |
| 2016 | 12 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 42 |
| 2019 | 60 |
| 2020 | 49 |
| 2021 | 82 |
| 2022 | 38 |
| 2023 | 42 |
| 2024 | 21 |
| 2025 | 27 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 21 |
| Total | 444 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 44 | 9.9% | 4.8× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2018 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.3% |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 31 | 7.0% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 29 | 6.5% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 28 | 6.3% | 3.4× | NHTSA recall #20V750000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 18 | 4.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 17 | 3.8% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 14 | 3.1% | 8.7× | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 11 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 11 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 11 | 2.5% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 9 | 2.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 7 | 1.6% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 7 | 1.6% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 7 | 1.6% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 1.1% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 4 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 4 | 0.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #20V750000December 2, 2020294,756 vehicles affected
engine
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #17V773000December 1, 2017134,366 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #15V015000January 16, 201586,880 vehicles affected
electrical system
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2014 Kia Forte.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN