Your vehicle report
2015 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
- 262
- Received Nov 2014 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving36 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine knocking from rod or main bearings28 complaints · 11% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring17 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.
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: Jan 2020
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearingsFirst signal: Mar 2020
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 16 crashes, 20 fires, 11 people injured, 1 death.
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 18 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
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 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 43 |
| 2021 | 47 |
| 2022 | 36 |
| 2023 | 21 |
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2025 | 23 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 11 |
| Total | 262 |
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 | 36 | 14% | 12.8× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jan 2020 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 28 | 11% | 11.8× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Mar 2020 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.2% |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 17 | 6.5% | – | NHTSA recall #20V750000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 16 | 6.1% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 11 | 4.2% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 9 | 3.4% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 8 | 3.0% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 6 | 2.3% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 5 | 1.9% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 1.9% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 4 | 1.5% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 1.5% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 1.5% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 3 | 1.1% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 1.1% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 3 | 1.1% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 3 | 1.1% | – |
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.
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 2015 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