Home · 2011 Kia Forte Koup · Complaints

What 160 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Forte Koup

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (160)Crash / fire / injury (39)Engine (48)Airbags (36)Brakes (27)Transmission & drivetrain (19)Electrical system (16)Speed control (12)Body & structure (8)Lights (8)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (6)Seat belts (6)

8 of 160 complaints match · Body & structure · clear filters

Jun 30, 2025Body & structure

Took the car to a mechanic for suspension work. While the Forte was on the lift, it was discovered that the condensation from the air-conditioning unit drops directly on the car's subframe. This is on the right passenger side under the motor which could give way at anytime. There are no known decals for the issue and to have the subframe "replaced" is equal to our more than what the car is worth. Additionally, mine was effected by the anti theft issues where 2 attempts to steal the car were mad. Various Kia events to install the anti theft updates have insisted that my model is not part of recall, yet.... Based on the years effected and the impact, it was a part. So 2 issued that don't fit the recall or have no recall supposedly.

NHTSA ODI 11670404

Feb 15, 2024Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire

I was driving and the car caught on fire.

NHTSA ODI 11572205

Mar 25, 2021AirbagsBody & structureCrash2 injuries

I WAS IN MOTION, TURNING LEFT FROM 13TH STREET NORFOLK NE, INTO THE GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO MY DRIVERS SIDE AND REAR DOOR DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE. MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WAS UNABLE TO OPEN, AND THE FRAME BETWEEN BOTH DOOR WAS DENTED IN.*DT

NHTSA ODI 11404931

Mar 5, 2021Electrical systemAirbagsBody & structure

HAD FRONT COLLISION AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT ISSUE RECALL NOTICE LETTER FROM KIA I NEVER RECEIVED A FOLLOW UP NOTICE TO FIX.

NHTSA ODI 11399300

Apr 11, 2018AirbagsBody & structureCrash2 injuries

I WAS HIT HEAD-ON AT 65MPH AND MY AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. IT HAS CAUSED ME HORRIBLE INJURIES INCLUDING A CERVICAL NECK FUSION, BILATERAL SACROILIAC JOINT FUSIONS, NECESSITY OF A TOTAL HYSTERECTOMY DUE TO MY UTERUS & FELOPIAN TUBES PERFORATING, GASTRIC ADHESIONS AND A TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT. I HOLD KIA RESPONSIBLE. I HAD CONFIDENCE THAT I WOULD BE SAFE IN MY 2011 KIA FORTE. I LOST MY VERY ESSENCE OF BEING A WOMAN BECAUSE MY AIRBAGS FAILED AFTER BEING CLOBBERED HEAD-ON BY A FULL-SIZE PICK-UP TRUCK. MOST FRUSTRATING IS THE CONSTANT PAIN AND SUFFERING, ADDED TO MY ALREADY A 100% DISABLED NAVY VETERAN.

NHTSA ODI 11084652

Mar 17, 2018LightsAirbagsBody & structureCrash1 injury

TRAVELING 45 TO 55 MPH RAN INTO FOUR LARGE DEERS AND RAN OFF ROAD. DAMAGE FRONT OF CAR. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON BUT DID NOT FLATE. I SUBSTAIN SEVERE SHOULDER INJURY.

NHTSA ODI 11079973

Sep 21, 2016Body & structureEngineVisibility & wipersFire

WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT ALONG AN INTERSTATE WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL SET TO THE SPEED LIMIT, A LOUD BANG CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF MY KIA, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR TURNED ON, AND SMOKE BEGAN TO POUR OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND INSIDE MY CAR THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. WHEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL GENTLY, THERE WAS A LOW GUTTURAL NOISE AND MY CAR WAS NOT PICKING UP SPEED. I PUT MY CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND COASTED TO THE SHOULDER WITH LOW VISIBILITY AS THE SMOKE BECAME MORE DENSE AND DARKER IN COLOR. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO A FULL STOP ON THE SHOULDER AND PUT IT INTO PARK BEFORE TURNING IT OFF AND REMOVING MY KEY FROM THE IGNITION. UPON EXITING THE CAR I NOTICED THE SMOKE WAS EVEN MORE INTENSE THAN BEFORE AND PROMPTLY CALLED 911 AND GAVE MY LOCATION AND SITUATION INFORMATION TO THE 911 REPRESENTATIVE. AS I WAS SPEAKING, I NARRATED IN HORROR AS FLAMES BECAME VISIBLE FROM UNDER THE CAR ITSELF AND UNDER THE HOOD AS WELL, IN AS LITTLE AS ONE MINUTE AFTER EXITING MY CAR. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT TO THE VEHICLE, THE FLAMES WERE OVER 20 FEET TALL AND THE HEAT WAS UNBEARABLE; I RELOCATED MYSELF FARTHER AND FARTHER AWAY TO STAY COOL AND SAFE AS THE TIME WENT ON. NOBODY WAS BURNED, HURT, OR INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT, BUT ONLY MY MERE COINCIDENCE.

NHTSA ODI 10908482

Jun 25, 2011Body & structure1 injury

MY MOTHER PURCHASED A NEW KIA FORTE A FEW DAYS AGO. CAME HOME FROM FOOD SHOPPING OPENED THE TRUNK TO TAKE OUT HER GROCERIES. SHE BENT OVER REACHED IN THE TRUNK TO REMOVE A BAG AND THE TRUNK SLAMMED DOWN ON THE BACK OF HER NECK CAUSING SEVERE BRUISING. I WENT OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG . THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I RAISED THE TRUNK AND LET GO IT SLAMMED DOWN. I WAS WITH HER WHEN SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THE TRUNK STAYED OPEN BY ITSELF . WE COULD NOT FIND ANY VISIBLE REASON WHY THIS HAD HAPPENED. I THEN MOVED THE VEHICLE UP AND PARKED IT UNDER THE CARPORT AND WAS GOING TO TAKE OUT THE REST OF THE GROCERIES. THE TRUNK STAYED OPEN THIS TIME AND DID NOT SLAM SHUT BY ITSELF. THE DIFFERENCE WAS THAT NOW THE CAR WAS PARKED ON A LEVEL SURFACE, BEFORE IT WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE IN THE DRIVEWAY. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. MY MOTHER IS 85 YEARS OLD AND SMALL IN STATURE.. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE SHE PURCHASED A CAR THAT SHE FELT COMFORTABLE AND SAFE IN. I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE NEEDED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT AN INJURY OCCURRING WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. HER DOCTOR WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND SHE DID NOT WANT TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. I TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE BRUISING AND SWELLING ON HER NECK AND SHE HAS HAD A HEADACHE AND PAIN. SHE WILL SEE HER DOCTOR ON MONDAY, AND I WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT EXAMINED. SHE IS LUCKY THAT THE TRUNK DIDN'T SLAM ON HER HEAD AND KILL HER. I DO HOPE THIS WILL BE INVESTIGATED AND THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL BE INJURED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10408870

Working with the data? Download all 160 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Kia Forte Koup verdict →