What 303 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Forte Koup

FATAL MVA INVOLVING FRONT-END COLLISION. AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER.

NHTSA ODI 11099038

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT'S SON WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUFFERED CONTUSIONS, A BRAIN INJURY, AND WAS IN A COMA FOR TWO WEEKS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11080341

DRIVING HOME ON CHRISTMAS DAY FROM MY PARENTS ON THE FREEWAY, HEARD A NOISE IN ENGINE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER. NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS SMOKING. THE CAR WOULDN'T TURN OFF AND MY HUSBAND GOT OUT AND UPON OPENING THE HOOD OF THE CAR NOTICED IT WAS IN FLAMES. HE IMMEDIATELY YELLED FOR US TO ALL GET OUT OF THE CAR. AS WE STARTED RUNNING THE ENTIRE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. THANKFULLY WE GOT OUT WHEN WE DID, HOWEVER ALL OF MY CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS GIFTS, ALL OF OUR BELONGINGS WEREN'T SO LUCKY. MY KIDS ARE TRAUMATIZED AND IN SHOCK. THE CAR ONLY HAD 40K MILES ON IT. RECENTLY HAD THE 35K SERVICE BY KIA AND NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. YET THEIR WARRANTY MEANT NOTHING. THEY WON'T EVEN INSPECT THE CAR YET THEY DETERMINED THAT IT ISN'T THEIR PROBLEM. HOW DOES A RELATIVELY NEW CAR JUST BURN UP ?!?! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10943968

I REAR-END A SUV AT 50 MILES PER HOUR, HIT MY NOSE AND MOUTH ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FRONT END IS SEVERELY DAMAGE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE, FLUIDS WERE LEAKING BUT NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 10845985

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AS HE WALKED OUTSIDE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WINDOWS WERE BLACK FROM THE RESIDUE OF THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF BEFORE THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

NHTSA ODI 10821478

THIS IS A CORRECTION TO A COMPLAINT FILED LAST WEEK. I CHECKED NO ON THE FATALITIES QUESTION. THE KIA WAS IN A SERIOUS FATAL FRONTAL IMPACT BUT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. KIA TESTED THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE AND IT HAD NO FAULT CODES AND DID NOT RECORD ANY CRASH DATA. KIA HAS THE MODULE NOW. THE OTHER CARS AIRBAGS WORKED AND THE DRUNK DRIVER SURVIVED...UPDATED 10/15/15 *BF ...UPDATED 12/29/15 *BF THE DATA SHOWED THAT THERE WERE NO STORED OR DIAGNOSTIC FAULT CODES. THERE WAS NO CRASH RECORD RECORDED BY THE ACU. UPDATED 4/18/18*JB *JS *JS

NHTSA ODI 10781341

THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS FRONTAL IMPACT AND THE FRONT SEAT AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. THE PASSENGER WAS KILLED AND THE DRIVER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. KIA WAS INFORMED AND THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO BE NOT WORKING.

NHTSA ODI 10781050

MY DAUGHTER WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS HIT FROM BEHIND CAUSING HER TO HIT THE TRUCK IN FRONT. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.............

NHTSA ODI 10705295

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 UPDATED 2/11/16 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10669052

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 VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 10637271

DRIVING IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT. MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO AN ALLEY. VEHICLE THEN RAPIDLY ACCELERATED THROUGH THE ALLEY AND THEN SMASHED INTO A TREE. CAN'T REMEMBER IF BRAKES WERE APPLIED OR NOT. IT ALL HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. KIA FORTE WAS TOTALED AND DRIVER WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH EXTENSIVE INJURIES (FOOT BROKEN, HAND BROKEN, VERTEBRAE DAMAGE) HOSPITALIZED APPROX. 5 DAYS AND NURSING HOME APPROX. 10 DAYS. LAST VISIT TO SURGEON FOR SMASHED FOOT (TO REMOVE METAL PINS) WAS IN APRIL OF 2013. ACCIDENT REPORT ON FILE WITH CAPE CORAL POLICE (AGENCY CASE NUMBER [XXX]) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10610525

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 MATS. THE PARKING GARAGE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 15 MPH AND SQUARE HEAD ON TO CEMENT BARRIER SEVERELY DAMAGING BUMPER, HOOD, FENDERS, GRILL, HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR ENGINE. I INJURED BOTH ARMS AND SKIN ABRASIONS ON CHEST-DUE TO AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING-SIMILAR TO RECENT RECALLS. DEALER RESPONSE WAS THAT FLOOR MATS ALWAYS GIVE AWAY FROM WEAR AND TEAR AT 17K MILES WITHOUT WARNING-CAUSING ME NEAR FATAL OTHER ACCIDENTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10606380

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 THROTTLE WAS STUCK. THIS "PROBLEM" CAUSED DAMAGE TO A SUPPORT BEAM OF A CARPORT CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND FALL ON A CAR PARKED UNDERNEATH. I KNOW THERE ARE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS SUCH AS THIS ON THIS EXACT CAR, WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN ANY INVESTIGATIONS AND/OR RECALLS ON THIS CAR? THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CAR. BY THE WAY, THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR AND NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10534939

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 VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED LATER AND THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAGS INDEPENDENTLY DEPLOYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE COATING AROUND THE WIRE NEAR THE EMERGENCY BRAKES HAD MELTED AND LEFT THE WIRES EXPOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ODI 10531617

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 PARK- WHICH BY THE TIME WE DID SO, WE LOST ALL POWER AND COULDN'T EVEN GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. WE GOT OUT AND MY BOYFRIEND TRIED TO POP THE HOOD BUT IT WAS ALREADY SO HOT HE COULDN'T DO IT... I RAN ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY FOR SAFETY REASONS, SO I AM NOT SURE WHERE IT STARTED, BUT WITHIN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, THE FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE SIDES AND FRONT OF THE HOOD. MY BOYFRIEND THINKS IT WAS ABOUT WHERE THE FUSE BOX IS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE HE NOTICED THE PAINT START TO BUBBLE OFF. HE IS A MECHANIC AND HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR, THROUGH THE DASH IS DISINTEGRATED. MY AIRBAGS MELTED AND POURED OUT OF THE DASH AND ROOF, UPHOLSTERY MELTED OFF THE SEATS, AND DOOR PANELS BUBBLED UP. ALL THE SPEAKERS BLEW AND MELTED. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, IF I HAD KIDS IN THE BACK OR COULDN'T HAVE PULLED OVER IN TIME, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS. I AM VERY THANKFUL IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON MY WAY TO WORK, AS I DRIVE IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER. I HAD NO ELECTRONIC MODIFICATIONS. IT WAS ENTIRELY STOCK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WINDOW TINT, EXHAUST, A LOWERING KIT, AND AFTERMARKET TIRES AND WHEELS--ALL WHICH WERE INSTALLED BY PROFESSIONALS. THE CAR HAD 8900 MILES ON IT AND ALL MAINTENANCE WORK HAD BEEN DONE. EVEN 3 OIL CHANGES- EVEN THOUGH KIA CLAIMS THE CAR CAN GO 7K WITHOUT ONE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO TREAT IT AS A TOTAL LOSS AND DO AN INVESTIGATION ON IT. KIA HAS A CASE GOING BUT HAVE NOT YET SENT AN ENGINEER OUT. *TR

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