What 303 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Forte Koup

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WAS LOOSE AND AN ABNORMAL CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA AUTO SPORT (6637 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505, (850) 457-7772), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,701.

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THE STEREO WIRES MELTED AND STARTED A FIRE IN THE DASHBOARD. FIRE WAS PUT OUT. STEREO IS DAMAGED.

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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.

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MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON IN THE CAR. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER FOR ON JANUARY 10 2019 FOR A RECALL 18V363 WHICH THEY COMPLETED. ON SATURDAY FEB 2, I WAS RUNNING ERRANDS. WHEN I LEFT ONE OF THE STORES, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN MY CAR AND STAY ILLUMINATED. IT HAS BEEN ON AND OFF (MOSTLY ON) INTERMITTEDLY SINCE THEN. THE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON BEFORE THE RECALL REPAIR.

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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

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MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME AND WAS GOING ABOUT 55 MPH ON AR HWY 62. THE ROAD NARROWS DOWN FROM TWO LANE TO ONE RIGHT BY A BLUFF WHEN THE MOTOR WITHOUT WARNING, THREW A ROD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND SHATTERED THE ENGINE. ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE TO PULL OVER. HE WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO BE HIT AS HE COULDN'T GIVE ANY NOTICE TO THE VEHICLES BEHIND HIM. WE ALWAYS MADE SURE TO CHANGE THE OIL AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN TOP NOTCH. COME TO FIND OUT THE OIL WASN'T MAKING IT TO THE ENGINE. KIA SHOULD INCLUDE THIS IN THEIR RECALL AS THEIR OTHER ENGINES HAVE HAD MAJOR ENGINE FAILURES ON THE SAME ENGINE IN OTHER VEHICLES. WHAT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER IS IF THEY REPLACED IT BECAUSE ANOTHER ENGINE WOULD DO THE SAME THING. SINCE THIS ENGINE IS IN PIECES NOW! UNFORTUNATELY I IT'S NOT EVEN FULLY PAID FOR. IT HAS SINCE BECOME A $10,000 YARD ORNAMENT. SO THANKFUL NOBODY WAS HURT BUT KIA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. I'M SURE WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN.

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WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY HEARD A TAPPING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILED, RUINING THE ENGINE (2.4L). QUOTED $6,000 FOR REPAIR. 82,000 MILES. ALL MAINTENANCE DONE ON TIME. DEALER AND KIA CORPORATE DENIED ANY HELP OR THAT THE 2.4L WAS DEFECTIVE AT MANUFACTURE.

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I HAVE CONTACTED THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 3 TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS AT A SERVICE REQUEST FOR A RECALL. TWICE WAS BY PHONE WHERE I TALKED TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE ABOUT SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE RECALL ON MY CAR. BOTH TIMES I LEFT MY NAME, NUMBER, AND MY VIN. THE PHONE CALLS WERE 3 DAYS APART. I THEN CONTACTED THEM A THIRD TIME USING THEIR ONLINE SERVICE REQUEST. IT STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT ME WITHIN 48 HOURS BUT IT HAS BEEN AT LEAST 5 DAYS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS) BY VALUE KIA (6915 ESSINGTON AVE, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19153, 215-937-1000). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REMEDY WAS INADEQUATE BECAUSE THE AIR BAG INDICATOR CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,480.

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BLINKER LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AIR CONDITIONER, HEATER,ON THE CAR CONSTANTLY HAVE TO REPAIR MUST BE DEFECTIVE. AS WELL AS FUEL ISSUES WITH THE CAR.

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I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS REAR ENDED AND THEN SMASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE. I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL ON THE KIA AND IT WAS PART OF THE RECALL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED ORLANDO KIA NORTH AT (888) 696-5097 (LOCATED AT 625 N US HWY 17 92, LONGWOOD, FL 32750) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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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.

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I HEARD A KNOCK COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND SUDDENLY THE CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT START UP AGAIN BUT THE POWER WAS STILL ON FOR LIGHTS, ETC. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE IS SHOT. AFTER RESEARCHING THE KIA FORTE I FOUND A LOT OF REVIEWS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING ON THE 2012 FORTE. NOW WITH THE RECALLS FOR THE OTHER KIA ENGINES WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR ENGINE TYPES, THIS MAKE AND MODEL NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED!!!

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HAD PHONE CHARGING AND A GPS SYSTEM TO TRAVEL ,DIRECTIONS. 3/4 OF THE WAY BOTH STOPPED WORKING 100%. NEVER WERE CHARGED EITHER. THEN AT THE PLACE NEEDED TO GO ,OVERNIGHT THE BATTERY MUST HAVE DIED AS THE CLOCK AND RADIO WERE RESET TO 12:00 ETC... THE USB AND ROUND CHARGERS STILL DID NOT WORK. BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND WAS PERFECT. DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED ALL THIS MESS. TERRIBLE WHEN NEEDED IT ALL. THIS HAPPEN WHEN IN MOTION BUT THEN STATIONARY STILL NOTHING.

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WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE MADE A SOUND LIKE A TICKING NOISE THEN JUST BLEW. OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE BAY AND GROUND. A LOT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WOULD NOT START OR DO ANYTHING. GLAD IT DIDN'T CATCH FIRE WITH ALL THE OIL EVERYWHERE. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC, COME TO FIND OUT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP. THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. SPEED LIMIT 70. IT WAS LIKE THE ENGINE WENT BOOM. GLAD I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE TO BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE. LOST ALL POWER AND UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR. MECHANIC HAD TO ORDER AND WAITING ON USED ENGINE COMING FROM CALIFORNIA TO PUT INTO CAR. WILL COST 4000.00 FOR THIS REPAIR. STILL OWE ON THIS CAR TOO.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS), WHICH INDICATED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND REMAINED LIT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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2012 KIA FORTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG SAFETY RECALL. *LD *JS

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WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR, I HEARD A KNOCK COMING FROM THE ENGINE!! I HAD IT TOWED TO A KIA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR CAR THAT IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD AND ALL MAINTENANCE KEPT UP TO DATE!! I DID SOME CHECKING AND OTHER KIA ENGINES WITH SIMILAR OR SAME ENGINE TYPES HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THIS MAKE AND MODEL NEEDS TO INCLUDED!!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V363000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

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ON 7/23/2016(MILAGE 108000) I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 KIA FORTE SX KOUP TO WORK TRAVELING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. 2 MILES FROM WORK I BEGAN TO HEAR A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND . ARRIVING AT WORK I DID A QUICK ENGINE INSPECTION BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING VISUALLY WRONG (LEAKS, SMOKE, LOOSE PARTS) LATER THAT MORNING I RETURNED TO MY CAR TO TEST THE ENGINE AND COULD HEAR THE SAME NOISE. I DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED UNTIL 07/25/16. MECHANIC SAID THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER DISCOVERING A BAD ROD. MECHANIC ALSO CONTACTED KIA TO SEE IF BY CHANCE THEY WOULD OFFER AND EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT KIA WOULD NOT REPAIR ENGINE SINCE IT HAD PASSED THE 100000 MILE WARRANTY. (JUST 8000 MILES OVER WARRANTY !!!!!!) MY WIFE AND I DECIDED TO BITE THE BULLET AND HAVE THE ENGINE REPAIRED. $4300 AND ONE WEEK LATER MY VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. I NOW SEE ALL OF THESE NEWS STORIES ABOUT KIA CATCHING FIRE AND OTHER HORROR STORIES ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE ABOUT THE SAME EXPERIENCE OTHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH . I AM EVEN MORE OUTRAGED THAT IT COULD STILL HAPPEN TO ME AND THE FACT THAT THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELTS BUT NOT THE ENGINE!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE DO SOMETHING!!!!!!

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I WAS TURNING LEFT AND CAR CHUGGED BACK AND FORTH AND BURNING SMELL WITH A TON OF GRAY AND WHITE SMOKE POURING OUT OF BACK OF CAR. FOUGHT WITH KIA GOT A REBUILT ENGINE. 2 WEEKS LATER SAME PROBLEM. TOOK BACK TO A DIFFERENT DEALER AND FAULTY VALVE WAS NEVER REPLACED. HAPPENED AGAIN 3 WEEKS LATER. CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAPPENED AGAIN 3 WEEKS LATER AND THIS TIME SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL WAS SO INTENSE YOU COULDN'T SEE IN BACK OF CAR. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I JUST NEED TO DRIVE IT MORE. I AM A MOTHER TO 3 YOUNG KIDS. THE CAR SMELLS LIKE IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE AND THE SMOKE ALONE IS DANGEROUS TO WHO IS BEHIND ME.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, BOTH REAR WHEEL BOLTS FRACTURED IN HALF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BOLTS WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR THE SECOND TIME WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STUDS WERE CORRODED. THE WHEEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

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I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT AT A CORNER STORE PARKING LOT. AS I WAS TURNING THE ACCELERATER DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. I PUSHED THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY AND IT STILL PULLED FORWARD. I IMPACTED THE FRONT LEFT CORNER OF THE STORE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WALL OF THE STORE. ALSO DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR HEADLIGHTS, FENDER, TIRE WELL LINING AND MORE. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON OR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I JUST RECEIVED A LETTER TODAY IN THE MAIL ABOUT RECALL ISSUES. KIA HAS NOT WARNED ME OF ANYTHING AND I TAKE MY CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED I'M TRYING GET HELP WITH THIS. I'M LOOKING FOR LAWYER NOW BECAUSE I JUST GOT THIS INFORMATION. AFTER OWNING THIS CAR SINCE 2012. I'M WORKING ON THE CLAIM NOW SO THE FULL REPORT IS NOT DONE.

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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.

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