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What 211 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 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 (211)Crash / fire / injury (32)Engine (119)Brakes (37)Electrical system (27)Airbags (18)Lights (15)Steering (13)Seat belts (10)Transmission & drivetrain (10)Fuel system (6)Wheels (6)

32 of 211 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters · page 2 of 2

Jul 5, 2018EngineFire

NHTSA RECALL SC147 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP HAS THE EXACT SAME THETA II ENGINE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL FOR THE 2011-2014 OPTIMA, 2012-2014 SORENTO, AND 2011-2013 SPORTAGE MODELS. THE ENGINE WAS TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOST POWER, AND PROCEEDED TO SEIZE EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL ABOVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, SMOKE PROCEEDED TO POUR OUT OF THE ENGINE HOOD AROUND THE HEAD GASKET. SMELL OF BURNING FILLED THE CABIN. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS HAPPENING ON OTHER MODELS BUT A RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE MY MODEL. ENTIRE EXPENSE WAS A MONTH LONG PROCESS STARTING JUNE 1. REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE MOTOR REQUIRED, COSTING $6200.

NHTSA ODI 11109698

Jul 3, 2018AirbagsSeat beltsCrash

I HAD AN ACCIDENT IN APRIL WHERE MY ENTIRE FRONT END WAS DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT CATCH ME CAUSING ME TO SMASH MY FACE INTO THE STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ODI 11105328

Oct 17, 2017AirbagsCrash1 injury

CAR ACCIDENT ON 10/12/2017 @6:30AM AIR BAG DID NOT WORK (TOTALLY MY CAR

NHTSA ODI 11034019

Aug 22, 2017AirbagsSeat beltsCrash4 injuries

AIR BAGS AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT WORK DURING AN ACCIDENT. CAR WAS TRAVELING 40 MHP ON A CITY STREET WHEN IT STRUCK ANOTHER CARE FROM BEHIND. FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY RESULTING IN FACIAL INJURIES AND CONCUSSION FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER.

NHTSA ODI 11018775

Dec 6, 2016BrakesCrash1 injury

YESTERDAY MY BRAKE PEDAL DID NOT ENGAGE AND HAD AN ACCIDENT. I HAD REPORTED TO KIA THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STICKING AND I WOULD HAVE TO FLIP IT BACK UP HOWEVER WHEN I TOOK IT IN THEY INFORMED ME THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. KIA SHOULD REALLY LOOK INTO TO THIS COSTLY PROBLEM. I HAVE LOOKED AT REVIEWS AND I SEE WHERE THERE IS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 10930120

Jul 28, 2016AirbagsSeatsCrash1 injury

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS SITTING STILL WHEN I WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR BY A DULLY TRUCK THAT WAS TRAVELING GREATER THAN 40 MILES PER HOUR. I WAS PUSHED APPROXIMATELY 4 FEET INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY SEAT BROKE. THE SEAT IS IN THE RECLINED POSITION. THE ADJUSTER TOTALED THE CAR DUE TO DAMAGE.

NHTSA ODI 10889314

Mar 2, 2015Transmission & drivetrainCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IMMEDIATELY AFTER PARKING AND ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION, THE SHIFT LEVER ROLLED OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE RAN OVER THE CONTACT AND PROCEEDED TO ROLL INTO THE CONTACT'S YARD. THE VEHICLE THEN STRUCK A COUPLE OF TREES AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE CONTACT'S NEIGHBORS YARD. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE CONTACT SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES OR IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

NHTSA ODI 10691650

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Working with the data? Download all 211 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 2013 Kia Forte Koup verdict →