What 439 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Forte Koup

SRS AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED LUMINATING INTERMITTENTLY. DISCONNECTED AND RECONNECTED CABLES UNDER PASSENGER SIDE SEAT AND AIRBAG LIGHT WENT OFF. WITHIN 2 DAYS THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS BACK ON. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THERE APPARENTLY WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BUT IT IS FOR 2010-2013 KIA FORTE. DEALER WAS NOT YET ABLE TO ACTUALLY TELL ME THE ISSUE CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO REMAIN ON. STILL A MYSTERY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2014 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON RE-ENTERING THE VEHICLE WITH A PASSENGER, THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE CHARGER PORT. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OF THE ROAD AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AS THE FLAMES ERUPTED WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER TO HAVE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS COMING THROUGH THE LIGHTER/CHARGER PORT CONNECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED DUE TO THE FAILURE. A FIRE INSPECTION REPORT WAS PROVIDED AFTER THE FLAMES HAD BEEN EXTINGUISHED. A DEALER WAS CONTACTED CRAIN HYUNDAI OF NORTH LITTLE ROCK, 5660 WARDEN RD, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR 72116, (501) 232-4018 BUT HAD NOT PROVIDED ANY TECHNICAL GUIDANCE AS OF YET. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE TO DETERMINE IF THEY MAY INVESTIGATE THE FIRE. 100,000.

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THE CAR WILL STALL WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. SUDDENLY. IT HESITATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING IN DESPITE GOING TO SEVERAL MECHANICS. WHAT IS WRONG?!!!

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AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. HORN ONLY WORK OCCASIONALLY AND CRUISE DOES NOT WORK.

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I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 2013, HAD IT LESS THAN 6 YEARS. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND REMAINS ON, THE CAR WAS NOT IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE AIR BAG LIGHT AT FIRST CAME ON AND THEN WILL DISAPPEAR A COUPLE TIMES BUT NOW HAS REMAINED ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THERE IS A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BUT IT IS FOR 2010-2013 KIA FORTE. I BELIEVE MY CAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL.

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CAR NEEDS OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES OR SO WITH NO LEAKS. ENGINE EATS OIL AND IS ALWAYS SEVERAL QUARTS LOW. DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING CAR AND IT STOPPED EXCELLERATING. CATALYTIC CONVERTER JUST HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 82,000 MILES. ENGINE NOISE WITH VIBRATIONS. MY DAUGHER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR. KIA SAYS WARRANTY EXPIRED 2,000 MILES AGO AND WON'T FIX CAR. CAR IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE!

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STEERING: STEERING MAKES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE UNDER THE DASHBOARD WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. NOISE HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR MOVING AT ANY SPEED. KIA HAS RECALLED SOME 2014-2016 SOULS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THE FORTE. LIGHTING: HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN TURNING ON THE TURN SIGNALS.

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2014 KIA FORTE EX 2.0 LITER GDI ENGINE HAS KNOCKING NOISES. WHEN I TOOK IT TO GROSSINGER KIA OF LINCOLNWOOD, IL THEY QUOTED OVER $4,300 + LABOR DUE TO METAL SHRAPNEL IN THE ENGINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE SHORT BLOCK OF THE ENGINE. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE I WAS NOT THE FIRST OWNER AND THAT THE ENGINE WAS ONLY COVERED UNTIL 60,000 MILES. I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AROUND NOVEMBER 2018 WHEN IT HAD AROUND 61,000 MILES BECAUSE IT HAD A CLEAN CARFAX HISTORY BUT I NOTICED THE KNOCKING NOISES BECAME INCREASINGLY LOUDER UNTIL I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. I'VE SEARCHED ONLINE AND IT APPEARS THAT HYUNDAI/KIA HAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH THEIR GDI ENGINES AS THERE ARE CURRENTLY LAWSUITS CONCERNING THEIR ENGINES FAILING DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. I BELIEVE THIS CAR ALSO HAS A DEFECT ENGINE AND AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE DONE TO COMPEL THEM TO REPAIR THEIR DEFECTIVE ENGINES.

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THE STEERING WHEEL MECHANISM WILL MAKE A KNOCKING NOISE THAT IS FELT MORE THAN HEARD. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE, AND IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE STOPPED AS OPPOSED TO TURNING WHILE IN MOTION. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG SEVERAL MODELS OF KIA, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHEAST. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER TODAY TO HAVE CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE FLEX COUPLER. THE RECEPTIONIST TOLD ME THEY GET A LOT OF THESE ALL THE TIME AND THAT THEY CAN BECOME VERY DANGEROUS IF NOT FIXED SOON. MY RESEARCH ALSO REVEALED THAT SOME MODELS HAVE BEEN AFFORDED EXTENDED WARRANTIES AND FREE REPLACEMENT, BUT OTHERS HAVE NOT EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM, SYMPTOM, AND SOLUTION ARE THE SAME. BTW, THE REPAIR BILL WAS OVER $400...ABOUT $2 FOR PART AND THE REST WAS LABOR, TAX AND MISC.

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SO AS I'M DRIVING, THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON. IT'S STEADY ONE MINUTE AND THEN IT WILL GO OFF AND THEN IT WILL COME BACK ON. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN ANY KIND OF ACCIDENT FOR IT TO DO THIS. IT CAME OUT OF NO WHERE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GENE MESSER KIA (LOCATED AT 6006 19TH ST, LUBBOCK, TX 79407, (806) 776-5600) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

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LAST WEEK MY AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY CRASH FOR A CRASH REPAIR TO BE A FACTOR. I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE LIGHT FIRST CAME ON. THE LIGHT DOES GO OFF WHEN IT WANTS TO. I HAVE TRIED RESETTING THE CAR BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY FOR A FEW MINUTES, THIS DID NOT HELP. I AM VERY SCARED THAT THE AIR BAGS COULD DEPLOY AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. TODAY MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD ONLY GO OFF IF I RESTARTED THE CAR BUT LESS THAN A MILE THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. AND BECAUSE THIS LIGHT WAS ON MY CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT SET.

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TAKATA RECALL

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ENGINE KNOCKING AND THEY REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. CAR HAD 86,000 MILES. DROVE CAR TO WORK NEXT DAY AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING HOME ON BUSY HIGHWAY. KIA CORP KNOWS OF A PROBLEM WITH FUEL PUMP AND LINES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED ONCE ENGINE IS REPLACED BUT FAILED TO LET THEIR DEALERSHIPS BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. ALSO WHY IS THE FORTE NOT ON RECALL LIST AS MANY KIA FORTES ARE ALSO CATCHING ON FIRE DUE TO ENGINE/ ENGINE REPAIRS.

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MY BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AT ALL TIMES WHILE CAR IS TURNED ON

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EXCESS ENGINE WEAR MAY BE INDICATIVE OF OTHER MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED, CAR IS UNDER 100,000 MILES AS OF TODAY. EXCESSIVE ENGINE KNOCK CAUSED CONCERN AND KIA CLAIMS IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE, BUT I HAVE NOTICED QUITE A FEW OTHER MODELS ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, JUST NOT INCLUDING THE FORTE YET. CAR KNOCKS BOTH SITTING STILL AND IN MOTION, KNOCKS FASTER DURING DRIVING.

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WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION ON A DOWNWARD SLOPE LIKE ON A BRIDGE OR WHERE A ROAD IS BROKEN, ON APPLYING BRAKE IT SEEMS LIKE THE PEDAL IS TOUCHING THE GROUND MAKING GRINDING NOISE AND CAR SKIDS AND DOESN'T STOP. I HAVE INSTALLED NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS ON ALL FOUR SIDES. WHEN TURN ON THE IGNITION, CAR DOESN'T START AT ALL, DOESN'T EVEN MAKE CLICKING SOUND. WHEN TOUCH THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT POSITIVE CHARGE SYSTEM THEN CAR STARTS WITH KEY IGNITION ON. THIS HAPPENS WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN THROUGHOUT THE DAY ASSUMING BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED. NO LIGHT ATE ON WHEN TRY TO START THE ENGINE.

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IT STARTED WITH A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE LIKE IT NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE BUT IT HAD JUST HAD ONE. I TOOK IT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE ENGINE. THEY SAID THAT THE ROD BEARINGS WERE WEARING DOWN AND RESULTING IN METAL CONTAMINATION IN THE ENGINE. THEY SAID I NEEDED MY ENGINE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY OR RISK IT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING. AFTER RESEARCH I FOUND OTHER MODELS FROM THE SAME YEAR AND THE SAME TYPE OF ENGINE HAVE BEEN RECALLED DO TO THE SAME ISSUE. I HAVE ATTACHED THE INVOICE FOR THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE.

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WIRING TO THE HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING IS MELTED TOGETHER AND GE FAN DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME. DONT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. AND THE ADAPTERS DONT WORK CANT CHARGE PHONE . ALSO THERE IS A TICKING NOISE COME FROM THE FRONT OF CAR U CAN HEAR IT WHEN IDLING BUT GETS WORSE WHEN U STEP ON THE GAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD.OIL HAS BEEN CHARGED AND IS CHECKED FREQUENTLY. THE NOISE STARTED RIGHT AFTER HAD OIL CHANGE AND TIRES ROTATED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

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PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL ,WHEN LOOKING IT UP ,PROBLEM SEEMS COMMON FOR THE STEERING COUPLER TO GO OUT,CAUSES A JERK IN THE WHEEL AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING. SITTING STILL IT WILL HAVE ALOT OF PLAY MOVING LEFT AND RIGHT AND A NOISE. A EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS BEEN GIVEN FOR SOME MODELS EXCEPT MINE.

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03/08/19 AT 5:45AM I WAS ENTERING US HWY 23 N. BOUND FROM CENTRAL AVE. IN SYLVANIA OHIO. THE CAR WAS HAVING ISSUES WITH ACCELERATION AS I TRIED TO GET ON THE FREEWAY. SUDDENLY I HEARD LIKE A FAN NOISE, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF! I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS SMOKE WAS FILLING THE CABIN. I GOT OUT AND WENT AROUND FRONT AND FLAMES WERE COMING OUT BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE FENDER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I CALLED 911. ONE POLICE AND 2 FIRE TRUCKS SHOWED UP IN NOTHING FLAT! THE FIRE WAS MOVING INTO THE CAB. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS! AFTER MY OWN RESEARCH I FIRMLY BELIEVE IT WAS THE COOLING FAN RESISTOR. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE NOISE I HEARD AND THE FIRE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND MADE A SPUTTERING NOISE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

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AS I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL, IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE. IT ALSO CAUSES MY AIRBAG LIGHT TO SHOW ON MY SPEEDOMETER. SOMETHING SOUNDS LOOSE WHEN IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I DRIVE.

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VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE ELECTRICAL WENT OUT. THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND STEERING WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CAR HAD 60K MILES. BATTERY IS NOW ON ITS 3RD REPLACEMENT. OTHER PRIOR WARNING SIGNS WERE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING AND OCCASIONAL CLICKING WHEN STARTING. THESE OTHER PRIOR WARNING SIGNS HAVE OCCURED SINCE 30K MILES.

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