What 439 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Forte Koup

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO FUCCILLO KIA OF CLAY (3885 NY-31, LIVERPOOL, NY 13090, (315) 657-9000) TO HAVE THE WIRING HARNESS AND PRETENSIONER SWITCH REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A BURNING ODOR WAS PERCEIVED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE ORIGIN OF THE ODOR COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILLION AUTO KIA (605-309-0977, LOCATED AT 1400 CAMBELL ST, RAPID CITY, SD 57701) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR CONNECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF AT RANDOM AND WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED AFTER THEY WERE MANUALLY TURNED OFF. THE SAME DEALER STATED THAT THE INTERIOR SWITCHES WERE INOPERABLE. THE FAILURES WERE NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

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VEHICLE IN MOTION HIT DEER. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AT THE TIME AND CONTINUES BEING A HAZARD AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. SMELL OF SOMETHING BUT INFO TURNED OUT TO BE BLOWER MOTOR CONNECTOR THE BLOWER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONS THE SEATBELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN

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ON 02-04-2019, MY VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT-DOWN WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IN THE PAST. KIA HAS BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THIS. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP ON VARIOUS OCCASION, NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THE IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD BE LIFE THREATENING IF NOT PROPERLY ADDRESSED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A KNOCKING NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

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THE CAR HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS RAIN TO SOAK THE SEATS, SEAT BELTS, AND ENTIRE TRUCK CREATING BLACK MOLD IN THE SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT, MOLD IN SIDE THE CAR ON THE SEATS AND SEAT BELTS. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE MOVING IN ORDER FOR THE RAIN TO ENTER THE CAR. I HAVE HAD MY CAR DETAILED MULTIPLE TIMES ALONG WITH CLEANING THE MOLD OUT OF THE CAR MYSELF. SINCE OWNING THE CAR SINCE 2014 I HAVE STAYED SICK AND I ONLY FOUND OUT LAST MONTH HOW MY SEATS WERE GETTING SOAKED. THE ENTIRE BACKSEAT AND TRUNK NEED TO BE REPLACED FROM THE MOLD AND RUST FROM THE LEAK. ATTACHED ARE PHOTOS OF THE BACK SEAT AFTER A RAIN.

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VEHICLE BURNS ALL OIL IN BETWEEN 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE. NO LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. LAGRANGE GA KIA DEALERSHIP DID NOT DETECT ANY LEAKS .

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THE CAR VERY HARD TO START. AFTER MANY TIMES OF TRYING TO START THE CAR IT DOES START IT WILL NOT READ THE CARS RPM. MANY TIMES THE CAR HAS JUST SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THE ENGINE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RUNNING SMOOTHLY.

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PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WON'T WORK AND IF YOU TAP ON THE TURN SIGNAL THE LIGHTS FLICKER IN THE CAR.

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TAKARA RECALL I WOULD SMELL SOMETHING BURNING UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN MY AC STOPPED BLOWING AIR/HEAT FROM THE TWO CENTER VENTS.

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TAKATA RECALL, THE INDICATOR GAUGES/SENSORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING LOW OIL PRESSURE, AS WELL AS OTHERS ARE CURRENTLY NOT WORKING AND MY ENGINE IS BURNING OIL IN EXCESS OF MANUFACTURES SPECIFICATIONS. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE IS THAT THIS CAN CAUSE MY ENGINE TO SEIZE OR CATCH ON FIRE WHICH IS AN IMMENSE SAFETY CONCERN. PER THE YORK PA KIA DEALER, THE OIL WAS EMPTY THE OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR NEVER ILLUMINATED. IT WASN'T UNTIL MY CAR WAS DEEMED EMPTY THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CAR WAS INSPECTED BY DEALER AND YORK KIA (SEPT 18) CLAIMED NO PERMANENT DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE AS A RESULT. (VEHICLE PASSED EMISSIONS/SAFETY TWO WEEKS LATER - MONROE MUFFLER & BREAK, YORK PA) AS MY CAR DIDN'T SEEM TO BE LEAKING OIL, SUBSEQUENT VIGILANCE BY ME REVEALED THAT MY CAR WAS BURNING OIL. TWO FOLLOW-UP VISITS SINCE SEPTEMBER TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM WITH LANCASTER PA KIA (LAST 11/27 - 11/28 (81,500 K ON ENGINE) AND WORK WITH GWC (POWER TRAIN $2,100 WARRANTY) AN AFTERMARKET WARRANTY HAVE BEEN REJECTED DESPITE EVIDENCE THAT MY CAR IS BURNING OIL IN EXCESS OF SPECS. AS I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, NOR DID I PURCHASE THIS AS A CERTIFIED VEHICLE, AS THERE IS NO ACTIVE RECALL, KIA WILL NOT REMEDY. MAINTENANCE RECORDS SUPPORT THAT THIS VEHICLE WASN'T MECHANICALLY NEGLECTED AND MAINTAINED BY ALL PREVIOUS OWNERS. IF YOU REQUEST NOTES FROM THE DEALERS THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH PLEASE CALL ME AT [XXX] AND LEAVE ME A MESSAGE SO I KNOW WHAT THE CALL IS REGARDING. IN ADDITION MY EMAIL IS [XXX] THANK YOU. PS. AS THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE, AND NOT REALLY SAFE, INFORMATION THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT A RECALL FOR MY MAKE AND MODEL WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL ON HOW I HANDLE THE SITUATION WITH MY CURRENT VEHICLE. LOST AROUND $500 NEEDING RENTALS ETC. PLUS WORTHLESS WARRANTY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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I ALREADY KNOW ABOUT KIA AND THEIR LOUD ENGINES DUE TO BEING AN GDI ENGINE. BUT THIS WAS NOT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THIS WAS A SLAPPING TYPE OF NOISE THAT IS NOT RELATIVE TO THE ENGINE RPMS. AFTER THINKING IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN BEING LOOSE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAS WAS THEY CALL ENGINE SLAP. AFTER READING AND SEEING A LOT OF VIDEOS ONLINE ABOUT THIS, THE ENGINE HAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT THE PISTON SKIRTS ARE TO SHORT. REPLACING THE ENGINE WITH NEW OR REMANUFACTURED IS ONLY GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. NOT THRILLED THAT MY 2014 KIA FORTE EX WITH THE 2.0 HAS ONLY 76000 MILES AND NOW THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. EVEN CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY ARE REPLACING A LOT OF THE 2.0 ENGINES AND OF COURSE THE 2.4 DUE TO THE RECALL ON THOSE. OF COURSE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 2.0. THIS NOISE OCCURRED THE DAY OF MY OIL CHANGE AND WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH. NO LIGHTS, NO WARNING. AND YES THE OIL LEVEL WAS GOOD. MOBILE 1 SYNTHETIC.

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WHEN TURNING SHARPLY LIKE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP FOR A FEW SECONDS

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HEAD LIGHTS AND INSIDE DASH LIGHT WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. IF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS LEFT IN THE AUTO POSITION WHILE PARKED AND THE KEYS REMOVED, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON BY THEM SELF SOMETIME IN THE NIGHT AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. WHEN TRYING TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS, THE DASH BOARD AND HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER AND GO OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR.

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VEHICLE ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE WHEN STOPPING OR STOPPED & FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. TURNING THE A/C ON SLIGHTLY MADE INTENSIFIED THE ACCELERATION.

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MILEAGE 109000. DRIVING ALONG A HEARD KNOCKING IN ENGINE. PULLED TO SIDE AND WAITED FOR IT TO COOL DOWN AND CHECKED FLUIDS. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. STARTED BACK DRIVING AND KNOCKING INCREASED AND THEN ENGINE SHUT OFF CAUSING US TO COAST FROM 60MPH ON A 4 LANE ROAD. LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO A SAFE SPOT TO PULL OVER.

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TAKATA RECALL I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN HEARD A BANG IN THE MOTOR PULLED OVER AND HEARD KNOCKING IN MOTOR. TURNED MOTOR OFF AND CHECKED FLUIDS AND ALL WE'RE NORMAL.. I HAVE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE ALREADY AND WITH THE RECENT RECALLS ANNOUNCED I BELIEVE MY CAR IS ONE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG UNTIL THE NOISE HAPPENED. AND ONLY 74000 MILES ON VEHICLE

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THE STEERING COUPLER WENT BAD. STARTED HEARING LOUD CLICKING NOISE WHEN DRIVING CALLED KIA THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT ONLY WARRANTY IS ON OPTIMAL AND SOULS AS OF NOW FOR IT. THE PIECE COST $1.08 THE LABOR IS $350 WAS WHAT I WAS QUOTED . ALSO TOLD THEY REPLACE TONS OF THEM A WEEK . RIDICULOUS KIA MAKE IT ACROSS THE BOARD. THE COUPLER IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE.

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND THOUGHT I SAW FIRE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THERE WAS MASSIVE SMOKE COMING FROM MY HOOD, SO BAD THAT I HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY CAR IS TOTALED. *JS

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THE PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR CALIPER GUIDE PINS WERE FROZEN BY CORROSION, PREVENTING THE CYLINDER TO EXTEND AND ENGAGE THE BRAKE PADS ON THE ROTOR. THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSE OF ANY REAR BRAKING ACTION. WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING WOULD ENGAGE DUE TO LOST ROAD CONTACT, (IE. ICY OR BUMPY/ROUGH ROADS) THERE WAS NO BRAKING ACTION AT ALL. DURING NORMAL DRIVING, THE REAR BRAKES BEING FROZEN, THE CAR RELIES SOLELY ON THE FRONT CALIPERS TO STOP THE CAR. NO ACCIDENTS HAPPENED DURING THIS TIME. I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE REAR PADS AND NOTICED WHEN I REMOVED THE WHEEL I FOUND THE REAR ROTOR WAS RUSTED AND PITTED DUE TO NO CONTACT WITH THE PADS. WHEN I REMOVED THE CALIPER ASSEMBLY THE PINS WERE FROZEN IN PLACE AND COULD NOT BE BE FREED. THIS REQUIRED THAT THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR WAS FOUR YEARS OLD WITH ABOUT 85,000 MILES WHEN I REPLACED THE ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPER ASSEMBLIES. THE CONDITION WAS PROBABLY HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS BEFORE I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE PADS.

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AT APPROXIMATELY 63,000 MILES I BEGAN HEARING A KNOCK IN THE ENGINE AND NOTICED HESITANCY AS THE ENGINE SHIFTED GEARS. ABOUT 4 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE WOULD CONTACT KIA TO DETERMINE IF THE ENGINE REPAIR WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. YESTERDAY I WAS TOLD IT MAY BE AN ENGINE ROD. IT HAS BEEN OVER A WEEK WITHOUT ANY RESOLUTION. I MENTIONED THAT KIA HAD RECALLED KIA OPTIMA FOR SIMILAR ENGINE AND WAS RUDELY ADVISED THAT THE FORTE AND OPTIMA HAD DIFFERENT ENGINES.

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I WAS LEASED THIS CAR WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE AND WITHOUT A TIRE INFLATOR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING NOISE WHILE TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (ORLANDO KIA EAST, 8701 EAST COLONIAL DRIVE, ORLANDO, FL 32817, (407) 678-1717) AND A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,908.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE DEALER (KIA OF CERRITOS, 18201 STUDEBAKER RD, CERRITOS, CA 90703, (562) 860-2424) INFORMED THE CONTACT OF THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES; THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT THE DEALER TO TRY TO GET AN EXCEPTION ON THE FEES SINCE THE WARRANTY RECENTLY EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF CERRITOS (18201 STUDEBAKER RD, CERRITOS, CA 90703, (562) 860-2424), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

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