Home · 2015 Kia Forte Koup · Complaints

What 258 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 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 (258)Crash / fire / injury (38)Engine (156)Electrical system (29)Airbags (23)Transmission & drivetrain (17)Brakes (16)Lights (13)Fuel system (10)Speed control (5)Body & structure (4)Engine & cooling (4)

156 of 258 complaints match · Engine · clear filters · page 5 of 7

Mar 5, 2021Engine

ALMOST 2 WEEKS AGO MY 2015 KIA FORTE WITH LESS THEN 80000 MILES STARTED TO MAKE A NOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE ESPECIALLY NO MATTERIF THE CAR IS PARKEDOR MOVING IT MAKE A NOISE BUT IT GOES AWAY AND COMES BACK IT'SNOT CONSTANTLY LOUD NOISE BUT SOMETIMES ITS AND IT GETS REALLY ANNOYING. I DON'T KNOW IF THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE. BECAUSE EVERY TIME I TRY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY TRY TO CHARGE ME MORE MONEY FOR THE CAR EVALUATION AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY IS NOT COVERING MY CAR BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A RECALL BASE ON MY VIN.. NUMBER KIA MOTORS HELP ME PLEASE

NHTSA ODI 11399231

Mar 2, 2021Engine

I FIRST NOTICED 3/1/2021 THAT MY CAR WAS USING HIGHER RPMS THAN NORMAL. THEN THE FOLLOWING MORNING OF 3/2/2021 WHEN I TURNED THE CAR ON IT IMMEDIATELY STARTED MAKING A TICKING/WINDING SOUND WHEN I PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL. BY THE END OF THE DAY THE NOISE AND ISSUE HAD GOTTEN WORSE WHEN I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE. IT STARTED NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE AT ALL AND FINALLY IT STARTED SMOKING AND TURNED COMPLETELY OFF AND LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11398814

Mar 1, 2021Engine

I MADE A FORMER COMPLAINT REGARDING OIL CONSUMPTION. I THEN BROUGHT MY KIA FORTE5 IN DUE TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE & KNOCKING (OIL CONSUMPTION WAS THE SYMPTOM). IT ALSO HAD A RATTLING NOISE WHICH WE SUSPECTED MAY BE THE CAT. LONG STORY SHORT, KIA HASN'T PAID A DIME FOR THIS, DESPITE THERE BEING A RECALL WHICH INCLUDES MY VIN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS COME UP WITH EVERY EXCUSE IN THE BOOK TO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. MY SHORT BLOCK MAY BE REPAIRED, BUT NOW THEY'RE SAYING I NEED TO PAY $2700 FOR A NEW CAT & MUFFLER... WHICH WAS DAMAGED FROM THE DEFECTIVE/RECALLED ENGINE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE DEALERSHIP & CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER HAS BEEN DEPLORABLE AT BEST. THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THEIR SHOP FOR OVER A MONTH. THEY ALSO ARE CHARGER ME FOR NEW SPARK PLUGS, EVEN THOUGH I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO BUY THEM RIGHT NOW IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE. OH, THE TWO-WEEK LATE LOANER THEY FINALLY GOT TO ME? THEY DECIDED TO CALL ME AND TELL ME DAY-OF THAT THEY WERE NO LONGER COVERING IT AND WOULD CHARGE ME $35/DAY - NO WARNING. IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE OUT THAT THE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED SYSTEMIC ISSUES, WHICH SHOULD MORE CERTAINLY BE COVERED BY KIA.

NHTSA ODI 11398318

Feb 24, 2021Speed controlEngine

VECHILE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH OUT WARNING

NHTSA ODI 11397756

Feb 24, 2021Engine

WHILE DRIVING IN CITY OR HIGHWAY, YOU HEAR ENGINE NOISE, SEE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT, ILLUMINATION OF THE LOW OIL WARNING LIGHT. THEN VEHICLE PROPULSION STOPS SUDDENLY, CONTINUES TO COAST BUT PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR HAS NO EFFECT, THE ENGINE DOESN'T REV. STOPPING, TURNING OFF ENGINE FOR 30 OR MORE MINUTES MAY ALLOW VEHICLE TO START AND MOVE AGAIN. ALSO FUEL SMELL.

NHTSA ODI 11397814

Feb 19, 2021EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR DETECTED. THE CONTACT STATED THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000 (ENGINE), THE CONTACT CALLED GREENWAY KIA NORTH (625 N US HWY 17 92, LONGWOOD, FL 32750; (407) 571-1234) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT MENTIONED KIA HAD EXPERIENCED A SYSTEM FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,152. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

NHTSA ODI 11396906

Feb 5, 2021Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A STANDSTILL, THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER KIA OF STREETSBORO (835 CLASSIC DR, STREETSBORO, OH 44241, (330) 531-8918) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE ENGINE AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, NO ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11394806

Jan 23, 2021Engine

I HAD SUDDENLY ENGINE MADE SOUND SHUTTER , I ALMOST GOT HIT BY 18 WHEEL TRUCK, I MANAGER TO PULL FINELLY AND AVOID ACCIDENT AND MANAGE TO PULL RIGHT, FIRAR IT WAS CLOSE TO SIDE RAILS . THE CAR HAD SP MUCH ENGINE NOISE , AND IT CUTS OF. 1.8 ENGINE WAS WONDERFULL . I WANNA THIS ENGINE TO REPKACED BY DEALER HAS ONLY 78 THOUSANDS MILES

NHTSA ODI 11389558

Jan 15, 2021Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED KIA DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED OF AN UPCOMING RECALL THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 27, 2021 FOR KIA VEHICLES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11388272

Jan 5, 2021Engine

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. ENGINE STARTED TO HAVE A TICKING SOUND TO IT, I WAS ONLY 5 MINS FROM MY HOUSE SO I FIGURED I'D LOOK AT IT WHEN I GOT HOME. WENT TO ACCELERATE AND MY CAR DIDN'T HAVE THE POWER IT USED TO. NEXT I HEAR A POP SOUND AND WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST. PULL OVER SMELL BURNT OIL AND OIL ALL OVER THE ALTERNATOR.

NHTSA ODI 11386718

Jan 4, 2021EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, WHEN SHE BEGAN TO HEAR AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND THEN SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE STARTED TO SMELL "BURNED RUBBER" AND SAW WHITE SMOKE EXITING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE STARTED HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED THE ENGINE WAS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED JIM SHORKEY KIA (12900 US-30, IRWIN, PA 15642: (724) 241-0176) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000 (ENGINE), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000.

NHTSA ODI 11386495

Jan 2, 2021EngineFire

DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR VEHICLE IN MOTION IT STARTED DRIVING DIFFERENT I PULLED OVER TO GET GAS ANYWAYS AND NOTICED BLACK SOOT ALONG BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE IT WAS RAINING THAT NIGHT I DIDN'T REALLY THINK TOO MUCH OF IT I GOT HOME I TALKED TO A MECHANIC THAT'S A FRIEND AND HE NAME SEVERAL THINGS I DECIDED TO GOOGLE IT AND SAW THAT MY KIA FORTE IS ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE MOTOR CAUSING FIRES AND MOTOR FAILURE

NHTSA ODI 11386125

Dec 27, 2020Engine

THE ENGINE BEGAN, WITHOUT WARNING, CONSUMING THE OIL. THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE THAT IS NOW IRREPARABLE WITHOUT REPLACEMENT. THIS KNOCKING NOISE, DUE TO LOW OIL, WAS NOT PRECEDED BY THE "OIL LIGHT," AS I HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE. THE CAR NOW STRUGGLES TO ACCELERATE AND I HAVE TO ADD OIL EVERY 2 WEEKS OR SO. THIS IS A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH OTHER KIA MODELS, WITH THE SAME ENGINE, THAT WILL BE INVOLVED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN JANUARY 2021.

NHTSA ODI 11385143

Dec 22, 2020Engine

WE WERE NOT EXPERIENCING ANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN THE CITY AND THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO ENGINE ISSUES. IT APPEARS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT IS IN THE RECENT RECALL BUT OUR CAR IS NOT INCLUDED. THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK THAT WAS NOT NOTICEABLE AT ALL.

NHTSA ODI 11384598

Dec 14, 2020Engine

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ENGINE POWER LOSS AS LOW AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ENGINE POWER LOSS IS ACCOMPANIED BY PLUME OF OIL SMOKE FROM EXHAUST, MOMENTARY CHECK ENGINE AND LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER RESULTS IN RAPID ENGINE DECELERATION OF VEHICLE UNTIL STOPPED AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE REGAINS POWER. VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED MAINTENANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE CYCLE.

NHTSA ODI 11383354

Dec 8, 2020Engine

WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR JUST SHUT OFF AND WASN'T WORKING. I WAS UNABLE TO START IT AGAIN. NO OIL LIGHTS, NO ENGINE LIGHTS, OR ANY OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON PRIOR TO IT DYING. THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THERE IS NO OIL IN THE MOTOR AND I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3-5,000 MILES. THE CAR SHOULDN'T HAVE STOPPED OPERATING WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT ABRUPTLY SHUT OFF. I WAS TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET DURING THAT TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11378481

Nov 27, 2020Engine

MY CAR HAS OR SHOULD I SAT HAD 143,000 MILES WHEN I WAS DRIVING LIKE I DO ANY OTHER NORMAL DAY TO GO HOME. I GAD TO TAKE A SLIGHT DETOUR BEFORE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF AND HAVING ALL THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH POP UP. AFTER I PULLED INTO A SAFE PARKING SPOT MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON AT ALL. THE ENGINE KEPT MAKING A TICKING NOISE. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SHOP THEN TO MY HOUSE!! THE CAR STATS ON FOR 10 SECONDS BEFORE SHUTTING OFF! WHY IS THIS NOT BEING RECALLED. I HAVE SEEN STORIES AND SIMILAR COMMENTS TO MINE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS NOW MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR TWO MONTHS

NHTSA ODI 11376696

Nov 20, 2020Engine

THE VEHICLE MILEAGE IS CURRENTLY AT 115,446 . AT APPROXIMATELY 110,000 MILES VEHICLE STARTED WITH A VERY LOUD COLD START. NOT ONLY WAS IT LOUD BUT IT WAS ROUGH WITH A HIGH RPM. I KNOW THEY CALL IT COLD START FOR A REASON BUT THIS IS NOT COMMON WITH OTHER VEHICLES I OWNED THAT WERE 2015S. NOW THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A TICKING OR KNOCKING NOISE. CURRENTLY THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND WITH THE OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE MATCHING EXACTLY UP TO MINE WHY ISNT THIS PROBLEM BEING INVESTIGATED OR RECALLED? IF AND WHEN THIS VEHICLE SEIZES ON ME LIKE EVERY COMPLAINT ON HERE I WILL UPDATE. THERE IS SUPPOSEDLY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL BUT NOT A SINGLE RECALL. NOT EVEN AN INVESTIGATION? PLEASE UPDATE US AND PREVIOUS OWNERS OF THE COMPLAINTS WHAT STEPS YALL ARE TAKING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11375576

Oct 25, 2020Engine

ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 25, 2020WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY ENGINE SEIZED AND THE CAR DIED AND WOULDN'T START AND I HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND THEN TO THE MECHANIC A FEW DAYS LATER AND WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT OIL WAS BURNING FAST WITH NO KNOWN REASON. ALSO TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD AND I HAVE TO NOW REPLACE MY ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11366314

Oct 21, 2020Engine

THE CAR STATED HAVING A LIGHT KNOCKING ON AND OFF, THEN STARTED CUTTING OUT AND STUTTERING. IT PROGRESSED AND NOW THE ENGINE WILL MAKE A NOISE LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE ON AND OFF AND THE CAR WILL GO DEAD STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND ALSO WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ODI 11365610

Oct 18, 2020Engine

WE ONLY BOUGHT THIS CAR 8 MONTHS AGO WITH 70,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. WE NOTICED THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE LOSING POWER AFTER ABOUT 4 MONTHS. THEN LAST WEEK THE CAR ABRUPTLY SHRIEKED AND STOPPED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING. AFTER WHICH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK, AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US WE WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE AND THE KNOCK WAS COMING FROM THE LOW END. WE HAVE RELIGIOUSLY SERVICED THE VEHICLE, AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 80,000 MILES WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW. CLEARLY THIS IS A FAILURE OF THE MANUFACTURER, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, KIA REFUSES TO PROVIDE THE REPAIRS THEY KNOW THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

NHTSA ODI 11365019

Oct 5, 2020Engine

MY FORTE'S ENGINE SEIZED AT 106,000 MILES. AS I WAS DRIVING THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A TICKING SOUND. THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND I WAS TOLD THEY HAVEN'T RECALLED THIS DESPITE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO THIS YEAR AND MAKE OF KIA.

NHTSA ODI 11362945

Sep 22, 2020Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NO RECALLS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 84,000.

NHTSA ODI 11360397

Sep 22, 2020Engine

2 MONTHS AGO WE HAD OIL CHANGED, THE VEHICLE WAS 2000 MILES FROM NEEDING NEXT ONE. IT STARTED KNOCKING & WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO MECHANIC, HE SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THE OIL HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED NEEDED OIL AND HE CLEANED THE ENGINE AND MADE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN WORKING ORDER. NO LEAKS WERE DETECTED. 1000 MILES LATER HEAR A CLANKING SOUND AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT IN THE DRIVEWAY AND CAR SHUT OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND WHEN I LOOKED UNDER HOOD THERE WAS A SPARK. LOOKED TO BE NO OIL PUT IN 2 QUARTS AND LET IT SIT OVER NIGHT. CHECKED OIL AGAIN BEFORE ADDING ANYMORE & LEVELS WERE FINE. MECHANIC SAID ENGINE WAS DONE. THE OIL IS GOING SOMEWHERE & THIS MODEL HAS A TOYOTA ENGINE, SO I THINK SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON. WE HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL MAINTENANCE ON THIS VEHICLE. WE TRAVEL ALL HIGHWAY AND IT DOES HAVE 200,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD HONDAS & TOYOTAS & NO PROBLEMS. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER KIA. WE DID NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED OR REPLACED & WAS TOLD BY KIA THAT THEY DO NOT MAKE THAT ENGINE ANYMORE.

NHTSA ODI 11360458

Sep 15, 2020Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND DETERMINE THAT THE OIL WAS NOT CHANGE AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,283.

NHTSA ODI 11355193

← NewerOlder →

Working with the data? Download all 258 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 2015 Kia Forte Koup verdict →