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)

2 of 258 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Feb 11, 2022Electrical systemFire

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal burning smell would emit throughout the vehicle without warning. The contact also stated that due to this failure, the brake lights would intermittently fail to operate as needed upon depression. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where they discovered burnt wires in the electrical box and had the box replaced; despite the replacement, the failure persisted. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

NHTSA ODI 11451588

Jun 1, 2020Electrical systemFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION WOULD SOMETIMES SHOCK THEM AND SMELL AS IF THERE WAS A BURNING/SMOKING ODOR EMITTING FROM THE STARTER. THE CONTACT THEN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NOW FAILS TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE DEALER (CAR CONNECTION INC ADDRESS: 4425 DIXIE HWY, FAIRFIELD, OH 45014 PHONE: (513) 829-8022) WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AND DID NOT IDENTIFY A FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURES PERSIST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,508.

NHTSA ODI 11326732

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 →