Home · 2016 Kia Forte Koup · Complaints

What 134 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (134)Crash / fire / injury (21)Engine (66)Electrical system (21)Transmission & drivetrain (16)Speed control (14)Airbags (13)Brakes (10)Lights (9)Fuel system (7)Wheels (6)Body & structure (5)

66 of 134 complaints match · Engine · clear filters · page 3 of 3

Dec 10, 2020Engine

PISTON ROD FAILURE

NHTSA ODI 11382928

Sep 16, 2020Engine

THE MOTOR BLEW AT 55,000 MILES

NHTSA ODI 11355300

Oct 15, 2019Engine

WENT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE 5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR A D THERE WAS METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL. MECHANIC SAID THIS TYPE OF ENGINE WAS NOTORIOUS FOR THIS AND WE WOULD NEED A NEW MOTOR VERY SOON. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING SO WE HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS HAPPENING. THE MOTOR LOCKED UP AROUND 74,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THIS DOESN'T SEEM FAIR AT ALL! FIRST CAR LOAN I'VE EVER TAKEN AND CAN'T EVEN DRIVE THE CAR OR AFFORD A NEW MOTOR, YET STILL MAKING MY PAYMENTS ON THE LOAN...

NHTSA ODI 11268482

Sep 4, 2019Engine

ROUGH IDLE, SHAKING ENGINE, ALTERNATOR PULLED REPLACED 2 TIMES, WATER PUMP BURST WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, OVERHEATING DUE TO COOLANT EXPLOSION ON HIGHWAY, INSUFFICIENT IDLE, ACCELERATION, AND CHANGING GEARS ROUGH

NHTSA ODI 11253076

Jun 20, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

KIA FORTE 2016 - WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND IT LOSES POWER STEERING BREAKS, THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, STARTING THE CAR, DRIVING 10 MPH, 50MPH, 35 MPH. I HAVE HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP. THE CAR IS STILL IN DRIVE, THE KEY IS TURNED ON, THE DASHBOARD GOES OUT, BUT THE RADIO AND CLOCK STAY ON. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 KIA DEALERSHIPS 4 TIMES TOTAL AND THE ISSUES CONTINUE. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11221479

May 8, 2019Engine

WHILE I WAS DRIVING I LOST POWER AND THE CAR WOULD HARDLY MOVE. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED ME THAT HIS BROY=THER HAD THE SAME CAR AND THIS HAPPENED TO HIM ALSO. HE THAN TOLD ME THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND SINCE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THE ENGINE IS COVER. HE ALSO STATED THAT AFTER THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY THERE WILL BE A RECALL. THIS PUT ME AT SOME EASE BUT I KNEW IT WAS ONLY HERE SAY. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS MY FAULT SINCE I DID NOT PROPERLY MAINTAIN IT. I ALWAYS GET MY OIL CHANGED AND IF I DON'T SHOW PROOF IT IS NOT COVERED. I DO NOT HAVE ALL MY RECEIPT, THE GARAGES CLOSE TO MY HOUSE JUST PUT THEM ON PAPER RECEIPTS WITH KNOW COMPUTER RECORD. THE DEALER IS 10 MILES FURTHER AWAY THAN MY LOCAL GARAGE. I GAVE THE KEYS TO THE KIA DEALER AND TOLD THEM TO KEEP IT. IF ITS 'S UNDER WARRANTY WITH ABOUT 44,000 MILES WHY ISN'T IT COVERED.

NHTSA ODI 11206159

Apr 11, 2019Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

TAKATA RECALL WHEN TURNING MY VEHICLE OFF THERE IS A TICKING COMING FROM THE COMPUTER WHEN SITTING STILL IT WILL CAR WILL AISLE UP IN TRY TO TAKE OFF A LITTLE WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT ALSO SHAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND L I HAVE REPORTED THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE AND THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE MOTOR ON THE VEHICLE A LITTLE AFTER THE WARRANTY REPLACEMENT WAS DONE THE TICKING BEGIN AGAIN UNDER THE HOOD AND THE SHAKING AND EVERYTHING IS STARTING OVER AGAIN AND I KEEP TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WHICH IS EXACTLY LIKE THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WAS START TAKING IT BEFORE THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET IN MY MOTOR

NHTSA ODI 11195684

Apr 2, 2019Transmission & drivetrainEngine

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE GOING ABOVE 65 MPH AND SHUTTERS WHEN LOSING POWER. IT ALSO BURNS 1/2 QUART OF OIL PER WEEK WHILE DRIVING OR IN USE. ALSO WHEN REFILLING OIL THERE IS A WHITE SUBSTANCE ON THE DIPSTICK WHEN CHECKING THE OIL LEVELS. WHEN IT LOSES POWER WHILE IN MOTION THE ELECTRONICS DIM OR FLICKER. THIS HAVE BEEN ON GOING FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS NOW. THIS IS AN APPARENT ENGINE FAILURE LIKE OTHER FORTE'S.

NHTSA ODI 11193384

Feb 28, 2019Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE LOW OIL MESSAGE DISPLAYED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MORITZ KIA (11210 N. FREEWAY, FT WORTH, TX) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PAN PLUG DETACHED AND CAUSED OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. THE PLUG WAS REPLACED AND OIL WAS ADDED TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA ODI 11183134

Jan 9, 2019Engine

I PURCHASED T A KIA FORTE SEPTEMBER OF 2017. I ALSO BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS SO I BROUGHT IT INTO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD HER THE ENGINE WAS SHOT. I THEN CALLED KIA (GARY LANG - IN MCHENRY) WHOM TOLD HER TO BRING IT IN AND THAT ACCORDING TO THE VIN# THEY WOULD COVER IT. WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY TOLD ME AGAIN IT WOULD BE COVERED AND EVEN GAVE ME A LOANER TO DRIVE. 3 DAYS LATER THEY CALLED HER WITH BAD NEWS AND SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNLESS COULD PROVE THAT IT WASN'T FROM NEGLECT. I THEN PRODUCED 7 OIL CHANGES FROM TWO DIFFERENT SHOPS AS WELL AS MY YEARLY UBER INSPECTIONS (DONE BY JIFFY LUBE). I HAS BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH KIA'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION AS WELL. AGAIN I GAVE THEM ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THE SAME THING - THEY WILL NOT HELP WITH ANYTHING.

NHTSA ODI 11166052

Oct 22, 2018Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire

THE KIA FORTE CAUGHT FIRE AS MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE (THE CAR WAS IN MOTION). WE HAD ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR JUST OVER A YEAR. I AM UNSURE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE HOWEVER, THE INSURANCE REVIEWER ADVISE THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. MY HUSBAND BARLEY MADE IT OUT OF THE CAR BEFORE THE INSIDE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CAR WAS A COMPLETE LOSS IT WAS HARDLY RECOGNIZABLE ONCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT.

NHTSA ODI 11141847

Aug 31, 2018Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE CUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING WHILE IN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE DOESN'T ACCELERATE, IT SLOWS DOWN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING OTHER VEHICLES TO HAVE TO DECELERATE OR GO AROUND TO AVOID HITTING ME. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED BY KIA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE A COLLISION HAPPENS WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONE TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11123873

May 5, 2018Engine

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND IT STARTED MAKING A RATTLING NOISE THAT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEN IT TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND IT NEVER TURNED ON AGAIN. I HAD TO TOW IT.

NHTSA ODI 11092058

May 5, 2018Engine

I PICKED UP MY CAR FROM THE KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES AFTER BEING THERE FOR AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT 4 MONTHS. I WAS DRIVING IT HOME AND IT STARTED SMELLING FUNNY IN THE FWY. I PULLED OVER AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE I DROVE 10 MILES MORE THEN ALL THIS SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT AND THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FWY. IT DIDN'T TURN ON ANYMORE AND IT STARTED JERKING OFF . I ADDED WATER AND IT JUST LEAKED THROUGH THE BOTTOM. I HAD TO PUSH IT OUT OF THE FWY AND CALL A TOW TRUCK AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI 11092062

Jan 3, 2018Transmission & drivetrainAirbagsBody & structureEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE MATS ON THE FLOOR BEGAN TO SMOKE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE SUN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED FREQUENTLY REGARDLESS OF THE SPEED SHE WAS TRAVELING. THE CONTACT ALSO HAD CONCERNS WITH THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE TRANSFERRED GEARS ON ITS OWN. THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE. KIA OF GREENVILLE (2424 LAURENS RD, GREENVILLE, SC 29607) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,865.

NHTSA ODI 11058265

Aug 10, 2016Electrical systemEngine

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE DASH BOARD WENT BLACK AND THE CAR POWERED COMPLETELY DOWN.

NHTSA ODI 10894766

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Working with the data? Download all 134 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 2016 Kia Forte Koup verdict →