2012 KIA FORTE Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 KIA FORTE. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 300 complaints submitted for the 2012 KIA FORTE. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - KEWAUNEE, WI

    AT ABOUT 99,500 MILES, MY 2012 KIA FORTE 2.0-L CAR BEGAN MAKING A LOUD TICKING SOUND, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS THE VALVE LIFTERS. HOWEVER, AFTER TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY DIAGNOSED IT, USING A STETHOSCOPE, AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE WRIST PIN ON THE PISTON CONNECTING ROD. IN MY OPINION, THIS CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY RECALLED FOR SAFETY REASONS.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA

    I PURCHASED THE KIA FROM A CAR DEALERSHIP WITH FAKE CARFAX. I WAS TOLD THAT IT'S A EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WORKING VEHICLE NO PROBLEMS OR RECALLS. I GOT A CAR LOAN ON IT AND A WEEK LATER I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER AND. KIA NEVER REPAIRED IT I TOLD THE BANK AND CAR LOT AND THEY DEMAND MORE MONEY FROM AND I SHOULD THEM THAT THEY WERE INFORMED ABOUT THIS BEFORE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY REPO MY CAR AND STILL LEFT ME ON THE DMV RECORDS STATING I HAVE THE CAR AND FORCING ME TO PAY THE LOAN AND IS TRIPLE MY PAYMENTS

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - DOUGLASVILLE, GA

    MY 2012 KIA FORTE 2.0L ENGINE KEEPS MAKING A TICKING, KNOCKING NOISE. TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE ISSUE, BUT THAT I MAY JUST NEED AN OIL CHANGE. OIL WAS SEVERELY LOW, EVEN THOUGH OIL WAS JUST CHANGED. THERE WERE NO LEAKS IDENTIFIED. ALSO, MY CAR HAS A JERKING ISSUE WHEN ACCELERATING. THE CAR SOMETIMES GETS THROWN FORWARD WITHOUT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING THROWN. THIS ESPECIALLY HAPPENS ON THE INTERSTATE, OR IF THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR LONGER THAN 20 MINUTES. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - BRIGHTON, IL

    BOUGHT 2012 KIA FORTE ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IT STARTED A KNOCK NOISE. A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE NOISE STARTED I TOOK IT IN FOR A SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE HOPING THE NOISE WOULD IMPROVE. IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE, NOW I'M WAITING FOR MY NEXT APPOINTMENT TO GET MY CAR LOOKED AT AND I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT. I WAS AWARE OF ENGINE RECALLS ON 2.4L HYUNDAI ENGINES, AS WE OWN A SONATA THAT WAS AFFECTED. I DID NOT KNOW THAT 2.0L ENGINES HAD BEEN RECALLED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW 2.0L IN THE FORTE ARE NOT INCLUDED.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - GRAPEVIEW, WA

    MY CAR HAS A 2.4 L ENGINE IN IT THE ENGINE IS FAILING IT HAS A BEARING PROBLEM I HAVE IT AT KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY'RE TELLING ME IT'S NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL AND I DON'T SEE HOW IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT'S THE 2012 2.4L AND AT THE SAME CAR SAME MOTOR AND THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME GOING ON.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - EMERYVILLE, CA

    DEVELOPED A VERY SUBTLE TICKING NOISE IN 2018, HAPPENING MOSTLY AT LOW SPEEDS, GONE AFTER WARM UP. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP (NAPLETON'S IN URBANA, IL), AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT LOCATE ANY NOISE AND DIDN'T FIND ANY IMPACT ON DRIVABILITY. I CONTINUED DRIVING THE CAR, WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES (ALL MY MAINTENANCE WAS DONE AT THE DEALER), UNTIL SEPTEMBER 2020, WHEN THE NOISE BECAME VERY VERY NOTICEABLE, AT ALL SPEEDS AND ALMOST CONSTANT. BECAUSE I HAD MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER KIA DEALERSHIP IN OAKLAND AND THEY SAID THEY CAN INSTALL A USED ENGINE REPLACEMENT (WITH 30 K MILES ON IT ALREADY) FOR A MINIMUM OF 6200 BEFORE TAX. I THOUGHT THEY WERE KIDDING, TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T EVEN DO SO MUCH AS CHANGE THE OIL IN THAT VISIT.... WELL THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AGREES ON THE ROD BEARING BEING ON ITS WAY OUT AND THAT THE ENGINE CAN SEIZE AT ANY POINT. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TORE DOWN THE ENGINE TO DIAGNOSE IT. I NOW HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN THE CAR'S WORTH TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T SEIZE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND KILL SOMEONE, OR HAVE TO SELL IT FOR SCRAPS, DESPITE INSTALLING BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, A NEW EVAP CANISTER (CRACKED AND FAILED SMOG TEST IN CALIFORNIA)AND PURGE VALVE JUST THIS YEAR ALONE. THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE NOW. KIA NEEDS TO FIX THIS. THESE ENGINES NEED TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. FORUMS ARE FULL OF FAILED KIA FORTES FROM 2012, SOME MUCH EARLIER THAN MINE. 93.5K MILES SINCE BUYING IT IN AUGUST 2013).

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - FONTANA, CA

    I PREVIOUS REPORT NUMBER 11384011, PICTURES UPLOADED: DRIVING TO REPAIR LOCATION ON FREEWAY AND THE CAR STARTING SMOKING AND BURST INTO FLAME FROM THE ENGINE. MANAGED TO STOP AND GOT OUT OF THE BURNING CAR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED FIRE SERVICE WHO CAME AND STOP THE BURNING. CAR TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP FACILITY. *LN *AS*JB

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - WARREN, MI

    ENGINE ALWAYS HAS HAD EXCESSIVE BLOW BY. AND NOISE. SMELL FUEL AT TIMES. DER SYS ITS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - FONTANA, CA

    DROVE MY 2012 KIA FORTE FOR ABOUT HALF A MILE AROUND OUR STREET AND I STARTED SMELLING BURNING ODOR AND BEFORE I COULD GUESS, WHERE THE SMELL WAS EMANATING FROM, I SAW HEAVY SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT AND SIDE OF THE HOOD. I FRANTICALLY MANAGED TO STOP AND PARK. I TRIED TO OPEN THE HOOD BUT I COULDN'T. AFTER MANY TRIES WITH THE HEAT I FINALLY OPENED IT. AS THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE, I REALIZED IT WAS VERY HOT, WHILE OTHER PARTS OF THE WHOLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COOL. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT AFTER 30 MINUTES, I SAW THE CHECK ENGINE SIGNAL ON THE DASHBOARD. I SIMPLY PARKED CAR ON THE CURVE, LOCKED IT TO FIND A TOW TRUCK. NEXT DAY CALLED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, AFTER I GAVE THEM MY IN NUMBER. THEY SAID TO CHECK AFTER 1/27/21, THE DATE THE CURRENT RECALL WILL BE PUBLISHED. THEY SAID TO TAKE MY CAR FOR KIA DEALERSHIP AND PAY FOR REPAIRS. THEY THEY WILL REFUND ME IF IT IS PART OF THE RECALL ON 1/27/21.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 KIA FORTE
    - BALTIMORE, OH

    ABOUT A WEEK AGO CAR WAS RUNNING FINE EXCEPT IT WOULD SHUT OFFF WHILE DRIVEING ON OCCASION AND THROWING NO CODES SO MATT TAYLOR KIA COULD T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT..THE CAR HAS DEVELOPED A VERY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE ,PUTTING OFF A VERY BAD SMALL AND SMOK E OUT THE EXHAUST,AND RECENT OIL CHANGE AND WE CHECK THE DIP STICK AND OIL IS BEYOND LOW WICH DID NOT MAKE ANY SENSE.THE CAR HAS THE 2.4 ENGINE WICH SADLY IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST DESPITE MANY REPORTS OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS THAT ULTIMATELY LEAD TO ENGINE FIRES.I REFUSE TO LET MY SON GET BACK IN HIS VEHICLE THIS CAR NEEDS ADDED TO THE MASSIVE RECALL LIST ON KIA MOTORS ASAP BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE