2012 KIA FORTE Complaints

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2012 KIA FORTE KOUP SX WITH THE 2.4 LITER THETA II ENGINE THAT IS BEING RECALLED ON A LIMITED BASIS BY KIA UNDER NHTSA SC147. A WEEK WHILE MERGING WITH FASTER TRAFFIC MY ENGINE DIED FORCING ME INTO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TRYING TO CROSS SEVERAL LANES OF MUCH FASTER MOVING TRAFFIC WITH A DEAD ENGINE. I CAME TO A STOP IN THE CENTER LANE AND HAD SEVERAL VERY CLOSE CALLS BEFORE OTHER VEHICLES HAD TO SWERVE AT THE LAST SECOND TO AVOID HITTING ME. MUCH LIKE THE COUNTLESS OTHER EXAMPLES OF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE THETA II ENGINE SEIZING OR SPINNING ROD BEARINGS MY ENGINE SEIZED SOLID EVEN THOUGH I METICOUSLY FOLLOWED THE PRESCRIBED MAINTENANCE INTERVALS KIA SUGGESTS. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH I WAS DISMAYED TO SEE HOW WIDE SPREAD THIS ISSUE IS AND CANNOT FATHOM WHY KIA IS PERMITTED TO ONLY RECALL SOME VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE AND NOT OTHERS. I VERY STRENUOUSLY URGE THE NHTSA TO EXPAND UPON RECALL SC147 TO INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS ENGINE BEFORE OTHER INJURIES OR DEATHS OCCUR AS I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY SUSTAINED. THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCUSE AND NO DEFENDING OF KIA'S POSITION THAT THIS ENGINE ONLY FAILS DUE TO MANUFACTURING FLAWS ON SOME MODELS AND NOT OTHERS MODELS WHEN THEY BOTH USE THE SAME ENGINE WHEN ALL ONE MUST DO IS TO DO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH TO SEE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF AMERICAN CONSUMERS BEING LEFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE TO FACE THE MANUFACTURER TO GET THESE ISSUES RESOLVED. IT IS YET TO BE SEEN IF KIA APPROPRIATELY MAKE ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE EITHER UNDER THE 10 YEAR/100,000 MILE LIMITED WARRANTY (MY VEHICLE IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 80,000 MILES) OR UNDER RECALL SC147; HOWEVER, BASED UPON WHAT I REPEATEDLY AM FINDING, KIA WILL TRY DENYING REPAIRS, DEMANDING ALL MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS AND GENERALLY MAKING IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE FOR CONSUMERS TO GET WARRANTY WORK DONE.

FATAL MVA INVOLVING FRONT-END COLLISION. AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER.

I HEARD KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE AT APPROX 132,000 MI WHICH GOT WORSE PROGRESSIVELY. THE SAME 2.4 LITER ENGINE THAT WAS RECALLED IN THE OPTIMA. THERE SHOULD BE RECALL ON THE FORTE 2.4 ENGINE AS WELL.

I BOUGHT MY 2012 KIA FORTE BACK IN 2015 WITH APPROX. 40K MILES ON AND THIS LAST SUMMER OF 2017 THE VECHILE WOULD NOT START AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM WORK ONE EVENING. I DROVE IT JUST FINE TO WORK AND WHEN I GOT HOME AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. AFTER TOWING IT TO A MECHANIC I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. AS THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE THAT IS IN THE OPTIMA AND SPORTAGE THAT HAVE RECALLS ON THEIR ENGINES, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE FORTE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS AS WELL.

TAKATA RECALL CAR STARTED TO MAKE NOISES. THEN AFTER GETTING IT CHECKED OUT I WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDED A WHOLE NEW ENGINE! IT IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. BOUGHT USED FROM A DEALER IN 2013. ENGINE DIED ON THE WAY HOME STILL HAVE A LOAN AND CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT!!!! SAW MULTIPLE PEOPLES COMPLAINTS ONLINE FOR SAME PROBLEM! WHEN WILL I HAVE A RECALL TO DRIVE A CAR THAT I AM STILL PAYING FOR. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION AND GOING STRAIGHT ON A STATE ROAD WHEN THIS ACCURED. SPEED LIMIT ON STATE ROAD I WAS ON IS 50 WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED PINGING ELECTRICAL WENT OFF THEN MOTOR STOPPED. THIS CAUSED US TO HAVE TO PUSH VEHICLE OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY OR DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN PROMPTED. FURTHERMORE, UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION, THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE HAD TO BE ENGAGED IN ORDER TO SHIFT OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO MAKE A CLUNK WHEN YOU TURNED IT NOW THE EPS LIGHT IS FLASHING AND THE POWER NO LONGER WORKS THIS CAR HAS 67 THOUSAND MILES ON IT I

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT'S SON WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUFFERED CONTUSIONS, A BRAIN INJURY, AND WAS IN A COMA FOR TWO WEEKS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF COMPLETELY. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE LIGHTING AND STEERING TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEN TOWED TO VAN SYCKLE KIA (729 HOGAN RD, BANGOR, ME 04401) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000.

WHEN DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATE. THE BULBS IN THE TAIL LIGHT BURN OUT FREQUENTLY ON AVERAGE OF 60-90 DAYS..