2014 KIA FORTE Complaints

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE INTERSTATE 5 SOUTHBOUND. IT EXPERIENCED A KIND OF ROAD HAZARD LIKE A SMALL ROCK SOMEWHERE BETWEEN EXITS 210 AND 205. THE IMPACT WAS MINIMAL AND MADE ONLY A SMALL NOISE AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE SO THERE WAS NO REASON TO THINK THE VEHICLE SUFFERED DAMAGE OR NEEDED TO STOP. HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER 3 OR 4 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP IMMEDIATELY ON THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE BEFORE EXIT 205. THE VEHICLE'S OIL PAN WAS PUNCTURED, AND THE ENGINE OIL WAS DRAINED OUT. THE ENGINE HAD SUFFERED CRITICAL DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP IN GLENDALE, CA. REPAIR COSTS WERE QUOTED TO BE $7,332.63. KIA DEEMED THE REPAIRS NON-WARRANTABLE DUE TO THE DAMAGE BEING EXTERNAL. GOODWILL ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED BY KIA AT A PRICE OF $4532.66. HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETELY COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE COMPLAINT IS AGAINST THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE OIL PAN AND THE ENGINE WHICH BECAME CRITICALLY DAMAGED FROM SUCH A MINIMAL IMPACT. THE COMPLAINT IS ALSO AGAINST THE WARNING SYSTEM OF THE CAR WHICH FAILED TO NOTIFY THE ENGINE OIL LEAKING AT SUCH A HIGH RATE IN A TIMELY MANNER BEFORE THE VEHICLE SUFFERED CRITICAL DAMAGE AND PUT THE PASSENGERS AT RISK.

WE ARE A DRIVING SCHOOL WITH ABOUT 100 DIFFERENT CARS FROM KIA, WE HAVE ABOUT 95 VEHICLES RIGHT NOW IN USE THAT ARE FORTE MODELS BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 2010-2017. THIS IS NOW THE SECOND VEHICLE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OF OURS OVER THE PAST YEAR. THE LAST TIME WAS THE KIA FORTE 2015, AND NOW THIS TIME IT IS THE KIA FORTE 2014. THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES MISALIGNED WITH THE WHEELS AND EVENTUALLY THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY OF WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN IS FALLS DOWN COMPLETELY INTO YOUR LAP AND YOU LOSE ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WE TOOK THE 2015 VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX IT, NOW THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN WITH THE 2014. THE SPECIFIC PART WHICH FAILED IS CALLED THE "REINFORCED BEAM"- KIA. IT IS THE BAR ASSEMBLY WHICH CONNECTS THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. THE METAL FROM THE BEAM WHICH SECURES THE STEERING COLUMN TEARS, AND CAUSES THE STEERING COLUMN TO BECOME UNSECURED AND IT FALLS, LEAVING NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE WHETHER IT IS IN MOTION OR AT A STANDSTILL. ALSO, IT BLOCKS THE BRAKE WHILE DRIVING. THE PREVIOUS 2015 FORTE LUCKILY FELL APART IN A PARKING LOT WHILE AN INSTRUCTOR WAS TEACHING PARKING AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. THIS WEEK THE 2014 DRIVER (ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS) WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH A STUDENT WHEN SHE STARTED NOTICING THE DISCONNECT. SINCE IT SOUNDED FAMILIAR WE TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE SAME FAILED PART AGAIN. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. RETAIL IT IS ABOUT $2,000 TO FIX. IT'S ABOUT $500 FOR THE PART, AND $1,500 FOR THE LABOR. THANK YOU.

2014 KIA FORTE EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPLAINED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT A STEADY 40MPH IN 40 DEG. F. WEATHER. ALL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS SHOWED NO OBVIOUS DAMAGE, AND THE OWNER DID NOT PERFORM ANY RECENT SERVICE WORK. NO SYMPTOMS SUCH AS ENGINE LIGHTS OR SOUNDS WERE OBSERVED UNTIL THE CAR BEGAN LOSING POWER AND CAUGHT FIRE ABOUT 60 SECONDS LATER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER SMOKE WAS OBSERVED BY THE DRIVER WHO WAS STOPPING THE CAR.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD "POP" AND THE SUNROOF GLASS SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THANKFULLY, SHE HAD THE VISOR CLOSED UNDERNEATH IT SO THAT THE GLASS DID NOT FALL ON HER. IT DID DO DAMAGE TO THE TRUNK AND OTHER AREAS IN THE REAR OF THE CAR AS THE GLASS BLEW OFF THE CAR. WHEN I (HUSBAND) WENT TO KIA AND TOLD THE SERVICE PERSON WHAT HAPPENED HE SAID IT WAS "IMPOSSIBLE" FOR GLASS JUST TO SHATTER WITHOUT BEING STRUCK. AFTER LISTENING TO NEWS REPORTS THROUGH YOUTUBE I DO NOT BELIEVE THE SERVICE PERSON. FROM WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THE MEDIA....THE GLASS ON TOP IS BEING MADE THINNER BECAUSE OF WEIGHT CONCERNS. ALSO, MY BODY SHOP ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE DESIGN OF OUR KIA IS SLOPED AND THE GLASS IS MORE EXPOSED RATHER THAN BEING ON A "FLAT" ROOF DESIGN VEHICLE OF SAY AN OLDER FORD EXPLORER TYPE VEHICLE. IF THE GLASS ON CERTAIN DESIGNED VEHICLES IS MORE EXPOSED BY SLOPING FORWARD THEN ALL THE MORE REASON TO HAVE A GLASS THAT WON'T SHATTER OR THAT IS THICKER. IF THE SLOPED DESIGN MAKES THE GLASS MORE EXPOSED....THEN IT MAY ALSO BE THAT IT ONLY TAKES A VERY SMALL ROCK BEING THROWN BY A VEHICLE IN FRONT TO SHATTER A THINNER GLASS ON A SLOPED DESIGN VEHICLE...AND A ROCK SIZE THAT A DRIVER WOULD NOT NOTICE. THERE WAS A TRUCK IN FRONT OF MY WIFE BUT SHE DID NOT NOTICE ANY ROCK HITTING HER CAR.

RAIN WATER IS ENTERING TRUNK/SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT AREA. CAUSING PUDDLING AND REAR SEAT WATER DAMAGE.

WATER IS LEAKING INTO MY CAR WHEN IT RAINS. WHAT I HAVE INSPECTED, IT IS THE WEATHER STRIP. WATER IT GOING INTO THE FRAME UNDER MY TRUNK LINING AND UNDER MY BACK SEATS. MOLD HAS GROWN IN MY TRUNK.

TAKATA RECALL NEEDS TO RECALL THE BREAKS ON THE 2014 KIA FORTE. ON NOVEMEBER 21ST 2016 I TOTALLED MY KIA DUE TO FAILURE OF MANAFACURER BREAKS THEY DIDNT STOP ME AND I REAR ENDED A CAR WHICH HOT ANOTHER THAT HIT ANOTHER. THE SPEED CONTROL ON THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL I BEARLY PUSH ON FHE GAS AND IT ZOOMED OFF T WENT FROM 0-30 REALLY QUICK. DURRING THE WRECK I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH WHICH WHEN I HIT THE CAR DUE TO THE BREAKS FAILING MY CAR BOUCED OFF OF IT AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE ROAD WAS DRY IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE OT WAS 5:58 AM AND VERY CLEAR OUTSIDE. THE ROADS WERE VERY DRY NOT SLICK AT ALLL MY CAR JOLTED AS THE BREAKS TRIED TO STOP ME BUT THEY NEVER ATOPPED ME. IT WAS ON A BACK ROAD HEADING TO TAKE MY HUSBAND TO WORK.

I PURCHASED THIS KIA NEW. WITHIN ONE WEEK I NOTICE THERE WERE BUBBLES ON THE SIDE WALL OF 2 OF THE 4, NEXEN CLASSIC PREMERE TIRES THAT CAME WITH THE CAR. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HIT POTHOLES. THE CAR HAD BARELY BEEN DRIVEN. THE DEALER WOULD DO NOTHING. ADDITIONALLY, THIS CAR IS ISSUED TO THE PUBLIC WITHOUT A SPARE TIRE OF ANY KIND. AND NO JACK. THERE IS A COMPRESSION PUMP AND SOME TIRE FIX IT TO TEMP PATCH A LEAK. I TOLD THE DEALER WHAT IF THE SIDEWALL BLOWS OUT. CALL ROAD ASSISTANCE. WELL, THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. MY DAUGHTER HAD DRIVEN TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE. PARKED THE CAR AND CAME OUT TO FIND THE SIDEWALL BUBBLE HAD RUPTURED. SHE COULD NOT LOCATE THE PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. I CALLED THE DEALER AND GOT THE NUMBER BUT THE WAIT WOULD BE AT LEAST AN HOUR. I HANDLED THE SITUATION. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS IS NOT SAFE. THE CAR DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A JACK IN IT! THE SIDEWALL SHREDDED. I PUT A GOODYEAR IN ITS PLACE. HOW THE AUTOMOTIVE COMMUNITY CAN LET THIS TYPE OF PRODUCT OUT ON THE STREET - THIS UNSAFE PRODUCT - IS BEYOND ANY REASON. AND AS I HAVE STATED, I POINTED THIS OUT TO THE DEALER WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF TAKING RECEIPT OF THIS BRAND NEW CAR. I HAVE ANOTHER TIRE WITH A BUBBLE AND THEY DON'T CARE. THE DEALER QUOTED ME A PRICE OF $380 TO HAVE A SPARE TIRE AND JACK KIT FOR MY CAR. WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE OEM AND THE CAR COMMUNITY. I DEAL DIRECTLY WITH OEMS. I INTEND TO LITIGATE THIS ISSUE.

MY CAR ALWAYS GETS STUCK IN PARK IF THE CAR IS LEFT RUNNING (EX. PARKED IN DRIVE THRU TO GET FOOD AND COULDN'T MOVE). I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF IN ORDER FOR IT TO CORRECT ITSELF. A TON OF TIMES MY CAR WONT START BECAUSE IT THINKS THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK. 1ST TIME THIS HAPPENED WHILE AT A GROCERY STORE IN THE SUMMER WITH GROCERIES IN MY TRUNK WERE SPOILING. SAT THERE FOR HOURS WAITING ON ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, BEFORE CALLING MY OLD MECHANIC IN ANOTHER STATE. HE ADVISED ME TO WIGGLE THE GEAR SHAFT FURTHER UPWARDS TOWARD PARK, BEFORE TRYING TO START AGAIN AND IT STARTED. 2ND TIME THIS HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN, IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE I KNEW OF, AT A GAS STATION. VERY CONCERNED; EXTREMELY ANNOYED. THE GUY AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS HAPPENS A LOT WITH THESE CARS.

TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CONSTANTLY GOES ON AND OFF, CAR CONTINUALLY GETS STUCK IN PARK AND WHILE DRIVING DASH DOESN'T SHOW GEARS. BROUGHT TO DEAL PROVIDED PICTURES AS PROOF AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ASKED FOR PAPERWORK AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD MAIL IT NEVER RECEIVED PAPERWORK.