2012 KIA FORTE KOUP Complaints

The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte Koup. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, white smoke was coming from under the hood. While the independent mechanic was starting the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The mechanic turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that prior to the smoke on a separate occasion, while the contact's daughter was driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had caused the battery, starter, and knock sensor to fail. The vehicle was repaired for the prior failures. The contact stated that after the most recent failure, the independent mechanic diagnosed that the engine had failed and damaged the battery, starter, and knock sensor. The independent mechanic replaced the battery, starter, and knock sensor. Additionally, the engine needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE KOUP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALLEY KIA OF FONTANA (16272 S. HIGHLAND AVE, FONTANA, CA 92336) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF AN ENGINE DIAGNOSTIC CODE THAT WAS THE CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONSUMPTION VALVE WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,800.

WHILE DRIVING AT 70MPH ON THE HIGHWAY HEARD A TAPPING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILED, RUINING THE ENGINE (2.4L). QUOTED $6,000 FOR REPAIR. 82,000 MILES. ALL MAINTENANCE DONE ON TIME. DEALER AND KIA CORPORATE DENIED ANY HELP OR THAT THE 2.4L WAS DEFECTIVE AT MANUFACTURE.

WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE MADE A SOUND LIKE A TICKING NOISE THEN JUST BLEW. OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE BAY AND GROUND. A LOT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WOULD NOT START OR DO ANYTHING. GLAD IT DIDN'T CATCH FIRE WITH ALL THE OIL EVERYWHERE. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC, COME TO FIND OUT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP. THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. SPEED LIMIT 70. IT WAS LIKE THE ENGINE WENT BOOM. GLAD I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE TO BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE. LOST ALL POWER AND UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR. MECHANIC HAD TO ORDER AND WAITING ON USED ENGINE COMING FROM CALIFORNIA TO PUT INTO CAR. WILL COST 4000.00 FOR THIS REPAIR. STILL OWE ON THIS CAR TOO.

I HEARD A KNOCK COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND SUDDENLY THE CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT START UP AGAIN BUT THE POWER WAS STILL ON FOR LIGHTS, ETC. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE IS SHOT. AFTER RESEARCHING THE KIA FORTE I FOUND A LOT OF REVIEWS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME THING ON THE 2012 FORTE. NOW WITH THE RECALLS FOR THE OTHER KIA ENGINES WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR ENGINE TYPES, THIS MAKE AND MODEL NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED!!!

WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR, I HEARD A KNOCK COMING FROM THE ENGINE!! I HAD IT TOWED TO A KIA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR CAR THAT IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD AND ALL MAINTENANCE KEPT UP TO DATE!! I DID SOME CHECKING AND OTHER KIA ENGINES WITH SIMILAR OR SAME ENGINE TYPES HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THIS MAKE AND MODEL NEEDS TO INCLUDED!!

I WAS TURNING LEFT AND CAR CHUGGED BACK AND FORTH AND BURNING SMELL WITH A TON OF GRAY AND WHITE SMOKE POURING OUT OF BACK OF CAR. FOUGHT WITH KIA GOT A REBUILT ENGINE. 2 WEEKS LATER SAME PROBLEM. TOOK BACK TO A DIFFERENT DEALER AND FAULTY VALVE WAS NEVER REPLACED. HAPPENED AGAIN 3 WEEKS LATER. CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAPPENED AGAIN 3 WEEKS LATER AND THIS TIME SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL WAS SO INTENSE YOU COULDN'T SEE IN BACK OF CAR. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I JUST NEED TO DRIVE IT MORE. I AM A MOTHER TO 3 YOUNG KIDS. THE CAR SMELLS LIKE IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE AND THE SMOKE ALONE IS DANGEROUS TO WHO IS BEHIND ME.

ON 7/23/2016(MILAGE 108000) I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 KIA FORTE SX KOUP TO WORK TRAVELING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. 2 MILES FROM WORK I BEGAN TO HEAR A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND . ARRIVING AT WORK I DID A QUICK ENGINE INSPECTION BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING VISUALLY WRONG (LEAKS, SMOKE, LOOSE PARTS) LATER THAT MORNING I RETURNED TO MY CAR TO TEST THE ENGINE AND COULD HEAR THE SAME NOISE. I DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED UNTIL 07/25/16. MECHANIC SAID THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER DISCOVERING A BAD ROD. MECHANIC ALSO CONTACTED KIA TO SEE IF BY CHANCE THEY WOULD OFFER AND EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT KIA WOULD NOT REPAIR ENGINE SINCE IT HAD PASSED THE 100000 MILE WARRANTY. (JUST 8000 MILES OVER WARRANTY !!!!!!) MY WIFE AND I DECIDED TO BITE THE BULLET AND HAVE THE ENGINE REPAIRED. $4300 AND ONE WEEK LATER MY VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ME. I NOW SEE ALL OF THESE NEWS STORIES ABOUT KIA CATCHING FIRE AND OTHER HORROR STORIES ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE ABOUT THE SAME EXPERIENCE OTHERS HAVE GONE THROUGH . I AM EVEN MORE OUTRAGED THAT IT COULD STILL HAPPEN TO ME AND THE FACT THAT THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS AND SEAT BELTS BUT NOT THE ENGINE!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE DO SOMETHING!!!!!!

MY CAR STARTED OVER HEATING AT STOP AND GO TRAFFIC SO I CHECKED EVERYTHING AND FOUND OUT MY COOLANT FAN RESISTER WAS MELTING..I CHECKED TO SEE IF IT WAS A RECALL ON THAT PART AND IT WAS BUT I DONT THINK IT WAS CHANGE BECAUSE EVERYTHING THE RECALL WEB SITE SAID WOULD HAPPEN DID.

THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, AT 109,381 MILES. I KNOW THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION GOING ON, AND I READ THAT THERE'S A RECALL NOW, BUT I JUST CHECKED THE VIN BOTH HERE AND ON KIA'S OWNERS SITE, AND BOTH SAY ZERO RECALLS.