2012 KIA FORTE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

Check any vehicle history by VIN - Free vehicle history report

4/5

★★★★

Safety Rating

397

Owner Complaints

34 Crashes 32 Fires 4 Deaths

4

Recalls

ACTIVE RECALL

8

Service Bulletins

0

Investigations

Overview of the 2012 KIA FORTE

The 2012 KIA FORTE has received a total of 397 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE, ENGINE. 8 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Engine (158 complaints), Air Bags (35 complaints), and Electrical System (31 complaints).

Recalls for the 2012 KIA FORTE

NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 2012 KIA FORTE, potentially affecting up to 4,397,093 vehicles.

Recall 23V652000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

| 1,730,192 vehicles affected

Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner...

View full details →

Recall 23V652000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

| 1,730,192 vehicles affected

Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner...

View full details →

Recall 20V750000 — ENGINE

| 294,756 vehicles affected

Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the...

View full details →

Recall 18V363000 — AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

| 507,587 vehicles affected

Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

Consequence: If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all...

View full details →

Recall 17V773000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES

| 134,366 vehicles affected

Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Forte and Forte Koup vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously. It can also allow the shift lever to be moved without depressing the brake pedal,...

Consequence: If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing accurate communication to following vehicles that the vehicle is slowing or stopping. Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 30, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC158.

View full details →

Owner Complaints for the 2012 KIA FORTE

397 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 KIA FORTE. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.

Engine
Complaints: 158 3 Crashes 16 Fires 3 Injuries
Air Bags
Complaints: 35 15 Crashes 2 Fires 12 Injuries 3 Deaths
Electrical System
Complaints: 31 6 Fires
Service Brakes
Complaints: 29 3 Crashes 1 Injury
Service Brakes Hydraulic
Complaints: 20 2 Fires
Unknown Or Other
Complaints: 20 1 Crash 2 Fires 1 Injury
Exterior Lighting
Complaints: 18 1 Fire
Vehicle Speed Control
Complaints: 12 3 Crashes 2 Injuries
Fuelpropulsion System
Complaints: 9 2 Crashes 1 Fire
Structurebody
Complaints: 9 2 Crashes 2 Fires 2 Injuries
Power Train
Complaints: 8
Steering
Complaints: 8 1 Crash 1 Injury
Engine And Engine Cooling
Complaints: 4
Electronic Stability Control Esc
Complaints: 3
Seat Belts
Complaints: 3 2 Crashes 2 Injuries 1 Death
Suspension
Complaints: 3 1 Crash 1 Injury
Exterior Lightingbrake Lights
Complaints: 2
Exterior Lightingbrake Lightsswitch
Complaints: 2
Fuel System Gasoline
Complaints: 2 1 Crash 1 Injury
Tires
Complaints: 2
Visibilitysunmoon Roof Assembly
Complaints: 2
Visibilitywiper
Complaints: 2
Equipment Adaptivemobility
Complaints: 1
Equipmentelectricalinfotainmentvideo Touchscreenmonitorunit
Complaints: 1
Exterior Lightingbrake Lightsbulbs
Complaints: 1
Forward Collision Avoidance Adaptive Cruise Control
Complaints: 1
Power Trainautomatic Transmissiongear Position Indication Prndl
Complaints: 1
Power Trainautomatic Transmissionlever And Linkagecolumn Shift
Complaints: 1
Power Traindrivelinechainbelt
Complaints: 1
Service Brakes Airantilockabs Warning Light
Complaints: 1
Steeringcolumn
Complaints: 1
Traction Control System
Complaints: 1
Vehicle Speed Controlaccelerator Pedal
Complaints: 1
Visibilitywindshield
Complaints: 1
Wheels
Complaints: 1
Wheelslugsnutsboltsstuds
Complaints: 1
Wheelsrim
Complaints: 1

Most Recent Complaints

#11705749 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | | N/A miles Fire
Engine started screeching out of nowhere, sounded like something fell through, there was no warning of any kind, car was running seemingly fine prior to this, car was jolting and not going anymore and something also sounded as if it had popped, it started knocking and caught fire and was smoking, breaking down on the side of the road and has been in another state since this occurred just sitting at a hotel because we had to get a rental car. We did call Kia in Georgia to have this issue rectified as we had recently bought this vehicle and were unaware there was a recall on it, however we did some checking and the previous owner also let us know there is a recall for engine fire. I do have the papers for that. Kia advised us they would not be responsible, but Panama City fl Kia where we live were willing to look at that car prior to this incident and take care of the recall, the previous owner never went but now the car has caught fire whilst we were driving in it 7.5 hours away from our house out of town with our children in the car. We had to pull over off of the interstate because the car was on fire and get out on the side of the road and all of had to evacuate. I do believe that if we had been going any faster, we may have even became fatalities because the car locked up. It turned off actually as I was turning to to the exit and just coasted far enough to not be hit in the middle of the road. It was terrifying and we had to move fast and smoke was starting to come through, it started dropping oil everywhere just spilling out lv its almost like the entire underneath of the motor just dropped or something. I’m not quite sure but it was sudden and it has been absolutely miserable.
#11705749 | ENGINE | | N/A miles Fire
Engine started screeching out of nowhere, sounded like something fell through, there was no warning of any kind, car was running seemingly fine prior to this, car was jolting and not going anymore and something also sounded as if it had popped, it started knocking and caught fire and was smoking, breaking down on the side of the road and has been in another state since this occurred just sitting at a hotel because we had to get a rental car. We did call Kia in Georgia to have this issue rectified as we had recently bought this vehicle and were unaware there was a recall on it, however we did some checking and the previous owner also let us know there is a recall for engine fire. I do have the papers for that. Kia advised us they would not be responsible, but Panama City fl Kia where we live were willing to look at that car prior to this incident and take care of the recall, the previous owner never went but now the car has caught fire whilst we were driving in it 7.5 hours away from our house out of town with our children in the car. We had to pull over off of the interstate because the car was on fire and get out on the side of the road and all of had to evacuate. I do believe that if we had been going any faster, we may have even became fatalities because the car locked up. It turned off actually as I was turning to to the exit and just coasted far enough to not be hit in the middle of the road. It was terrifying and we had to move fast and smoke was starting to come through, it started dropping oil everywhere just spilling out lv its almost like the entire underneath of the motor just dropped or something. I’m not quite sure but it was sudden and it has been absolutely miserable.
#11697284 | ENGINE | | N/A miles
Back in July my car started jerking, stalling, and smoking. There was a recall 20v750 open for engine fires. The dealership check it out and said everything looked good. They installed a knock sensor related to the problem. Last week my car did it again leaving me stalled on the interstate at night. There is now a P1326 code for the knock sensor which confirms that there was a issue. However I'm being told that due to my mileage the warranty had expired and there isn't anything they can do.
#11694846 | ENGINE | | 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle, followed by a loss of motive power. The malfunction indicator light and ABS warning light were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
#11694846 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | | 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle, followed by a loss of motive power. The malfunction indicator light and ABS warning light were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.

View all Engine complaints →

Safety Rating for the 2012 KIA FORTE

The 2012 KIA FORTE received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Test Category Rating
Overall Rating ★★★★ (4/5)
Frontal Crash ★★★★ (4/5)
Side Crash ★★★★ (4/5)
Rollover ★★★★ (4/5)

Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.

Technical Service Bulletins for the 2012 KIA FORTE

Kia America, Inc. has issued 8 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2012 KIA FORTE. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.

CS2311_TSB_R2 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2311) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder...

CS2311A_OWNRTD — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia now has an additional vehicle modification available for installation to help deter or thwart attempted thefts. This modification consists of a theft deterrent ignition cylinder protector and will be available to you free of charge...

CS2311_TSB_R1 — STEERING

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2311) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder...

CS2305L_OWNRTD2 — EQUIPMENT

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER RE-NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner re-notification advising that Kia is now making steering wheel lock devices available directly to certain Kia vehicle owners. These devices can help deter a theft attempt. We are making this device available to customers free of charge and will...

TSBCHA074_R2 — STEERING

TSB: MDPS FLEXIBLE COUPLING REPLACEMENT - This bulletin is issued to provide information about the replacement of the flexible coupling in the MDPS motor of some vehicles which might experience a “knock” noise originating from the MDPS, when moving the steering wheel to right or left when the vehicle is...

TSB-TRA055 — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

TSB: INHIBITOR SWITCH DIAGNOSIS INFORMATION - This bulletin gives information regarding the steps to take regarding the diagnosis of the Inhibitor Switch.

PS267 — EQUIPMENT

SUMMARY TO BE PROVIDED ON A FUTURE DATE.

PS223 — EQUIPMENT

PITSTOP: FORTE LOCK CONFIRMATION INOP WITH REMOTE START ACCESSORY - SOME REMOTE START EQUIPPED FORTE’S MAY NOT INDICATE THAT THE DOORS HAVE BEEN LOCKED. THE CUSTOMER MAY STATE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT FLASH THE HAZARD LIGHTS OR SOUND THE HORN WHEN LOCKING THE DOORS WITH THE TRANSMITTER. AS DESIGNED,...

NHTSA Investigations for the 2012 KIA FORTE

There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.

Other Model Years of the KIA FORTE

View all KIA FORTE model years →

Other KIA Models

View all KIA models →

Check any vehicle history by VIN - Free vehicle history report