What breaks most · 2009 to 2024 model years
Kia Forte problems by year
Owners have filed 2,529 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Kia Forte across model years 2009 to 2024. Three years stand out: 2014 for engine complaints, 2017 for engine complaints and 2012 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2009, 2022 and 2021.
- Years to check closely: 2014, 2017, 2012
- Fewest complaints: 2009, 2022, 2021
- Complaints on file
- 25292009 to 2024, all trims
- Worst year
- 2014440 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 233136 fires · 189 injuries · 12 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 70kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 34Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Engine (1) | |
| 221 | 21 | 3 | Engine (74) | |
| 153 | 28 | 3 | Engine (45) | |
| 291 | 20 | 4 | Engine (160) | |
| 195 | 16 | 5 | Engine (107) | |
| 440 | 32 | 3 | Engine (214) | |
| 258 | 16 | 1 | Engine (156) | |
| 135 | 16 | 1 | Engine (66) | |
| 301 | 23 | 3 | Engine (144) | |
| 136 | 13 | 3 | Engine (57) | |
| 147 | 11 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (47) | |
| 74 | 9 | 0 | Unknown or other (25) | |
| 67 | 10 | 2 | Engine (22) | |
| 26 | 3 | 1 | Unknown or other (9) | |
| 60 | 10 | 3 | Steering (13) | |
| 24 | 5 | 0 | Unknown or other (9) |
What fails on the 2014 Kia Forte
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 49% |
214 | 3 | Shop engine parts for the 2014 Kia Forte |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 14% |
63 | 4 | Shop steering parts for the 2014 Kia Forte |
| Air bags | 14% |
62 | 21 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 13% |
56 | 3 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2014 Kia Forte |
| Unknown or other | 11% |
50 | 7 | — |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 6% |
26 | 4 | Shop brakes parts for the 2014 Kia Forte |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 5% |
24 | 1 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2014 Kia Forte |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 5% |
22 | 1 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2014 Kia Forte |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Engine smoking when started up engine has oil in it scared to move vehicle because I have no idea if it’s going to catch fire or anything
-
My vehicle caught fire while driving also before fire vehicle started popping and stuttering rattling sound. I was on highway.
-
I was driving and out of nowhere my engine stalled on me, and now when I drive it it engine fails on the road without warning
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Kia Forte years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2014, 2017, 2012 carry the most filings on the Kia Forte. The 2014 alone has 440 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Kia Forte problem?
On the 2014 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 214 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Kia Forte problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Kia Forte complaints that include mileage is about 70,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.