2014 Kia Forte
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 442 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 16 Forte model years with reports.
Of the 2014 reports, 32 involved a crash and 36 involved a fire. 29 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
EngineDec 2, 2020
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.
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
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 Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Campaign 20V750000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, pedals and linkagesDec 1, 2017
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, or activate the engine management brake pedal override feature.
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.
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.
Campaign 17V773000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical systemJan 16, 2015
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014 Kia Forte vehicles manufactured December 5, 2012, to April 17, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the cooling fan resistor may overheat and melt.
If the cooling fan resistor overheats and melts, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire.
Kia will notify owners, and for vehicles produced from December 5, 2012 to January 27, 2014, dealers will replace the cooling fan resistor and multi-fuse unit. For vehicles produced from January 28, 2014 to April 17, 2014, dealers will replace the multi-fuse unit only. Owners of vehicles with a 1.8L engine will also have the engine control unit software updated. The recall began on February 20, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC113.
Campaign 15V015000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: exterior lighting
22 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Exterior lighting, Jun 1, 2025
The MDPS power steering coupler became worn out causing erratic steering issues.the coupler part its self is not even listed on the vehicle so the dealership would only recommend replacing the entire MDPS. i replaced the coupler myself due to lack of affordability for entire motor. steering is now fixed. additional ongoing issue with left turn signal bulbs have burned out repeatedly within days of being changed cuurently the bulb is working but the system doesnt register that signals are working causing hyper flashing. researching these issues i have found multiple online sources claiming similar issues with both turn signals and power steering couplers.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Engine, Mar 2, 2025
The car will randomly cut off while driving, to restart the car must be put into neutral to restart and the lights go off during that time. If you are on the interstate going over 50, it will jerk and restart itself but the steering gets really stiff and you have to pull over and cut car off and restart to get the steering to work properly again.
Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 30, 2023
Break line, have to continue to fill break fluid, the smell of something burning when stopping or stopped , passenger right light keeps going out , continues need to be replaced
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Dec 13, 2021
When I engage the left turn signal the headlights will intermittently shut off. They sometimes come back on and sometimes do not. Usually after completing a turn they come back on. It's unpredictable and this has caused some scary situations. It is a continual problem that needs to be fixed by KIA.
Exterior lighting, Other or unspecified, Dec 13, 2021
Brake light failure on both tail lights. The problem started by finding mold in the trunk. This was caused by water pooling in the bottom space where the spare tire would go if it came with one. Water leaks were observed from both tail lights into the trunk. The culprit seems to be bad gaskets for the tail lights. The gaskets have cracks which let rain water through. The poor design of this part has caused both brake lights to stop working. I fear water damage with the wiring / electrical system. The 3rd, center brake light still works. Will KIA pay to fix this important safety feature?
Exterior lighting, Dec 10, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE SWITCHED THE HI-BEAM LIGHTS ON TO DRIVE AT NIGHT AT 60 MPH THE ENTIRE LIGHTING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE HI-BEAMS WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF. THE LIGHTING SYSTEM WOULD ALSO GO ON AND OFF WHEN THE CONTACT TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL. THE LIGHTS WOULD STAY OFF FOR ABOUT THREE TO FIVE SECONDS BEFORE COMING BACK ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PRESTIGE KIA (3525 HWY 93, EAU CLAIRE, WI 54701,(715) 833-0177) BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE VEHICLE WAS UNREPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,700.
Exterior lighting, Nov 22, 2019
THE DRIVER SIDE TAILLIGHTS KEEP BLOWING OUT. REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THEY HAVE BULB GREASE AND ARE NOT MELTED. THEN THE SAME SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT. THE DRIVER SIDE LED HEADLIGHT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT IS ALSO OUT. FUSES HAVE BEEN CHECKED.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Oct 21, 2019
HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERING/GOING OUT WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T COME BACK ON UNLESS I TINKER WITH THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL SWITCH. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN SEEING AS HOW I DRIVE DAILY IN THE DARK TO WORK
Exterior lighting, Oct 19, 2019
TWICE WHILE DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY AT NIGHT ON A 2-LANE FM ROAD, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT WHEN CHANGING FROM LOW BEAM TO HIGH BEAM, AND ONCE,THEY WENT COMPLETELY OUT WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL. THEY CAME BACK ON IN A FEW SECONDS EACH TIME BUT THOSE FEW SECONDS WERE VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 7, 2019
THIS CAR HAS SEVERAL ISSUES WHICH I HAVE FOUND OTHER 2014 OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AS I DO. THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS TAKE TURNS GOING OUT. I AM TO THE POINT ABOUT EVERY 5 WEEKS I AM REPLACING A BURNED OUT LIGHT. ONE HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT THEN I FIX THAT. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WILL GET PULLED OVER FOR A TAILLIGHT.BEING OUT. ONE OFFICER TOLD ME HE WAS GIVING ME A WARNING BECAUSE HIS WIFE HAS THE SAME ISSUES WITH HER LIGHTS GOING OUT. I WILL REPLACE THE TAILLIGHT THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT THEN THE OTHER TAILLIGHT WILL GO OUT. I FIND MYSELF ALWAYS REPLACING A LIGHT. I'VE PULLED UP TO MANY FORTE OWNERS TO LET THEM KNOW A TAILLIGHT WAS OUT AND THEY ALL SAY "AGAIN" THE LIGHTS ARE A MAJOR PROBLEM. ALSO MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WON'T GO ALL THE WAY UP. I HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED THEN ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN WHERE THE WINDOW WILL GO ALMOST ALL THE WAY UP BUT IT STILL LEAVES A LITTLE GAP IN THE WINDOW FOR AIR TO COME INSIDE WHICH WILL CAUSE YOUR CAR TO ROCK BACK AND FOURTH FROM THE AIR FLOW IN AND OUT. ITS DANGEROUS AS IT HAS EVEN PUSHED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE FROM THE AIR PRESSURE COMING THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE WINDOW.
Exterior lighting, Aug 28, 2019
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO COMPLETELY OUT. ONCE I SWITCH THEM ON AGAIN, THEY WOULD GO OUT ONCE AGAIN. THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY KNEW EXACTLY THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEY REPAIRED QUITE A FEW CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE WAS $238. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE PLACED ON THE RECALL LIST.
Steering, Exterior lighting, Jun 23, 2019
STEERING: STEERING MAKES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE UNDER THE DASHBOARD WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. NOISE HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR MOVING AT ANY SPEED. KIA HAS RECALLED SOME 2014-2016 SOULS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE NOT RECALLED THE FORTE. LIGHTING: HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN TURNING ON THE TURN SIGNALS.
Exterior lighting, Service brakes, May 1, 2019
MY BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON AT ALL TIMES WHILE CAR IS TURNED ON
Exterior lighting, Visibility, Feb 12, 2019, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A BURNING ODOR WAS PERCEIVED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE ORIGIN OF THE ODOR COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILLION AUTO KIA (605-309-0977, LOCATED AT 1400 CAMBELL ST, RAPID CITY, SD 57701) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR CONNECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF AT RANDOM AND WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED AFTER THEY WERE MANUALLY TURNED OFF. THE SAME DEALER STATED THAT THE INTERIOR SWITCHES WERE INOPERABLE. THE FAILURES WERE NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Air bags, Feb 10, 2019, crash
VEHICLE IN MOTION HIT DEER. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AT THE TIME AND CONTINUES BEING A HAZARD AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. SMELL OF SOMETHING BUT INFO TURNED OUT TO BE BLOWER MOTOR CONNECTOR THE BLOWER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONS THE SEATBELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jan 2, 2019
PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WON'T WORK AND IF YOU TAP ON THE TURN SIGNAL THE LIGHTS FLICKER IN THE CAR.
Exterior lighting, Nov 5, 2018
HEAD LIGHTS AND INSIDE DASH LIGHT WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. IF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS LEFT IN THE AUTO POSITION WHILE PARKED AND THE KEYS REMOVED, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL COME ON BY THEM SELF SOMETIME IN THE NIGHT AND DRAIN THE BATTERY. WHEN TRYING TO TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS, THE DASH BOARD AND HEADLIGHTS WILL FLICKER AND GO OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Jul 19, 2018
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND SOMETIMES SHUT OFF AND THEN BACK ON. FAILURE APPEARS IMMANENT.
Exterior lighting, Mar 29, 2018
2014 KIA FORTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE AND HEADLIGHTS NOT STARTING UP. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER. THE DEALERS ADVISED THERE WERE OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME FAILURE AND THAT THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING A DESIGNED. *JS
Exterior lighting, Seat belts, Jan 9, 2015
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FRAYING AND RIPPING DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT HAS OPENED 2X DURING VEHICLE OPERATION TAIL LIGHTS FAULTY, SPORADICALLY TURNING ON AND OFF. *TR
Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, Jul 26, 2014
KIA FORTE EX 2014 ESC LIGHT CAME ON AND MY BRAKE LIGHTS WONT LIGHT UP WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL FEELS STIFF WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP. CHECKED ALL PLUGS AND BULBS AND THEY ALL ARE GOOD, CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND WILL TAKE ME IN ON MONDAY. *TR
Exterior lighting, Jul 7, 2014
THE FRONT HEADLIGHT COVERS HAVE LONG CRACKS IN THEM. IT HAS BEEN SITTING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE? *JS