2015 Kia Forte
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 259 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 16 Forte model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 16 involved a crash and 20 involved a fire. 11 people were injured and 1 person died.
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
Representative owner complaints
259 reports, newest first.
Engine, Jan 15, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITH THE ENGINE. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED KIA DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED OF AN UPCOMING RECALL THAT WAS SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 27, 2021 FOR KIA VEHICLES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
Engine, Jan 5, 2021
DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. ENGINE STARTED TO HAVE A TICKING SOUND TO IT, I WAS ONLY 5 MINS FROM MY HOUSE SO I FIGURED I'D LOOK AT IT WHEN I GOT HOME. WENT TO ACCELERATE AND MY CAR DIDN'T HAVE THE POWER IT USED TO. NEXT I HEAR A POP SOUND AND WHITE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST. PULL OVER SMELL BURNT OIL AND OIL ALL OVER THE ALTERNATOR.
Engine, Jan 4, 2021, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, WHEN SHE BEGAN TO HEAR AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE AND THEN SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE STARTED TO SMELL "BURNED RUBBER" AND SAW WHITE SMOKE EXITING THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE STARTED HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INFORMED THE ENGINE WAS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED JIM SHORKEY KIA (12900 US-30, IRWIN, PA 15642: (724) 241-0176) AND WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED AS OF YET. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000 (ENGINE), HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000.
Engine, Jan 2, 2021, fire
DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE ABOUT 70 MILES PER HOUR VEHICLE IN MOTION IT STARTED DRIVING DIFFERENT I PULLED OVER TO GET GAS ANYWAYS AND NOTICED BLACK SOOT ALONG BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE IT WAS RAINING THAT NIGHT I DIDN'T REALLY THINK TOO MUCH OF IT I GOT HOME I TALKED TO A MECHANIC THAT'S A FRIEND AND HE NAME SEVERAL THINGS I DECIDED TO GOOGLE IT AND SAW THAT MY KIA FORTE IS ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE MOTOR CAUSING FIRES AND MOTOR FAILURE
Engine, Dec 27, 2020
THE ENGINE BEGAN, WITHOUT WARNING, CONSUMING THE OIL. THE ENGINE THEN BEGAN MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE THAT IS NOW IRREPARABLE WITHOUT REPLACEMENT. THIS KNOCKING NOISE, DUE TO LOW OIL, WAS NOT PRECEDED BY THE "OIL LIGHT," AS I HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE. THE CAR NOW STRUGGLES TO ACCELERATE AND I HAVE TO ADD OIL EVERY 2 WEEKS OR SO. THIS IS A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH OTHER KIA MODELS, WITH THE SAME ENGINE, THAT WILL BE INVOLVED IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN JANUARY 2021.
Engine, Dec 22, 2020
WE WERE NOT EXPERIENCING ANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN THE CITY AND THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING DUE TO ENGINE ISSUES. IT APPEARS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT IS IN THE RECENT RECALL BUT OUR CAR IS NOT INCLUDED. THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK THAT WAS NOT NOTICEABLE AT ALL.
Engine, Dec 14, 2020
VEHICLE EXPERIENCES ENGINE POWER LOSS AS LOW AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ENGINE POWER LOSS IS ACCOMPANIED BY PLUME OF OIL SMOKE FROM EXHAUST, MOMENTARY CHECK ENGINE AND LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT. LOSS OF ENGINE POWER RESULTS IN RAPID ENGINE DECELERATION OF VEHICLE UNTIL STOPPED AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE REGAINS POWER. VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED MAINTENANCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE CYCLE.
Electrical system, Air bags, Dec 9, 2020
THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON LIKE IF THE BAGS DEPLOYED BUT THEY HAVE NOT VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT. THEY TELL ME IT'S LOW VOLTAGE IN AIRBAG SENSOR? VEHICLE WAS OFF TURNED ON AND THE LIGHT CAME AIRBAG DEPLOYED LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO TURN OFF.
Engine, Dec 8, 2020
WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR JUST SHUT OFF AND WASN'T WORKING. I WAS UNABLE TO START IT AGAIN. NO OIL LIGHTS, NO ENGINE LIGHTS, OR ANY OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON PRIOR TO IT DYING. THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME THERE IS NO OIL IN THE MOTOR AND I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 3-5,000 MILES. THE CAR SHOULDN'T HAVE STOPPED OPERATING WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT ABRUPTLY SHUT OFF. I WAS TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET DURING THAT TIME.
Exterior lighting, Dec 5, 2020
ALL OF THE HEADLAMPS / ALL TAIL/PARK/MARKER / ALL I/P ILLUMINATION LAMPS GOES OUT WHEN TURNING ON THE TURN SIGNALS WHILE DRIVING & SIGNALING FOR AN UPCOMING TURN. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY & IS GETTING WORSE BY THE DAY. THE LAMPS USUALLY RETURN TO NORMAL WITHIN A SECOND OR TWO.
Engine, Nov 27, 2020
MY CAR HAS OR SHOULD I SAT HAD 143,000 MILES WHEN I WAS DRIVING LIKE I DO ANY OTHER NORMAL DAY TO GO HOME. I GAD TO TAKE A SLIGHT DETOUR BEFORE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUTTING OFF AND HAVING ALL THE LIGHTS ON MY DASH POP UP. AFTER I PULLED INTO A SAFE PARKING SPOT MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON AT ALL. THE ENGINE KEPT MAKING A TICKING NOISE. I HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SHOP THEN TO MY HOUSE!! THE CAR STATS ON FOR 10 SECONDS BEFORE SHUTTING OFF! WHY IS THIS NOT BEING RECALLED. I HAVE SEEN STORIES AND SIMILAR COMMENTS TO MINE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS NOW MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR TWO MONTHS
Engine, Nov 20, 2020
THE VEHICLE MILEAGE IS CURRENTLY AT 115,446 . AT APPROXIMATELY 110,000 MILES VEHICLE STARTED WITH A VERY LOUD COLD START. NOT ONLY WAS IT LOUD BUT IT WAS ROUGH WITH A HIGH RPM. I KNOW THEY CALL IT COLD START FOR A REASON BUT THIS IS NOT COMMON WITH OTHER VEHICLES I OWNED THAT WERE 2015S. NOW THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A TICKING OR KNOCKING NOISE. CURRENTLY THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND WITH THE OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE MATCHING EXACTLY UP TO MINE WHY ISNT THIS PROBLEM BEING INVESTIGATED OR RECALLED? IF AND WHEN THIS VEHICLE SEIZES ON ME LIKE EVERY COMPLAINT ON HERE I WILL UPDATE. THERE IS SUPPOSEDLY A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL BUT NOT A SINGLE RECALL. NOT EVEN AN INVESTIGATION? PLEASE UPDATE US AND PREVIOUS OWNERS OF THE COMPLAINTS WHAT STEPS YALL ARE TAKING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
Power train, Nov 18, 2020
ON APRIL 2020 WE NOTICED THAT OUR 2015 KIA FORTE WAS MAKING LOUD, CLANKING NOISE. WE TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. HERE IS THE PROBLEM IN HIS WORDS: * C/S THERE IS A NOISE IN THE ENGINE AREA, WORSE WHEN COLD. ENGINE HAS INTERNAL DAMAGE; UNCLEAR EXACTLY WHERE, BUT LISTENING TO A COLD START FROM UNDER THE CAR SEEMS TO INDICATE A ROD BEARING. REMOVING THE OIL PAN COULD HELP DIAGNOSE, BUT IT ISN'T RECOMMENDED AS A REPLACEMENT ENGINE IS THE BEST SOLUTION REGARDLESS. HE ADDED 2.5 QTS. OF OIL SINCE IT WAS BURING OIL. HE RECOMMENDED WE TAKE IT TO A KIA DEALER FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. WE CALLED THE DEALER TWICE TO SETUP AN APT. TO HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT. THE DEALER SAID WE DIDN'T NEED TO BRING IT IN FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THEY SAID BASED ON OUR DESCRIPTION THAT WE NEED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT.
Electrical system, Air bags, Nov 7, 2020
SOMETIME DURING THE SUMMER MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT IT. I HAVE OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. ALSO THERE IS SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL ISSUE TO WHERE CERTAIN BUTTONS ON MY STEERING WHEEL DONT WORK PROPERLY
Engine, Oct 25, 2020
ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 25, 2020WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY ENGINE SEIZED AND THE CAR DIED AND WOULDN'T START AND I HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND THEN TO THE MECHANIC A FEW DAYS LATER AND WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT OIL WAS BURNING FAST WITH NO KNOWN REASON. ALSO TOLD BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD AND I HAVE TO NOW REPLACE MY ENGINE.
Exterior lighting, Oct 22, 2020
THE KIA HEADLIGHTS REGULARLY AND SUDDENLY TURNED OFF AND FLICKERED BACK ON WITH VARYING DURATION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION UNDER NORMAL USE. THIS WAS NOTICEABLE AT NIGHT WHEN EVERYTHING WAS DARK AND SUDDENLY THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF WHEN WE NEEDED THEM AND QUITE OFTEN WHILE MAKING A TURN. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN THE TURNING SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED WHICH IMPACTED THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE FOR BOTH THE PASSENGERS AND OTHER SURROUNDING CARS AND PEOPLE. DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH NO STREET LIGHTS ON A 2-LANE ROAD WITH INCOMING TRAFFIC, THEN PLANNING A TURN AND ACTIVATING THE TURNING SIGNAL CAUSED SOME CONCERNS TO BOTH THE KIA DRIVER AND THE INCOMING VEHICLES WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF AND CAUSED LOSS OF VISIBILITY AT NIGHT AT THE WRONG MOMENT. IT IS NOT GOOD TO NOT SEE AND NOT BE SEEN. I BELIEVE THIS WAS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT INCREASED THE RISK OF ACCIDENT PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT FIXED FOR ABOUT $400 TOTAL (PARTS AND LABOR) BUT I FEEL THIS HEADLIGHT ISSUE IS NOT NORMAL AND SERIOUS ENOUGH TO BE REPORTED TO HELP PREVENT UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENTS.
Engine, Oct 21, 2020
THE CAR STATED HAVING A LIGHT KNOCKING ON AND OFF, THEN STARTED CUTTING OUT AND STUTTERING. IT PROGRESSED AND NOW THE ENGINE WILL MAKE A NOISE LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE ON AND OFF AND THE CAR WILL GO DEAD STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND ALSO WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR INTERSTATE.
Engine, Oct 18, 2020
WE ONLY BOUGHT THIS CAR 8 MONTHS AGO WITH 70,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE. WE NOTICED THE ENGINE SEEMED TO BE LOSING POWER AFTER ABOUT 4 MONTHS. THEN LAST WEEK THE CAR ABRUPTLY SHRIEKED AND STOPPED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING. AFTER WHICH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK, AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US WE WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE AND THE KNOCK WAS COMING FROM THE LOW END. WE HAVE RELIGIOUSLY SERVICED THE VEHICLE, AND THE CAR ONLY HAD 80,000 MILES WHEN THE ENGINE BLEW. CLEARLY THIS IS A FAILURE OF THE MANUFACTURER, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNERS, KIA REFUSES TO PROVIDE THE REPAIRS THEY KNOW THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
Electrical system, Oct 8, 2020
PURCHASED A BRAND NEW CAR BATTERY A WEEK AGO, THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, SPENT THE DAY OUT, WENT BACK TO MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. HAD TO CALL AAA TO GET A JUMP ON A BRAND NEW CAR BATTERY. WENT BACK TO WHERE I PURCHASED THE BATTERY, THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY, THEY DID REPLACE IT AND RAN A DIAGNOSTIC AND THEY COULD NOT FINE AN ISSUE AND STATED IT MUST BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WENT ABOUT MY DAY, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, THE CAR LIGHTS TURNED OFF ON THERE OWN, I HAD TO PULL OVER TURN OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT BACK ON SO THE LIGHTS WOULD WORK AGAIN. YESTERDAY, I WENT TO SWITCH MY CAR WITH MY GIRLFRIEND AND IT WOULD NOT TURN ON OR EVEN CRANK TO TURN ON, AFTER TRYING FOR THE 5TH TIME, IT FINALLY TURNED ON. I HAVE A BABY AND DRIVING MY CAR HAS ME VERY SCARED. PLEASE HELP
Engine, Oct 5, 2020
MY FORTE'S ENGINE SEIZED AT 106,000 MILES. AS I WAS DRIVING THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A TICKING SOUND. THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND I WAS TOLD THEY HAVEN'T RECALLED THIS DESPITE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING TO THIS YEAR AND MAKE OF KIA.
Engine, Sep 22, 2020
2 MONTHS AGO WE HAD OIL CHANGED, THE VEHICLE WAS 2000 MILES FROM NEEDING NEXT ONE. IT STARTED KNOCKING & WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO MECHANIC, HE SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THE OIL HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED NEEDED OIL AND HE CLEANED THE ENGINE AND MADE SURE EVERYTHING WAS IN WORKING ORDER. NO LEAKS WERE DETECTED. 1000 MILES LATER HEAR A CLANKING SOUND AND WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT IN THE DRIVEWAY AND CAR SHUT OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AND WHEN I LOOKED UNDER HOOD THERE WAS A SPARK. LOOKED TO BE NO OIL PUT IN 2 QUARTS AND LET IT SIT OVER NIGHT. CHECKED OIL AGAIN BEFORE ADDING ANYMORE & LEVELS WERE FINE. MECHANIC SAID ENGINE WAS DONE. THE OIL IS GOING SOMEWHERE & THIS MODEL HAS A TOYOTA ENGINE, SO I THINK SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON. WE HAVE KEPT UP WITH ALL MAINTENANCE ON THIS VEHICLE. WE TRAVEL ALL HIGHWAY AND IT DOES HAVE 200,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD HONDAS & TOYOTAS & NO PROBLEMS. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER KIA. WE DID NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED OR REPLACED & WAS TOLD BY KIA THAT THEY DO NOT MAKE THAT ENGINE ANYMORE.
Engine, Sep 22, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NO RECALLS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 84,000.
Engine, Sep 15, 2020
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND DETERMINE THAT THE OIL WAS NOT CHANGE AND NEEDED TO BE CHANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 72,283.
Engine, Sep 3, 2020
KNOCKING SOUND AT 52,000 MILES WITH REGULAR SERVICE. FIRST WAS TOLD WORN BEARINGS, THEN WAS TOLD LOOSE ROD. IT HAS BEEN OVER A MONTH WITH NO RESOLUTION. CAR WAS IN MOTION, KNOCKING SOUND STARTED AFTER 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING, ALSO WOULD STOP SOUND IF NOT ACCELERATING.
Exterior lighting, Aug 26, 2020
CONSTANTLY BLOWING BRAKE LIGHT, AND HAVE HAD BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER HOUSING REPLACED IN 3MONTHS DUE TO THEM LITERALLY BURNING UP AND MELTING. FIRE HAZARD AS WELL AS AN EXPENSIVE NUISANCE