2014 KIA Forte acceleration problems

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The systems affected appear to be engine, powertrain, and vehicle speed control. My 2014 Kia Forte, VIN [XXX] has approximately 118,000 miles. Since purchase in November2025 from Wondries Toyota, the vehicle has had repeated high RPM, poor acceleration, and loss of power when entering freeway on-ramps and driving uphill. It struggles to accelerate while merging into faster traffic, creating a safety risk as vehicles behind approach at higher speeds. Two different mechanics verbally advised that there may be an oil leak or oil consumption issue affecting the catalytic converter. I replaced the catalytic converter a couple months ago, but it became clogged again and the power loss continues. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has not been inspected by the manufacturer yet, and I don’t have a written diagnostic report at this time. There was no crash, fire, injury, or fatality, and no police report. Warning lights are unknown. The exact incident date is approximate. The issue has been ongoing since after purchase and occurs multiple times, especially during freeway merging and uphill driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11756624 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Sterling wheel begins to shake at high speed and a lower speed causing the whole steering wheel to shake and make noise. And have realized the cruise control is no longer working

NHTSA complaint #11638537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER STATING THAT MY CAR IS PART OF A RECALL INVOLVING A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE THAT COULD CAUSE AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE AND INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TO ADDRESS THE RECALL. THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE AND THAT THE ENGINE WILL FAIL. KIA MANUFACTURER IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE EVEN AFTER THEIR MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME COUNTLESS TIMES I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE HAD TO BRING MY CAR TO AND FROM THE DEALERSHIP 3-4 TIMES NOW IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS AFTER MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS TURNING ON AND FLASHING CONTINUOUSLY AND MY CAR WON'T ACCELERATE LIKE NORMAL AND WILL NOT DRIVE PAST 40 MPH. I HAVE TO FLOOR THE GAS PEDAL JUST TO MOVE THE CAR. BEFORE I RECEIVED THIS RECALL LETTER AND TOOK MY CAR IN TO GET LOOKED AT, I HAD NO ISSUES WITH MY CAR ACCELERATING AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR DOESN'T DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP DAMAGED MY CAR AND ARE DENYING ANY WRONGDOING. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HAVE MY CAR IN THIS CONDITION I'M NOT WILLING TO RISK MY FAMILY'S SAFETY OR MY OWN SAFETY BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP WON'T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE MANUFACTURER WON'T GO THROUGH WITH THE REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE DONE FOR SAFETY REASONS AND REPLACE MY ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER IS NOT LISTENING TO THEIR MECHANICS THAT HAVE TOLD ME THE ENGINE IS GUARANTEED TO FAIL. MY VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE AND KIA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NO RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION AND THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT GIVE ME A LOANER CAR TO DRIVE FOR THE TIME EITHER.

NHTSA complaint #11415949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT EXCEED 40 MPH WITH THE SPEEDOMETER INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND DROVE SLOWLY UNTIL THE VEHICLE REGAINED NORMAL FUNCTIONALITY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO RAY BRANDT KIA (1884 WESTBANK EXPY, HARVEY, LA 70058, (504) 356-7072) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000 (ENGINE) HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA complaint #11403533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND NOTICED MY CAR STARTED TO SHAKE/VIBRATE UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE DRIVING. IT WOULDN'T LET ME ACCELERATE PAST 40MPH. IT STOPPED WHEN AT A STANDSTILL. SMELLED AN ODOR COMING FROM THE CAR. I CALLED KIA AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAS HAPPENED. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER AND I'M WAITING FOR THE RESULTS NOW.

NHTSA complaint #11395641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I OWN A 2014 KIA FORTE EX.. WHEN I FIRST GOT MY CAR I NOTICE A LIGHTLY TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE A LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD ME THE TICKING SOUND WAS NORMAL ON NEW ENGINES . IT SEEMS TO GET A BIT LOUDER AS TIME WHEN IN.. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE DRIVING WHEN WE NOTICE THE SOUND GOT MUCH LOUDER AND A SLAPPING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND MY CAR LOOSING POWER AND ALSO A BURNING SMOKE SMELL GETTING MUCH HEAVIER TO THE POINT THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF AND QUIT IT ON US. THE DASH ALSO GOT VERY HOT AT THIS POINT .. WE CALLED FOR TOW SERVICE AND GOT THE CAR BACK HOME ... WAS SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH MY CAR .. THANK YOU !

NHTSA complaint #11328540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. HORN ONLY WORK OCCASIONALLY AND CRUISE DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA complaint #11229223 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

LAST WEEK MY AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY CRASH FOR A CRASH REPAIR TO BE A FACTOR. I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE LIGHT FIRST CAME ON. THE LIGHT DOES GO OFF WHEN IT WANTS TO. I HAVE TRIED RESETTING THE CAR BY DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY FOR A FEW MINUTES, THIS DID NOT HELP. I AM VERY SCARED THAT THE AIR BAGS COULD DEPLOY AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT. TODAY MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD ONLY GO OFF IF I RESTARTED THE CAR BUT LESS THAN A MILE THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. AND BECAUSE THIS LIGHT WAS ON MY CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT SET.

NHTSA complaint #11210660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND MADE A SPUTTERING NOISE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA complaint #11184172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE ATTEMPTS TO ACCELERATE WHEN STOPPING OR STOPPED & FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. TURNING THE A/C ON SLIGHTLY MADE INTENSIFIED THE ACCELERATION.

NHTSA complaint #11142328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I HAD REPORT THE ISSUE TO KIA OF TUPELO, MS. MY CARD HAS HAD TWO RECENT ISSUES. THE FIRST ONE BEING THAT UPON ACCELERATION, WHITE SMOKE HAS BEEN NOTED TWICE. THE CAR HAS STALLED OUT TWICE UPON TAKE OFF ON THE HIGHWAY/INTERSTATE. THIS CONCERN ME GREATLY! ON MY MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT I HAVE AT LEAST TWO QUARTS OF OIL SHORTAGE, WITH NO LEAKS NOTED.

NHTSA complaint #11090319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CONSTANTLY GOES ON AND OFF, CAR CONTINUALLY GETS STUCK IN PARK AND WHILE DRIVING DASH DOESN'T SHOW GEARS. BROUGHT TO DEAL PROVIDED PICTURES AS PROOF AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. ASKED FOR PAPERWORK AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD MAIL IT NEVER RECEIVED PAPERWORK.

NHTSA complaint #10918082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.