2018 KIA Forte acceleration problems

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ABS light, parking break light, tire pressure light, ESC light, and outdoor temperature and climate control all flicker and the speedometer stops working. Multiple cars with same make and model have same issue and are constantly in and out of the dealer with the issue unresolved.

NHTSA complaint #11688679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2018 Kia Forte, purchased certified used June 2022, will randomly go into ECO or Sport mode on startup or while the vehicle is in motion. Vehicle is not equipped with Drive Mode control buttons, indicating that ECO/Sport modes are not supposed to be active feature. While I vaguely remember the mode change occurring during previous two years of my ownership, the first noticeable incident in 2024 was of the vehicle going into ECO mode (green indicator light) happen upon startup the morning of 5/26/24. This was noticeable due to the fact that the ECO mode slow down caused me to nearly be rear-ended by a semi while merging onto the freeway. The vehicle remained stuck in ECO mode for several weeks. On the morning of 6/10/24, while driving, vehicle began to sputter/hesitate and ECO light blinked on/off then switched to Sport (yellow indicator light) mode and vehicle surged forward. Vehicle then switched back to ECO mode and it remained in this mode until the morning of 6/13/24, at which point it went into Sport mode upon startup. It went back into Normal mode (no indicator light) upon startup the evening of 6/13/24. Vehicle was inspective by selling dealership 6/15/24 and they could not duplicate the issue nor pull trouble codes. Remained in Normal mode until the evening of 7/15/24, at which point it switched back to ECO mode. Dealership has been notified. It should be known that ECO mode slows down the vehicle response to conserve fuel, Sport mode speeds it up. While these features can be useful when wanted and properly installed with the appropriate controls, the randomness in which these features engage make them a safety hazard, especially considering the control buttons are not installed. Based on NHTSA VIN information the trim package of my vehicle, LX (which KIA America has yet to confirm even though I have made multiple inquiries), Drive mode is an optional feature which was not activated by the original/first owner.

NHTSA complaint #11603051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Started my car it was making a tapping noise. I tried driving home the noise got worse and my car didn’t want to accelerate very much. I noticed a recall for other 2018 Kia fortes as mine is doing exactly what others are but my car isn’t included in the recall. I think the recall outlook is bigger than imagined.

NHTSA complaint #11580324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOTOR MILE KIA 2260 ROANOKE ST #1, CHRISTIANSBURG, VA 24073 (540) 381-8417, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,624. THE VIN WAS NOT VALID.

NHTSA complaint #11299232 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT AN INERSECTION, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HESITATED FOR APPROXIMATELY SIXTY SECONDS AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA AUTOSPORT OF PENSACOLA (6637 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505, (888) 512-0124) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10162043. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,022. *LN *TR *DT *BF *TP*DT CONSUMER STATED BBB AUTOLINE DECIDED TO REPURCHASE VEHICLE DUE TO BEING LEMON.*JB 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

NHTSA complaint #11292568 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY HAD TO MOVE CAR FORWARD TO GET INTO MY TRUNK AS I WAS ONLY GOING A FEW FEET I GOT INTO CAR LEAVING DOOR PARTIAL OPEN WITH MY LEFT LEG HANGING OUT AS I STARTED THE CAR IT INSTANIOUSLY SURGED FORWARD 10 TO 12 FEET INTO MY GARAGE PINNING MY LEG BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE ROCKER PANEL AFTER COMING TO A STOP RUNNING INTO A CABINET IN THE GARAGE I SLAMMED THE CAR IN REVERSE BACKING OUT OF GARAGE AFTER GETTING OUT OF CAR I COULD SEE THAT MY FOOT HAD BEEN SEVERLY CUT WIDE OPEN SHORTLY AFTER MY DAUGHTER DROVE ME TO THE HOSPITAL TO EMERGENCY CARE WHERE I RECEIVED 14 STITCHES ON TOP OF FOOT. HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO RETURN TO WORK FOR TWO WEEKS SINCE 9/16/19 AND MAY BE ANOTHER TWO TO THREE WEEKS BEFORE ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK.

NHTSA complaint #11258813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN ACCELERATING THERE IS NO POWER AND IT IS GOING TO CAUSE THE ACCIDENT I WAS ON THE FREEWAY I WENT TO SWITCH LANES I HIT THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE JUST STOOD THERE AND RP M'S GOING UP

NHTSA complaint #11191632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED 2 TIMES THIS WEEK & ON 2 SEPARATE DAYS WHILE I WAS DRIVING & SINCE I ONLY DRIVE THIS CAR ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK THIS HAS ME CONCERNED.. THE CAR STARTED OK AND DROVE FOR A COUPLE OF MILES JUST FINE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR FELT LIKE I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL & EVEN WITH MY FOOT WAS ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WASN'T GOING ANYWHERE.. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO GET OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC & TRIED TO PUT THE SHIFT LEVER IN A DIFFERENT GEAR BUT IT WAS STUCK IN DRIVE EVEN WHEN MY FOOT WAS FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, SO I TRIED TO 'JIGGLE' IT A LITTLE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT BUT THE SHIFT LEVER WOULDN'T REALLY MOVE SO I JUST SAT THERE.. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO SAFELY PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC & THE CAR HESITATED A LITTLE BUT THEN DROVE FINE.. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME THIS WEEK I IGNORED IT AND TREATED IT AS A 'ONE TIME ONLY' ISSUE, BUT THEN IT HAPPENED A SECOND TIME SO I GOT CONCERNED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH CITRUS KIA FOR 3/15/19 TO HAVE THIS CHECKED OUT.. I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE ELSE IS EXPERIENCING THIS BUT FELT I SHOULD REPORT IT AND WILL UPDATE THIS AFTER THE KIA DEALER HAS A LOOK AT IT..

NHTSA complaint #11186351 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA FORTE. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE PEDAL FAILED TO RELEASE AND BECAME STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,462.

NHTSA complaint #11104194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I PICKED UP THIS 2018 KIA FORTE VEHICLE ON 4/4/2018 WHICH HAD APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES ON THE ODOMETER SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS ISSUE IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS STILL NEW OR BECAUSE I JUST TRADED IN A 2016 FORD FIESTA & JUST NOT USED TO THIS VEHICLE.. WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT THE GAS PEDAL STICKS A LITTLE & DOESN'T RESPOND RIGHT AWAY TO FOOT PRESSURE, BUT I'M A SMALL PERSON SO FOOT PRESSURE IS NOT AS HEAVY AS BIG PERSON.. I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THIS ISSUE JUST IN CASE IT DOES BECOME AN ONGOING PROBLEM..

NHTSA complaint #11083579 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.