218 of the
3,596 complaints filed about the KIA Forte
are about the braking system —
6% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2012.
The contact owned a 2011 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and unoccupied, a bystander went into the contact's place of employment and stated that there was a fire inside the vehicle in the parking lot. The contact became aware that his vehicle was the one on fire. No warning lights were illuminated prior to parking the vehicle. The cause of the failure was unknown. The contact's wife attempted to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher but was unable to extinguish the fire. The contact called the Fire Department, and the firemen were able to extinguish the fire and were required to remove the dashboard in order to extinguish it. The Fire Department filed a report. A Police report was filed. The contact stated that his wife sought medical attention for smoke inhalation. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300,000.
NHTSA complaint #11754070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This malfunction started in August of 2025 within 12 months of buying this new vehicle. A airbag sensor was replaced, then a national bbb case found the same malfunction only this time it includes the whole safty system failure. I gave the manufacturer a year and they have not corrected the malfunction. I am forced to drive a unsafe car *if I get hit my airbags will NOT DEPLOY*
NHTSA complaint #11753181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle is a 2012 Kia Forte EX. The vehicle experienced a corrosion-related brake line failure that affected braking performance and created a safety concern. The brake pedal became soft/sank, and the vehicle had unsafe braking behavior, requiring repair at a Kia dealership. The failed component was a brake line, which is a safety-critical part of the braking system. The repair was completed at customer expense after Kia declined goodwill or reimbursement assistance. Kia Customer Care case number: 2622663. My concern is that this does not appear to be ordinary wear only. This vehicle had prior Kia underbody corrosion campaign history under SC141, titled “Application of Additional Anti-Corrosion Material.” Kia confirmed to me that SC141 involved applying additional anti-corrosion/undercoating/cavity wax material to certain underbody components to help protect against corrosion. Kia also confirmed that SC141 was completed on my vehicle before the brake-line repair. Kia’s position is that SC141 did not cover brake lines or brake replacement, and that brake-line corrosion is normal maintenance/customer-pay because the vehicle is out of warranty. I understand Kia’s warranty position, but my complaint is about the safety issue and possible design-related corrosion vulnerability. The failed brake line appears to be routed in an underbody area exposed to corrosion risk, possibly near hardware, brackets, covers, or areas where salt/water can collect. In my view, this may represent a corrosion-trap design issue involving the routing/location of a safety-critical brake line, rather than simple routine maintenance. I am filing this complaint because corrosion-related brake line failure can result in reduced braking ability or loss of braking, and I believe this issue should be documented and reviewed for potential safety-defect trends involving this vehicle/platform.
NHTSA complaint #11747944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My check engine light came on and I got it checked out and had a c1053 code show up. The repair shop told me I had a recall but my car is 2010 so it’s not falling within the recall year range.
NHTSA complaint #11732807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The system that is failing are the brakes and the tail lights. They used to be an open recall for the brake pedal stopper pad, however I’m not sure if that part is able to break again because in October I remember hitting the break and something I heard a crack down by the pedal, but I wasn’t able to see if anything had broken. I can’t check after that. I’ve have had continuous issues with my tail lights. The tail lights won’t turn on. They’ll turn on sometimes sometimes they won’t. The tail lights will stay on. I won’t blink when I break. They’ll just stay on one of them will be on the others will be off.
NHTSA complaint #11724344 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Exposed electric wires, airbag system failure codes, breaks non resistance in functional limitation of human safety. Voltage malfunction involves hazardous crash impact results
NHTSA complaint #11722834 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the TPMS, red brake light, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was jumping and jerking during acceleration and deceleration. After restarting the vehicle, there was resistance while accelerating, and the jerking persisted. The contact stated that the failures started one week after the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was then driven to a dealer, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 273,000.
NHTSA complaint #11720801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was operating as intended. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 249,000.
NHTSA complaint #11713750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing a formal complaint regarding serious safety and mechanical problems with my vehicle. The brakes do not function properly and I have to add brake fluid every few days, which indicates a possible leak or brake system failure. This creates an extremely dangerous driving condition. The vehicle also has electrical problems, including malfunctioning lights. The engine has lost power, making it unsafe to drive, especially in traffic or on highways. In addition, the airbag warning light is on, which means the airbag system may not deploy in a crash, putting me at risk of serious injury or death. These problems have made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe to operate. I am requesting that these issues be inspected and repaired immediately at no cost to me, or that the vehicle be replaced or refunded under warranty or consumer protection laws. I am concerned for my safety and the safety of others, and I expect this matter to be handled urgently.
NHTSA complaint #11710115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the brake pedal failed to operate as needed and depressed to the floorboard without warning. As a result of the brake failure, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The contact stated that both front driver and front passenger seat belts failed to retract as both she and her son were violently jerked forward upon impact. The air bags deployed upon impact. A police report was filed. Both the contact and her son were treated for minor pain and bruising at a local hospital. The whereabouts of the other driver are unknown. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where the contact was given an estimate for the repair. Neither the manufacturer nor the dealer had yet been notified of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that there were two recalls on the vehicle, NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V773000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics). The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the independent mechanic, where it could be salvaged. The failure mileage was approximately 159,000.
NHTSA complaint #11709918 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from under the hood, and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact noticed a burning odor in the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a failed pollution control system. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was taken for the State Inspection, and the vehicle failed the inspection due to a failed pollution system. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that the failure described in the recall notification indicated a possible engine fire. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was informed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
NHTSA complaint #11708830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle was leaking fluid, so I took it in and discovered that my vehicle’s ABS module failed in what was described to me as an “unusual way” at both the initial garage where I took it and, later, to the dealership, which was the only place that could do the actual repair. Some research showed that the failure matched the way this component failed in Kia and Hyundais that were recalled for this issue, which the dealership acknowledged. But my specific car wasn’t included in the recall, so I had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket to repair it. Since then, I’ve been waiting for the recall to expand to include my vehicle so I could be reimbursed, because it seems very unlikely my vehicle didn’t get the same flawed system that was recalled in the other Kias and Hyundais. I’m told submitting this could help.
NHTSA complaint #11708537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had a brake system failure of some sort happen today. My life and the lives of many others were put in extreme danger. I was driving at about 40 MPH and was approaching a red light. I pressed down on my brake pedal to begin slowing down, but I got absolutely nothing in response. Out of panic, I pumped my brake pedal. This again, did not slow me down at all and my brake pedal fell to the floor then went stiff. After it fell to the floor and went stiff, I pumped and pressed down on it again with all of my strength, at which point I was able to get a very small response and slow myself down to a stop. This is the 4th time this has happened to me in the past 45 days, I took the car to a local AAA shop but they found zero issues with my braking system (cylinders, fluid, lines, drums, pads, etc.) There has never been a warning light of any kind related to my brakes, wheels, etc. The Vehicle had a brake line recall several years ago, a certified dealer serviced the recall and ensured everything was safe with the vehicle and braking system.
NHTSA complaint #11705379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Was traveling on interstate inside lane in heavy traffic and all of a sudden lost power,no throttle response, no warning lights,no priors,wasn't able to move to shoulder.. very close to being rear ended..all of a sudden power returned.. happened 8-12 times trying to get home.. no warning lights .. after got home hooked up my diagnostic scanner and ECU had code P050400 and BCM had no codes but in pids list under stop lamp fuse pid read broken. Checked fuses non were bad.tested brake switch and tested ok and adjusted correctly. Wiring and connectors appeared undamaged...
NHTSA complaint #11697826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an unusual ticking sound and smoke coming from under the hood. In addition, the contact stated that several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact inspected the vehicle and noticed smoke that was coming from the HECU fuse box. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle had been at the dealer for three weeks without any communication from the dealer. The contact was unsure if the vehicle had been inspected or not. The contact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11694817 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle, followed by a loss of motive power. The malfunction indicator light and ABS warning light were illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11694846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I have been trying to have my brakes line repair for a recall for over a year with the local Kia dealer as they refused to see me for over a year due to not buying vehicle there. I lost my brakes due to the recall on the lines and not being able to get an appointment. I almost died when my brakes went out. I called the local Kia dealer was told again I had to wait and that no promises could be months before touch the car. I had to fix it so I had it brought to an outside shop and submitted for reimbursement it has been over 60days no updates and no communication with the Kia claims department. I was told my claim would take about 30 days now we are almost at 60 with no updates when I call they say Derrick will call me back. No return emails or calling. My claim number is XXX with rental I paid almost $1800 for repairs that should have been covered along with a rental. No one can give me a status I call daily to be told that they can’t answer any questions only Derrick can but he does not take calls he will call me back in 24 to 48 hours. I email I get an auto response. I am running in circles for money I need to pay my bills. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11694819 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the brake lights failed to illuminate, and while inspecting the lights in the rear of the vehicle, the contact became aware that the socket where the brake light bulb was located was melting from the light overheating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer did not diagnose the cause of failure. The brake lights were not repaired. It was confirmed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 18V363000 (Air Bags) and 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The dealer stated that NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); recall might have contributed to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.
NHTSA complaint #11694456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.