2012 Kia Forte: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 398 complaints
398
Total Complaints
80,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
34
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
43,700
25th Percentile
80,000
Median Mileage
115,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
159
Air Bags
35
Electrical System
31
Service Brakes
29
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
20
Unknown Or Other
20
Exterior Lighting
18
Vehicle Speed Control
12
Body
9
Fuel/Propulsion System
9
Severity Assessment
34
Crashes
32
Fires
26
Injuries
4
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"MARTIN GLASS COMPANY (AGRSS REGISTERED) REPLACED A FACTORY INSTALLED WINDSHIELD ON 04/18/2012. OUR TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO PUSH MOST OF THE WINDSHIELD OUT WITHOUT HAVING TO CUT THE URETHANE BEAD. THE URETHANE BEAD PULLED RIGHT OFF THE WINDSHIELD, AND WAS ONLY ADHERED TO ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WINDSHIELD ..."
"WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR..."
"WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Engine
159 complaints
25th: 69,000 mi
Median: 100,000 mi
75th: 122,608 mi
Air Bags
35 complaints
25th: 30,875 mi
Median: 74,500 mi
75th: 109,500 mi
Electrical System
31 complaints
25th: 49,500 mi
Median: 71,450 mi
75th: 83,750 mi
Service Brakes
29 complaints
25th: 43,400 mi
Median: 65,000 mi
75th: 90,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
20 complaints
25th: 70,290 mi
Median: 115,000 mi
75th: 162,250 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
FL: 61
CA: 50
TX: 32
GA: 25
OH: 24
IN: 16
MO: 12
MI: 11
WA: 11
IL: 10
Who Files Complaints?
0.3%
Original Owners
99.7%
Second+ Owners
Kia Forte — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (4)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Engine
Campaign 20V750000 | 02/12/2020
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,
Air Bag/Restraint Control Module
Campaign 18V363000 | 01/06/2018
If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all other affected vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to in
Pedals And Linkages
Campaign 17V773000 | 01/12/2017
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
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.
Control Unit/Module
Campaign 23V652000 | 25/09/2023
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
Compare Kia Forte
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28