2014 Kia Forte: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 634 complaints
634
Total Complaints
77,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
60
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
40,000
25th Percentile
77,000
Median Mileage
116,953
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
207
Steering
62
Air Bags
61
Electrical System
56
Unknown Or Other
49
Service Brakes
26
Fuel/Propulsion System
24
Exterior Lighting
18
Body
17
Power Train
17
Severity Assessment
60
Crashes
51
Fires
52
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"I WAS IN A THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENT AS THE THIRD CAR. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND IN TURN CAUSED THAT VEHICLE TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. I HAD THE BRAKES PRESSED DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND STILL COULDN'T STOP IN TIME TO PREVENT IMPACT, THERE WERE NOT EVEN ANY SKID MARKS ON THE PAV..."
"I WAS IN A THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENT AS THE THIRD CAR. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND IN TURN CAUSED THAT VEHICLE TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. I HAD THE BRAKES PRESSED DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND STILL COULDN'T STOP IN TIME TO PREVENT IMPACT, THERE WERE NOT EVEN ANY SKID MARKS ON THE PAV..."
"THIS IS OUR 2ND 2014 KIA FORTE EX WITH NAVIGATION EVERYTHING TOP OF THE LINE... WELL THE FIRST ONE HAD A KNOCK IN THE MOTOR SO THE DEALERSHIP "EXCHANGED" IT AND THIS ONE THE SEAT TAKES ABOUT 5 MIN TO LOCK INTO PLACE AFTER YOU ADJUST IT AND YOU HAVE TO BE DRIVING FOR IT TO LOCK IN. THERE IS A KNOCK W..."
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
207 complaints
25th: 67,068 mi
Median: 92,746 mi
75th: 130,000 mi
Steering
62 complaints
25th: 31,087 mi
Median: 60,550 mi
75th: 76,681 mi
Air Bags
61 complaints
25th: 58,000 mi
Median: 83,000 mi
75th: 101,400 mi
Electrical System
56 complaints
25th: 39,870 mi
Median: 71,500 mi
75th: 97,000 mi
Unknown Or Other
49 complaints
25th: 49,264 mi
Median: 65,000 mi
75th: 108,236 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 65
TX: 63
GA: 53
OH: 45
FL: 30
PA: 27
NY: 25
TN: 25
NC: 23
IL: 18
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 (3)
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,
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.
Electrical System
Campaign 15V015000 | 16/01/2015
If the cooling fan resistor overheats and melts, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire.
Kia will notify owners, and for vehicles produced from December 5, 2012 to January 27, 2014, dealers will replace the cooling fan resistor and multi-fuse unit. For vehicles produced from January 28, 2014 to April 17, 2014, dealers will replace the multi-fuse unit only. Owners of vehicles with a 1.
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
Vehicle Rankings
Looking for a replacement?
Based on the data above, here are relevant options.
Affiliate link
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