general problems of the 2012 Kia Motor Forte - part 1

While driving, the engine suddenly shut off without warning. The vehicle lost power in traffic, creating a safety risk. There were no warning signs before the failure. The oil level was properly maintained and oil changes were performed regularly. The dealership diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the engine needs to be replaced. The exact mechanical cause was not clearly explained to me.

Engine started screeching out of nowhere, sounded like something fell through, there was no warning of any kind, car was running seemingly fine prior to this, car was jolting and not going anymore and something also sounded as if it had popped, it started knocking and caught fire and was smoking, breaking down on the side of the road and has been in another state since this occurred just sitting at a hotel because we had to get a rental car. We did call kia in georgia to have this issue rectified as we had recently bought this vehicle and were unaware there was a recall on it, however we did some checking and the previous owner also let us know there is a recall for engine fire. I do have the papers for that. Kia advised us they would not be responsible, but panama city FL kia where we live were willing to look at that car prior to this incident and take care of the recall, the previous owner never went but now the car has caught fire whilst we were driving in it 7. 5 hours away from our house out of town with our children in the car. We had to pull over off of the interstate because the car was on fire and get out on the side of the road and all of had to evacuate. I do believe that if we had been going any faster, we may have even became fatalities because the car locked up. It turned off actually as I was turning to to the exit and just coasted far enough to not be hit in the middle of the road. It was terrifying and we had to move fast and smoke was starting to come through, it started dropping oil everywhere just spilling out lv its almost like the entire underneath of the motor just dropped or something. I’m not quite sure but it was sudden and it has been absolutely miserable.

Back in July my car started jerking, stalling, and smoking. There was a recall 20v750 open for engine fires. The dealership check it out and said everything looked good. They installed a knock sensor related to the problem. Last week my car did it again leaving me stalled on the interstate at night. There is now a p1326 code for the knock sensor which confirms that there was a issue. However I'm being told that due to my mileage the warranty had expired and there isn't anything they can do.

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.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound, and there was a burning oil odor coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine); however, the contact was unable to schedule an appointment because the dealer was unreachable. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000.

The contact's cousin owned a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked unattended by the privacy fence. The contact was alerted by her nephew and observed that the vehicle was on fire. The front windshield had shattered, and smoke was visible inside the cabin. The fire appeared to originate from the dashboard area. The contact used a fire extinguisher to suppress the flames with the assistance of her brother. The local fire department arrived on the scene and completed extinguishing the fire. The airbags deployed during the incident, and the fire department declared the vehicle a total loss. Upon investigation, the contact was able to link the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic) and NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (air bags). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine suddenly seized, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

Kia denied repair and replacement of components damaged by a known safety recall (hydraulic electronic control unit) on my 2012 kia Forte coupe, VIN# knafw6a32c5562569. There was also a recall on the “knock sensor”, but I was unaware of the recall and paid for the repair out of pocket. Specifically, I was seeking repair or replacement of the starter and battery, as well as any other component that I wasn’t aware of, which was compromised as a direct result of the defective hecu system covered under the recall. They denied the repair because they said that the warranty was voided because the car had a salvage title, but the request to repair was not a warranty issue. The recall involves the hecu potentially causing electrical shorts and engine compartment fires, which can damage surrounding electrical components — including the battery and starter. These are not wear-and-tear items in this case, but parts affected by the consequences of a manufacturer-recognized safety defect. The internal electrical short circuit condition of the hecu fuse caused an overcurrent, which resulted in the wire from the solenoid cable of the starter burning and damaging the starter. As well as the wire of the negative battery terminal, which also resulted in the battery being damaged. I even left the battery and the starter on the floor of the car to show proof that these occurrences happened due to the defect of the hecu fused because when I purchased a new battery and starter the overcurrent of the hecu caused white smoke to appear and was about to catch fire and burn out the replacement parts as well. Kia has declined to perform these recall-related repairs, citing that the vehicle holds a salvage title, which was issued due to hail damage only. I respectfully contended that the cosmetic damage had no connection to the mechanical or electrical condition of the vehicle and in no way contributed to the failure of the battery or starter.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte koup. The contact stated that while the vehicle was being serviced, white smoke was coming from under the hood. While the independent mechanic was starting the vehicle, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The mechanic turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that prior to the smoke on a separate occasion, while the contact's daughter was driving 30 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the engine had caused the battery, starter, and knock sensor to fail. The vehicle was repaired for the prior failures. The contact stated that after the most recent failure, the independent mechanic diagnosed that the engine had failed and damaged the battery, starter, and knock sensor. The independent mechanic replaced the battery, starter, and knock sensor. Additionally, the engine needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to coast to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The following day, upon starting the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal rattling sound emanating from the engine compartment, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine); the VIN was included, and parts were available. However, the dealer declined to perform the recall repair, stating that the vehicle needed to be brought in prior to the failure for the cost of the repair to be covered by the manufacturer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.

My vehicle is affected by NHTSA recall number 23v652000, I have taken my vehicle to jim ellis kia of kennesaw on several occasions, I believe 3 separate occasions to try and get this recall resolved. Each time I am told that the fix, a replacement fuse, is not being accepted by my vehicle. Each time they attempt to replace the fuse, the vehicle goes into anti-theft mode where the alarm goes off consistently. The dealership is unable to tell me why and states they can not complete the recall because of this. Initially, they tried to state the issue was that engine oil was seeping through into my engine harness and that I would need a new engine harness, sending me home with a quote for $3,000 to fix the issue. That same night I took my vehicle to an actual professional, who told me the dealership had no clue what they were talking about and that there was no oil in my engine harness. I returned to the dealership requesting that my vehicle only be looked at by the master technician, after the master tech reviewed the vehicle he agreed there was no oil in the engine harness and that that was a misdiagnosis. Absolutely absurd to think they can send a customer home with a $3k quote with no oversight before doing so. The master tech stated he could not figure out the incompatibility of my vehicle and the recall remedy, and stated I would have to pay $300 for them to do a full electrical review as a first step of troubleshooting. I can not believe that a massive corporation like kia is sticking a customer with a massive fire hazard of a vehicle that is a result of their negligence and telling me that 'although we have a fix, for some reason the fix doesn't work for your car and you're going to have to pay us to figure out why. ' this is absolutely unacceptable, I am a college student and while driving my only form of transportation, I constantly have to hope that I am not a victim of fatality at the hands of kia.

The contact owned a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at approximately 15 mph, as the contact was turning to the left and ascending a slight grade in the road the vehicle's rear end was swaying to the left and the right. The contact stated she was not able to regain control of the vehicle and drove off of the roadway and down an embankment. The contact was rendered unconscious. The contact stated that emergency services were on the scene and the state police. The contact stated that she was not transported to the hospital and was taken to her residence by the state police. The contact stated that the police had issued a report. The contact later was taken to the hospital and was diagnosed as having a fractured sternum, damage to her lower back, concussion, and neck damage. The contact stated that the police had the vehicle towed to an impound lot. The contact stated that her insurance provider had declared the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact stated that before the crash the vehicle had been stalling intermittently but she had not had the vehicle taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to have it diagnosed. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.

After taking my 2012 kia Forte ex to the dealership for the fire risk recall (recall number 23v652), the dealership replaced fuses as part of the recall. Despite this, major safety issues persisted: 1. Brake fluid leak – the leak was not resolved after the recall repair, and my brake pedal continues to go all the way to the floor, creating a critical safety hazard. 2. Brake warning light – the brake warning light remains on, indicating ongoing brake system issues. 3. Traction control warning light – a squiggly line symbol appeared, suggesting further malfunctions related to the vehicle’s stability control system. 4. Burning smell – despite the dealership’s claim that the recall repair was completed, I still detect a burning smell from the vehicle, raising serious concerns about unresolved fire risks. When I contacted kia customer care at +1-800-333-4542, I was informed that the brake issues and fluid leak were “unrelated to the recall,” and I was told that I would have to pay out-of-pocket for towing, diagnostics, and repairs—exactly as the dealership had also insisted. This response has left me in a vulnerable position, both financially and in terms of vehicle safety, as I am unable to cover these unexpected costs on my own. Additionally, I was forced to drive my car home with the brake pedal going to the floor, endangering my life and the safety of others on the road. The dealership delayed addressing these serious issues, rushed the repair, and failed to fully assess the depth of the recall symptoms. Their negligence, coupled with kia’s refusal to take responsibility, has exacerbated the situation. Given the financial strain and the unsafe condition of my vehicle, I urgently request a loaner car until all issues related to the recall are thoroughly addressed, whether kia wants to take responsibility for these problems or not. The vehicle is simply not safe to drive in its current state, and I should not be expected to bear the financial burden of fixing what appe.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that when her spouse started the vehicle, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken a midas where the vehicle remained without being diagnosed. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that undisclosed parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage approximately 160,000.

The engine started knocking just like all the other Fortes and theta engines that blew up or gained the same knocking metal to metal noise. I have since found metal shavings in the oil which tells me that my engine is on its way out the door just like the rest that had this same problem. My engine needs to be recalled and replaced alongside the rest! kia needs to own up to there engineering mistakes and install a new engine. My car should not be ignored on that recall seeing as it has the same engine as all the other Fortes that were given new replacement engines. I refuse to be ignored on this matter and will not put forth my own money to fix something kia is liable for. Kia is putting my life and others lives in danger. When will they take actions and responsibility for the rest of the kia’s out there with the same engine symptom. I also haven’t got a recall for a knock sensor upgrade. I refuse to be without a vehicle because of kia’s terrible engineering and poor production and assembly of these cars. I should not be experiencing an engine rod knock at 100k miles that has only become louder with time. I will be presenting the car to kia for other recalls to be done and will be complaining about the other issues. Thousands of people have had to pay out of pocket to get a new motor. That’s on kia to make things right with there customers for selling them a faulty product.

I own a 2012 kia Forte . My engine started knocking, ticking sound. A mechanic used a mechanics stethoscope and the cylinder is collapsed, bad lifter. I always keep the oil changed regularly since the day I purchased. This is the same problem reported by thousands of kia owners. I expect kia to cover a new engine as I know a lawsuit was filed for the same year and model that I have and they covered the replacement of engines.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to exceed 15 mph. The abs and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 119,000.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds the vehicle stalled. The check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted each time. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure milage was 109,705.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the O2 sensor had failed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The dealer had not been contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 130,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

I was driving and out of nowhere my engine stalled on me, and now when I drive it it engine fails on the road without warning.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the vehicle briefly jerked before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the camshaft. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 139,000.

Over the past 4 years I’ve had ongoing issues with the air in the car where it won’t blow cold air & my defroster will not work and I’ve gotten it fixed still the same issue. Along with the break lights after many attempts to replace them they still don’t come on but sometimes it will. Many problems with the engine I also here ticking noises as well as other sounds but can’t find the issue as well with the engine rpm going to 2 while I’m on the breaks or in park.

I saw that 2012-2015 kia Fortes had a recall for engines but mine was not a part of it. My car had a ticking/knocking sound and I took it to the mechanic and he said that I needed a new engine, he said the knocking could have started because of low oil which is impossible because I have kept up on my oil changes. So now I don’t have a car, it’s almost $5000 to fix my engine. I would like kia to fix my car.

Unknown: 04/11/23 I purchased (as second owner) a 2012 kia Forte (less than 2 months ago) only had 107,799 miles. Purchased as a senior citizen for doctor appointmenta & food shopping. . . . After a short while I noticed a tap/knock from the engine that has gotten louder with every ride. . . . Took the vehicle to dealer matt blatt kia in egg harbor township for diagnostics. Couldn't believe I was charged $190. 82 to receive a paper telling me it has a "knock" which I knew & took it there for & that it needs a new engine! the car fax a kia lady printed out for me, shows vehicle was maintained wonderfully. . . . From the info I've located those engines are bad so the knock, knock, knock that's grown louder would be engine replaced? can you assist me I purchased a vehicle that now can blow up! thank you for your time.

Engine described as making a knocking sound and having total engine failure. The car is not covered under the current 2020 kia engine recall as it is a 2. 0 litre engine. It has been inspected by kia and an independent auto shop. It was not eligible to receive the software upgrade which would register the knock engine failure. No warning signs appeared beforehand besides a knocking sound which started a week or so before I took it in. This engine could have failed while I was driving and caused an accident. This is a common problem across kia’s that kia knows about and this should have been covered by them since they manufactured a faulty engine.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v652000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, there was a rattling sound coming from the front end. After pulling into a driveway and turning off the vehicle, the contact looked at the belt and noticed it was still running and releasing a slight smoke. The contact stated that it took an extended amount of time for the belts to stop moving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic at the time of failure however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 130,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

While driving on the highway I had the check engine light come on. After approximately 5 minutes, while accelerating, all the system lights flashed, and then turned off. The engine stalled and the vehicle was coasting. I pulled the vehicle to the side of the road, and though the vehicle had power, the engine would not start. I towed the vehicle to a mechanic who told me the engine could not be salvaged or repaired. As a replacement engine would cost as much as the vehicle is worth, I am now seeking to sell the car to a junkyard or other interested party. I believe this vehicle's theta ii engine's design is what led to its failure. However, kia's sc200 recall campaign only covers 2012 kia Forte's with a 2. 4-liter mpi engine, and my vehicle has a 2. 0-liter mpi engine. After spending 2 hours with kia on the phone, they told me I had no recourse with them.

Vehicle fire that started from the engine compartment.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving at various speeds a knocking noise was present coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA recall campaign number: 20v750000(engine). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was the failure mileage was +104,000.

2012 kia Forte long story short I was sitting at a red light foot on brake once light turned green went to accelerate car did not move at all I was stuck holding up traffic turned the car off turned it on still nothing after some time I was able to crank the car and go 2nd time same issue but I took a brief stop engine shook car shut down as if I turned it off without it being in park I had to put the car in park cut it off and crank back up I also recently had an issue when fueling once ive fueled the car does not respond when trying to crank it will turn over engine shake power back off like it would as mentioned while at stops it just stops responding cuts off , and wont move engine problems are kia biggest issue but they fail to recall.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 63,000.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Forte. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact's son restarted the vehicle; however, the vehicle shuddered while driving and was pushed to the residence. The contact replaced the battery, but the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the timing chain and drive belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

I have owned my 2012 kia Forte ex since 2013 when I purchased used from a car dealership (not a kia dealer). I have kept all oil changes, filters up to date since purchase, plus in pennsylvania we have annual car inspections, which my car has always passed. In early Jan 2023, I noticed a 'ticking sound' and was not related to low oil, leak, etc. The sound became increasingly loud and took to my mechanic. After he took off the engine cover and was able to put a camera down into the motor, the cylinders are bad. So, here I am with a 2012 kia, mileage 83,836 and the motor is shot! I want kia to replace my motor at no cost as I have read that kia has agreed that all kia's produced between 2011 through 2015 have engine failure. How do I have my engine replaced by kia? I currently am without transportation,.

This past winter (December 2022 ish), my car started ticking whenever I turned it on and the ticking never went away as the car warmed up. I took the vehicle to my mechanic who told me it was piston slap and that the issue was caused by a manufacturing defect in the piston and engine block sizing. I confirmed the issue myself with a borescope camera in April, and anyone who is able can view the damage as well. Since the issue is damaging a vital part of the engine, any time the car is driven puts all individuals in the car at risk. It has been confirmed by an independent mechanic, but has not been inspected by anyone outside of myself. The closest warning light I had came up over 2 years ago, but no warning lights or other symptoms appeared before the sound was audible around December 2022.

Unknown… the car has been having on going issues with shutting off while driving. With new battery, starter, tune up, plugs, and still no fix. The signal lights do keep busting. The headlights and brake lights. It’s expensive to keep changing the headlights that do not last more than 2 months. Driver side in particular.