Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Kia Motor Forte - part 1

Knocking in engine, loss of power, rod bearings needs replacing.

See all problems of the 2010 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2012 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

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.

I am the original owner of this car and get all my oil changes and regular maintenance on time. The car has 123k miles. I was getting into the freeway evening of 10/3 and my car stopped accelerating was making a loud noise so I pulled off to the side of the road. Per the kia dealership service department my engine completely failed. This is a known issue with this year and model but kia is not helping me in any way with the replacement of my engine. Please help.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

Vehicle started making a ticking noise under the hood. I immediately had it towed to a mechanics shop in town. They performed an inspection and said the ticking noise is from a rod bearing # 3 has come loose and the whole engine must be replaced. The car has only 108,000 miles. There were no check engine lights that came on either. I called kia to see about getting a replacement engine from them and they informed me they no longer make that engine for that car anymore which is the 1. 6 liter turbo charged gdi 4 cylinder engine.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

The engine was burning oil unknown to me. You had an oil change completed at 101k miles and 106k miles and there was no oil left in the engine per mechanic. This caused the check engine light to turn on. Upon running the engine scans the code for a crankshaft error was discovered. P0017 the mechanic has now stated that a new engine is required due to the damage done to the engine because of the oil loss.

See all problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

I just bought this car with 79873 miles on it it now has 81853 miles and its making a ticking noise. I been looking over the engine and wondering why my check engine light doesn't come on when I left my gas cap off. I bought this car from a used car dealership. . I been doing some research on this type engine and most of them have me recalled.

See all problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

Motor started ticking. . . . Then just stopped running. . . Motor blew up. . Checked the oil and it had metal flaking in it. .

See all problems of the 2019 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

I was driving in elk river, mn when my car all of a sudden stopped accelerating I then coasted into a street with a dead end to get away from traffic before the car ended up dying though the electronics remained on. I tried restarting the vehicle with no luck. It was clear to me that the engine was no longer working as it wouldn’t turn over. The report from the mechanic is as follows: “found exhaust cam timing to be extremely off. Removed valve cover and found the camshaft and sprocket pin has sheared, causing the cylinder 2 piston to make contact with the exhaust valves. Failed leak-down test at 90 percent and have a photo of the exhaust valve slightly bent and not seating into the head. ” -cornerstone kia report.

The contact owns a 2016 kia Forte. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed and then stalled. The contact stated that the "battery" symbol was illuminated on the instrument cluster. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine connecting rod bearings had failed and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

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.

The lane assist malfunction and periodically jerks. Very unsafe I no longer use this feature . To keep control of the vehicle. I never got it inspected. As the lane assist was in use and it would jerk it would alert me of a lane departure . I mention this to include every known problem I have experienced with the vehicle. The problem that brought me here. Is my engine light came on today. Leading up to this. I have had oil leaks since I've owned the car. Im adding oil in between oil changes due to it being low. In the beginning it was a hint of smell of gas in the oil. I was informed to do more frequent oil changes. Over time the smell of gas grew stronger . No indication to a problem then. Now the smell of gas is prominent in the oil. When the dip stick is checked its always needing more oil and smells of gas and has blackness like burning in the oil. Now there's a check engine light on. And everything I looked up says to discontinue driving the car. I am having a mechanic look at it with a code reader.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

About September 6th I was driving my vehicle. It is a blue kia Forte 2017. I just had cleaned it at a local car wash. Prior to this 1-2 weeks before my ac had just started to blow hot air. So I recharged it with some recharge that I purchased a recharge can and my buddy scott helped me put it into my low pressure air conditioning valve area. Soon after like I said when I was leaving a car wash. And I drove down to a gas station and as I start braking my car started running a lot slower. Then finally it almost halted and all the dash lights all illuminated everywhere. And I had to turn the wheel super slow as I approached the left turn into the gas station. And then I noticed my car had shut off completely. I screamed to the men that were at a gas pump feet away to help me push the car into the station. They finally ran over and pushed it into the station. Soon after we attempted with one car, and one truck we tried to jump start my car with the batteries. It didn’t start or turn the engine over fully either few times we attempted jumping it. I finally called it quits and took a ride home. The next day my buddy tried to “ fix it “ he said it didn’t really work as properly and the battery isn’t probably the problem. He said it might be the ac compressor due to my air going out weeks before. But he was afraid to tell me it wasn’t gonna be a cheap or easy fix. He suggested I go to a mechanic. Months prior I received a few notices in the mail that stated my name and my vehicle info. I never really paid them any mind until now but I am thinking I should open them soon. I’m assuming that this info would be in there about a recall. I hope that this will be a substantial amount of evidence for my recall. The websites I reviewed and researched say the there’s a lawsuit and recalls involving my kia Forte 2017 as well. But the VIN didn’t match it up fully? so I’m not completely sure why. But I am sure it only had 96k miles. Which was below the kia 100k mile warranty too? thanks.

Rod knock in engine, catastrophic failure.

I am writing to report a recurring and potentially dangerous issue with my kia Forte. My vehicle has randomly failed to start on multiple occasions, requiring a jump start. More concerning, it has also shut off while I was driving, which is extremely alarming and could have resulted in a serious accident. These incidents have happened several times, and I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle. I suspect this may be related to an electrical issue, as I am also experiencing:     •    intermittent failure of the backup camera     •    headlights, brake lights, fog lights, and daytime running lights failing to operate correctly     •    general electrical irregularities throughout the vehicle I have checked for recalls related to kia Fortes and found that other vehicles of the same make and model have had similar issues. However, there are no active recalls for my VIN, despite experiencing the same or more severe symptoms described in those recalls. This situation is extremely concerning and I believe it warrants further investigation. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue and consider whether additional recalls or safety investigations may be necessary for other kia Forte owners experiencing similar electrical and engine issues. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I would appreciate any guidance on next steps or how to ensure my vehicle is properly inspected for these safety concerns.

Slow to shift and accelerate.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

On [xxx] my son was driving on the highway when the car suddenly shut off. . Thank god he was able to safely get to the side of the road. Had it towed to my local mechanic who stated that the engine is seized up. The car is only 6 yrs old and well maintained. There were no prior problems or signs. Need a new engine. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Car started hesitating the red oil light came on on the dash it flickered on and off for a few days but and still goes on and off now but 90% of the time it stays on while car is in use. I don't have an oil leak and I'm not low on fluid. I believe foreign particles are getting clogged in oil pump and or filter. Most 2017 kia Fortes already have a recall for this. I don't understand why mine isn't recalled also. Plz help. If I have engine damage and car stalls it could be a safety hazard for me and others. I have small children. Please help.

I own a 2020 kia Forte lxs with approximately 136,000 miles. The check engine light came on with code p0420 (“catalyst system efficiency below threshold”), and an express oil change & tire engineers location confirmed the catalytic converter is failing. The back pressure was measured and is within spec but slightly elevated, showing the part is deteriorating. I was also told my O2 sensors are burned due to the failing catalytic converter. This failure affects drivability and safety: the vehicle sometimes struggles on acceleration and hills, and I feel vibrations through the gas pedal. Because I commute 50 miles each way to work on the interstate, sudden loss of power would put me at risk in high-speed traffic. I have learned kia and Hyundai vehicles from other years/models (including the Forte) have had recalls and extended warranties for premature catalytic converter failure and excessive oil consumption, but kia has not yet extended coverage to the 2020 Forte. This appears to be the same issue. The vehicle has been inspected by express oil change & tire engineers, and the quoted cost for replacement is $3,000–$3,600. This should be investigated for potential recall or warranty extension to include the 2020 model year.

I purchased the 2016 kia Forte on [xxx] from bald hill kia in warwick, ri. Within the first 30 days, there was a knocking noise which turned out to be the knocking sensor. I took the car to be checked on 11/1/2022 and paid to replace the knock sensor. On [xxx], the knock sensor acted up again so the knock sensor had to be replaced again. They also found a small evap leak and the charcoal canister was cracked and replaced. On 12/9/2022, the engine assembly was replaced. On [xxx], the check engine light came on and the O2 sensor was replaced. On 1/5/2023, the catalytic converter had to be replaced. On 1/16/2023, the canister purge valved was replaced. On 8/29/2023, the catalytic converter had to be replaced again. On 6/11/2024, the catalytic converter had to be replaced a third time! over a year passed and on Saturday afternoon on [xxx] the check engine light turned on again and kia was closed on Sunday so I took the car to firestone for a diagnostic test and it turned out that it was the catalytic converter for the 4th time. I dropped off the car in 8/4/2025 and I'm waiting to see if the car can get looked at this week to confirm the problem for a 4th time. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2017 kia Forte. The contact stated that while his son was driving 35 mph, the timing chain tensioner snapped, causing the vehicle to lose automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the timing chain tensioner, and timing chain were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,000.

The contact owns a 2017 kia Forte. The contact stated that while on several occasions while turned on and coming to stop while driving, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart each time. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that debris from the skirt was found in oil and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it has yet to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact believes that the failures were associated with an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,071.

Dear national highway traffic safety administration, I am submitting this safety complaint to request an investigation into the adequacy of Kia Motors’ recall coverage for oil pump failures in the 2017 kia Forte. My vehicle recently experienced a complete oil pump failure, creating a serious risk of sudden engine seizure and potential loss of vehicle control. This type of failure poses an immediate danger to both occupants and other motorists. While kia has issued recalls and service campaigns addressing oil pump defects in certain models and production ranges, my vehicle identification number (VIN) is not included—despite my case matching the symptoms, mechanical failures, and safety concerns described in those campaigns. This raises concern that the current recall scope is too limited and does not adequately protect all affected owners. Under the national traffic and motor vehicle safety act, manufacturers are required to address safety-related defects in all affected vehicles at no cost to the consumer. If the recall scope is incomplete, other kia Forte owners remain at risk of sudden mechanical failure, which could lead to crashes or injuries. I respectfully request that NHTSA review kia’s recall parameters for this defect and determine whether additional VIN ranges should be included. I am prepared to provide detailed service records, diagnostic findings, and photographic evidence of the oil pump failure in my vehicle to assist with this review. Please confirm receipt of this complaint and inform me of the next steps in your investigation. I appreciate your attention to this urgent safety matter.

My car is experiencing signs of the kia oil pump recall that my VIN was not included in. However, I believe that needs to be reevaluated, as my car is having those same issues, as in engine failure due to oil pump issues. My car is now currently unable to turn on due to this issue.

The oil light flickered on and off intermittently despite oil in it and was making a cackling noise during acceleration for 2 days then my engine made loud screech noise and smelled like burnt oil and shut off . I had it towed to a mechanic who stated it showed a hole in the engine block .

1. Nhtsa safety complaint draft vehicle info: make: kia model: Forte5 sx year: 2016 VIN: [xxx] engine: 1. 6l gdi (g4fj nu engine) issue: this vehicle uses the 1. 6l gdi nu engine (engine code g4fj), which is the same engine involved in kia’s engine defect recalls and class action settlements related to connecting rod bearing failure and engine seizure risks. However, kia is refusing to provide the knock sensor detection system (ksds) update, and no internal campaigns or recalls are listed for my VIN despite the identical mechanical risk. I purchased the vehicle in 2017 and was unaware of the extended warranty and safety campaigns until now. I am experiencing symptoms of rough idle and pre-knock concerns, and yet kia and my local dealership are unwilling to escalate my case or even verify warranty eligibility. This defect poses a risk of sudden engine failure and should be addressed under expanded recall coverage. I am requesting NHTSA investigate inclusion of later-production 2016 vehicles like mine, which clearly share the same defective power train. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Oil pump on vehicle failed, result was severe internal damage to motor, entire engine needed replaced at 120,600 miles.

The contact owns a 2016 kia Forte. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, and as he depressed the accelerator pedal to merge on a highway, the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle went into limp mode. The contact stated that he was not able to accelerate past 15 mph. The contact had taken the vehicle to a auto parts store and had the vehicle scanned. The contact stated that code p1326 was shown on the hand held scanner. The code was for a fault with the knock sensor detection. The contact then had the vehicle towed to a dealer and he had also contacted the manufacturer. The dealer had not diagnosed the vehicle and advised the contact that the manufacturer had advised them not diagnose the vehicle due to lack of complete oil change history. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

I have been financing this vehicle since 05/01/2025, I was driving to tucson, az from flagstaff, az. About 30 minutes into my drive my car made a loud noise, the engine and oil lights came on at the same time, my car started shaking and the engine was smoking. I have never experienced anything like that and I was extremely fearful for my life. I was alone on the interstate for some hours before I could figure out how to get back to flagstaff… I got my car towed to a mechanic, they ran diagnostics and said my car has catastrophic engine failure, one of the rods shot through the engine. They found a used engine to replace my engine with, but the quote is nearly $8,000. The car itself is about $11,000. I am making minimum wage, I am already struggling to make ends meet as is, I poured a lot of money into that vehicle and I really trusted camelback Subaru to help get me into a safe, reliable car to help me get to work and live my life, I just never imagined something like this would happen.

Unknown. Fire was located under in the engine compartment area and fire was visible from below the engine under the car. When it happened I was driving on the freeway when noticed my car seemed to be struggling stay at the current speend and to loose speed then a it suddenly l no longer would accerlatoed so I pulled over to call 911 a passing vehicle stopped and informed me there was flames under my car. I safetly exited and called for emergency services. The safety risk of major bodily harm by fire to myself or risk of harm to the environment around me a risk. The check engine light had come on before the fire. Reached out to manufacturer for a fire investigation and was instructed to take car to dealership to for service department to inspect. Was told a eta of 2 weeks before they will check out my car.

Timing, vvt sensor. Oil pressure.

Unknown vehicle just went dead while driving.

My 2021 kia Forte gt is currently sitting in my driveway, undriveable. It started about 3months or so ago I had realized I was getting more and more frequent oil changes to the point where the car would be consuming a quart of oil in at least a week or less. Fast forward to this previous week, I now had a hard knock/rattle within my engine. The engine gave way on my way home which is a significant safety issue to myself and those who were driving around me. I have contacted kia customer as they have had previous complaints as well as a lawsuit on the engine for the excessive engine oil consumption leading to possible engine failure. There’s no reason why an only 4 year old car should have a blown motor. I am thankful that I am personally ok and didn’t hurt anyone else while in the midst of driving my vehicle home.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Forte 🔎.

My life was unsafe by being put in this vehicle whos engine was damaged and caught on fire while driving it as a military soldier.

2021 kia Forte VIN# [xxx] 107,000 miles while driving my kia Forte on [xxx] I experienced a sudden noise without warning just 2 months to the exact date after an oil change. The vehicle became unsafe to operate and could not accelerate properly. In some cases it would no have it would feel like it was losing power and creating a scary and dangerous situation. A certified mechanic diagnosed there was no oil in my vehicle which matches the oil consumption defect identified in kia's theta ii gdi engine recalls and nationwide class action settlement. Kia has acknowledged in public filing that is defect poses a risk of engine seizing and fire. Although my VIN is not currently listed under any active recall, my vehicle exhibits the exact same defect pattern as recalled vehicles, including sudden loss of power at highway speeds which is a significant safety hazard. Manufactures response: I contacted kia corporate to request an engine replacement consistent with the recall and the settlement remedies and they refused to cover the repair solely because my VIN is not included in the recall list despite the defect being identical. Safety concern: the sudden loss of power creates a risk of rear-end collisions, loss of control and potential fire. This defect can be life threatening and should not be excluded from recall coverage simply due to VIN range. Requested action: I am requesting that NHTSA investigate why vehicles with identical engine defects, including mine have been excluded from recall coverage and compel kia to provide a no-cost repair. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).