2011 Kia Forte Koup Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Forte Koup, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance333.3%
- Engine333.3%
- Airbags111.1%
- Fuel system111.1%
- Powertrain (other)111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY CAR ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. FULLY STOPPED, MY CAR IS ON 1000RPMS, I WILL BE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED AND MY RPM SHOOTS ALL THE WAY UP.
ONE MORNING I STARTED THE CAR AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR ALSO MADE A KNOCKING/TICKING SOUND THAT WAS NOT USUAL AND THE ENGINE HAD AN ABNORMAL SOUND TO IT WHEN STATIONED AND IN MOTION. IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE, ESPECIALLY AS IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER RIGHT AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON. WE BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER WE BOUGHT IT FROM AND FOUND OUT THAT THE LIGHT WAS FOR A CODE ABOUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD (BUTTERFLY) VALVES NOT OPENING/CLOSING PROPERLY. IT LATER ENDED UP BEING COMPLETE INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILING. THE CAR REQUIRED A COMPLETELY NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF THIS. IT ONLY HAD 82,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. IT ALSO HAD PROBLEMS STARTING OCCASIONALLY BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE CONTROL MODULE (VCM) WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AT THE SAME TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ONE MORNING I STARTED THE CAR AND THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR ALSO MADE A KNOCKING/TICKING SOUND THAT WAS NOT USUAL AND THE ENGINE HAD AN ABNORMAL SOUND TO IT WHEN STATIONED AND IN MOTION. IT PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE, ESPECIALLY AS IT WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER RIGHT AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON. WE BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER WE BOUGHT IT FROM AND FOUND OUT THAT THE LIGHT WAS FOR A CODE ABOUT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD (BUTTERFLY) VALVES NOT OPENING/CLOSING PROPERLY. IT LATER ENDED UP BEING COMPLETE INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILING. THE CAR REQUIRED A COMPLETELY NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF THIS. IT ONLY HAD 82,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. IT ALSO HAD PROBLEMS STARTING OCCASIONALLY BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE CONTROL MODULE (VCM) WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL AT THE SAME TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE.
UPON ENTERING A HIGHWAY, A KNOCK OCCURRED AND AS RPM DROPPED THE KNOCKING SUBSIDED. NEXT DAY AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND WHILE WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET, VEHICLE STALLED AND RPM DROP TO ZERO. CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON AN ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENGINE "LOCKED UP"
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
HELLO, LONG STORY SHORT, KIA HAS FAULTY AIRBAGS I HAVE A VERY PREGNANT WIFE. THEY HAVE YET TO DIE RIGHT BY THE CUSTOMER AND OFF SAFE VEHICLES TO REPLACE THESE UNTIL A FIX IS FOUND. I WENT TO KIA IN TURNERSVILLE NJ TO HAVE A HUB ASSEMBLY REPLACED. AT THIS TIME I REQUESTED THE TECHNICIAN TO RUN THE VIN FOR AN AIRBAG RECALL I SAW ONLINE, THIS WAS IN JUNE. HE CAME BACK SAYING HE CHECKED AND IT IS ALL CLEAR AND I ASKED HIM TO CHECK AGAIN MAINLY BECAUSE SHE IS 8 MONTHS PREGNANT. ONCE AGAIN TOLD IT WAS CLEAR. TODAY I RECEIVED SOMETHING IN THE MAIL FROM KIA REGARDING MY PREGNANT FINANCES AIRBAG IN FACT BEING RECALLED. SHE HAS BEN DRIVING LIKE THIS FOR TWO MONTHS AND WASN'T LIED TO AND MADE TO FEEL COMFORTED THAT ALL WAS FINE! I CALLED AGAIN TODAY AND WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T ANYHTING TO BE DONE YET AND MY WIFE WILL BE FINE JUST DRIVE CAREFULLY AND THE AIRBAG IS FINE PROBABLY. SO WE HAVE A FAULTY VEHICLE WE HAVE PAID FOR YEARS AND NOW OWN AND CANNOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING ANYWHERE. IN MY OPTION KIA AND HYUNDAI SHOULD HANDLE THIS IN THE SAME MANNER HONDA DID AND HONOR THE CUSTOMER WITH RENTALS UNTIL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED. IF NOT I AM SURE A LARGE SCALE LAWSUIT WILL ENSUE BECAUSE THIS IS NOT BEING HANDLED CORRECTLY. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO MENTIONED THAT THEY STILL HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF A RECALL UNTIL AFTER THE CONSUMER, ANOTHER BOLD FACE LIE FROM KIA. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON 20000 MILES CODE# P200A INTAKE MANIFOLD SENSOR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY CAR BROKE DOWN IN DECEMBER 2015, WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY FIX IT. I PAID OVER 1000 USD. 2 MONTHS LATER THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SAME REASON MY CAR BROKE DOWN COUPLE MONTS BEFORE THAT RECALL. UNTIL THIS DAY I HAVE TRIED TO GET MY MONEY BACK AND THEY DONT WANT TO GIVE ME A REFUND EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE CAR STOPPED COMPLETELEY DUE TO THE HOSE OF THE TRANSMISION FLUID. 04/01/2021: ODI # CHANGED FROM 11054837 TO 11054367 AS PART OF ROUTINE DATA CLEANUP.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .