RoadVitals

2012 Kia Forte Koup Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Jun 9, 2025
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
5
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2012 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

  • Engine1376.5%
  • Airbags15.9%
  • Driver assistance15.9%
  • Electrical15.9%
  • Powertrain (other)15.9%

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

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

13
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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.

NHTSA ID 11665926 · filed Jun 9, 2025

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE KOUP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALLEY KIA OF FONTANA (16272 S. HIGHLAND AVE, FONTANA, CA 92336) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF AN ENGINE DIAGNOSTIC CODE THAT WAS THE CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONSUMPTION VALVE WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, AND A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,800.

NHTSA ID 11403758 · filed Mar 18, 2021
All 13 reports naming engine

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, AT 109,381 MILES. I KNOW THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION GOING ON, AND I READ THAT THERE'S A RECALL NOW, BUT I JUST CHECKED THE VIN BOTH HERE AND ON KIA'S OWNERS SITE, AND BOTH SAY ZERO RECALLS.

NHTSA ID 11101078 · filed Jun 11, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

ON THE WAY TO A SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT WITH KIA FOR A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THE CAR STALLED ON A CITY STREET. IT STARTED ROUGH AFTER AND THEN STALLED AGAIN 2 MILES AFTER THAT ON A CURVED CITY INTERSECTION. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER AFTER THE SECOND STALL AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP. METAL SHAVINGS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE ENGINE AND OIL. THE ENGINE ALSO SHOWED DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER HEAD AND TIMING CHAIN FROM THE METAL SHAVINGS. THE CAR NEEDS THE ENGINE REPLACED, BUT A NEW OR USED ENGINE IS NOT AVAILABLE AND I WAS ADVISED THAT A NEW ENGINE NEEDS TO BE BUILT AT A MINIMUM OF $10,000. THE CAR HAS 103,000 MILES ON IT AND ONLY WORTH $3,400 IN GOOD CONDITION. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER KIA AND HYUNDIA VEHICLES BUT MY MODEL IS NOT INCLUDED. CASE NO. 8:16-CV-01033.

NHTSA ID 11073077 · filed Feb 15, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MY CAR STARTED OVER HEATING AT STOP AND GO TRAFFIC SO I CHECKED EVERYTHING AND FOUND OUT MY COOLANT FAN RESISTER WAS MELTING..I CHECKED TO SEE IF IT WAS A RECALL ON THAT PART AND IT WAS BUT I DONT THINK IT WAS CHANGE BECAUSE EVERYTHING THE RECALL WEB SITE SAID WOULD HAPPEN DID.

NHTSA ID 11104939 · filed Jul 1, 2018

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2012 KIA FORTE KOUP SX WITH THE 2.4 LITER THETA II ENGINE THAT IS BEING RECALLED ON A LIMITED BASIS BY KIA UNDER NHTSA SC147. A WEEK WHILE MERGING WITH FASTER TRAFFIC MY ENGINE DIED FORCING ME INTO A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TRYING TO CROSS SEVERAL LANES OF MUCH FASTER MOVING TRAFFIC WITH A DEAD ENGINE. I CAME TO A STOP IN THE CENTER LANE AND HAD SEVERAL VERY CLOSE CALLS BEFORE OTHER VEHICLES HAD TO SWERVE AT THE LAST SECOND TO AVOID HITTING ME. MUCH LIKE THE COUNTLESS OTHER EXAMPLES OF VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE THETA II ENGINE SEIZING OR SPINNING ROD BEARINGS MY ENGINE SEIZED SOLID EVEN THOUGH I METICOUSLY FOLLOWED THE PRESCRIBED MAINTENANCE INTERVALS KIA SUGGESTS. AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH I WAS DISMAYED TO SEE HOW WIDE SPREAD THIS ISSUE IS AND CANNOT FATHOM WHY KIA IS PERMITTED TO ONLY RECALL SOME VEHICLES WITH THIS SAME ENGINE AND NOT OTHERS. I VERY STRENUOUSLY URGE THE NHTSA TO EXPAND UPON RECALL SC147 TO INCLUDE ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS ENGINE BEFORE OTHER INJURIES OR DEATHS OCCUR AS I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY SUSTAINED. THERE SHOULD BE NO EXCUSE AND NO DEFENDING OF KIA'S POSITION THAT THIS ENGINE ONLY FAILS DUE TO MANUFACTURING FLAWS ON SOME MODELS AND NOT OTHERS MODELS WHEN THEY BOTH USE THE SAME ENGINE WHEN ALL ONE MUST DO IS TO DO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH TO SEE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF AMERICAN CONSUMERS BEING LEFT WITHOUT ASSISTANCE TO FACE THE MANUFACTURER TO GET THESE ISSUES RESOLVED. IT IS YET TO BE SEEN IF KIA APPROPRIATELY MAKE ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS TO MY VEHICLE EITHER UNDER THE 10 YEAR/100,000 MILE LIMITED WARRANTY (MY VEHICLE IS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 80,000 MILES) OR UNDER RECALL SC147; HOWEVER, BASED UPON WHAT I REPEATEDLY AM FINDING, KIA WILL TRY DENYING REPAIRS, DEMANDING ALL MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS AND GENERALLY MAKING IT AS DIFFICULT AS POSSIBLE FOR CONSUMERS TO GET WARRANTY WORK DONE.

NHTSA ID 11099888 · filed Jun 5, 2018

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

Data on this page last refreshed .