Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Kia Forte Koup submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE RPMS DROPPED TO ZERO. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT ON THE SHOULDER WITHOUT ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO INFORMED ME THE ENGINE SEIZED UP BUT THE OIL LOOKED FINE. THE MECHANIC THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD. THE CAR HAD 101,000 MILES IN IT.
THETA II ENGINE RECALL. A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ALL THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO GUIDE IT OFF THE INTERSTATE TO A SAFE SPOT ON THE SIDE. THE CAR WOULDNT STARY BACK AT ALL. COME TO FIND OUT, THE RODS FAILED AND LOCKED THE ENGINE UP. WHEN IT FIRST HAPPENED, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WAS CHECK EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD INCLUDING THE OIL. THE OIL WAS FULL. AFTER READING ALOT ON THIS ISSUE, THERE IS ALOT OF KIA FORTE AND FORTE KOUP THAT HAD THE SAME ISSUE BUT YET THEY WONT INCLUDE THEM IN THE RECALL. IT HAS THE SAME ENGINE IN IT AS THE OTHER KIA'S THAT GOT RECALLED SO WHAT MAKES THEM ANY DIFFERENT. I REPLACED THE FIRST ENGINE WITH A USED ONE AND I PUT 4K MIKES ON IT AND IT DID THE SAME THING SO ANOTHER $4,000 LATER, I PURCHASED A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. IT'S BEEN AN EXPENSIVE FIX OUT OF MY OWN POCKET WHEN IT SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN.
MY MOTOR SLUNG A ROD WITHOUT REASON AT 90K MILES. I HAVE THE SAME 2.4 LITER MOTOR IN MY KIA FORTE AS THE MOTORS PREVIOUSLY RECALLED IN THE OPTIMAS. THE JUST FOUND THAT THIS ENGINE FAILURE IS HAPPENING IN THE 1.6 LITER SOULS AS WELL YET THEY REFUSE TO FIX MY CAR BECAUSE THE CAR ITSELF ISN'T LISTED UNDER THE RECALL. PLEASE HELP! I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH DOWN THE HWY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD "THUNK" AND A LIGHT TAPPING FROM THE ENGINE. NO DASH LIGHTS EVER CAME ON, THE CAR NEVER RAN HOT, AND I HAD PLENTY OF OIL BUT JUST TO BE SAFE I PULLED OVER ANYWAYS. I HAD A MECHANIC COME MEET ME ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT TO BE SRE IT WAS OK TO DRIVE AND WHEN HE JACKED THE CAR UP OIL CAME POURING OUT AND HE COULD SEE A VISIBLE 4 INCH HOLE IN THE BLOCK WHERE A ROD HAD SEEMINGLY SLUNG WITHOUT REASON. I TOOK IT UP TO KIA TO GET IT REPLACED AS THE MOTOR WAS UNDER RECALL AND NOT ONLY DID THEY NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS A "DIFFERENT MODEL # OF THE 2.4 LITER MOTOR" BUT THEY ALSO CHARGED ME $125 BUCKS JUST TO LOOK AT IT AND TELL ME THEY WEREN'T GOING TO FIX IT.
THE CAR STARTED DRIVING SLUGGISH OUT OF NOWHERE AND I TOOK IT IN TO A MECHANIC WHO TOOK IT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE WHERE IT ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED SMOKING AND THE ENGINE SEIZED UP WHILE IN MOTION. THE CAR HAD ITS OIL CHANGE AND WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.
MY KIA FORTE KOUP 2013 SX HAS ENGINE FAILURE WITH NO NOTICE. MY SON WAS DRIVING 73MPH ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALMOST LOST HIS LIFE TRYING TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER AFTER SAID FAILURE. MY CAR HAS 92K MILES AND I AM THE SECOND OWNER. I HAVE HAD ALL MAINTENANCE DONE AT KIA ON TIME AND AS RECOMMENDED. DEALER TELLS ME THAT CONNECTING ROD PIERCED A WHOLE IN MY ENGINE BLOCK AND WANT $4800.00 + TAX TO INSTALL A USED ENGINE WITH 76K MILES ON IT. I AM GUESSING THAT IS KIA IS NOW DOING A 200K WARRENTY AS THEIR PRODUCTS ARE JUNK.
BACK IN JUNE 2018, I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE, RUNNING ABOUT 75 AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A FLAPPING NOISE THEN ALL THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR STALLED. HAD TO GET IT TOWED BACK HOME. COME TO FIND OUT THE MOTOR HAD SEIZED UP. I'VE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE 2.4 ENGINE IN THE KIA'S BUT NONE HAVE MADE IT TO THE RECALL LIST WHEN THEY ARE DOING THE SAME THING THAT THE MOTORS IN THE OPTIMAS, SORENTO AND SPORTAGE. HOW IS THE FORTE ANY DIFFERENT WHEN THEY HAVE THE SAME MOTOR. FOUND A USED MOTOR OUT OF A 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP SX THAT HAD 39,000 MILES ON IT. BOUGHT AND INSTALLED IT. PUT RIGHT AT 4,100 MILES ON IT AND LOW AND BEHOLD, IT DID THE SAME THING. EXCEPT THIS TIME I WAS COMING OFF THE INTERSTATE ON A CURVE OFF RAMP WITH THE CAR STALLED ON ME. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED THIS TIME TO MAKE IT HOME. SO NOW I HAVE ANOTHER BAD ENGINE AND MY CAR IS JUST SITTING UNTIL I CAN SAVE UP AND FIND ANOTHER ENGINE. THIS TIME, I'LL PROBABLY PAY EXTRA TO HAVE A COMPLETELY REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. TIRED OF PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH THESE USED KIA ENGINES.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP UP AN ON-RAMP TO THE MAIN BRIDGE, GOING ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE ENGINE KILLED SUDDENLY. THE CAR HAS 56,000 MILES ON IT, AND I TAKE PHENOMENAL CARE OF IT (REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE). I HAD IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP ON FRIDAY, MAY 25, AND IT'S BEEN SITTING ON THE LOT COMPLETELY UNTOUCHED EVER SINCE. TODAY IS DAY 46 OF KIA GIVING ME THE RUNAROUND. NEVER AGAIN WILL I PURCHASE THEIR CARS.
NHTSA RECALL SC147 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP HAS THE EXACT SAME THETA II ENGINE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL FOR THE 2011-2014 OPTIMA, 2012-2014 SORENTO, AND 2011-2013 SPORTAGE MODELS. THE ENGINE WAS TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOST POWER, AND PROCEEDED TO SEIZE EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL ABOVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, SMOKE PROCEEDED TO POUR OUT OF THE ENGINE HOOD AROUND THE HEAD GASKET. SMELL OF BURNING FILLED THE CABIN. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS HAPPENING ON OTHER MODELS BUT A RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE MY MODEL. ENTIRE EXPENSE WAS A MONTH LONG PROCESS STARTING JUNE 1. REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE MOTOR REQUIRED, COSTING $6200.
ON TUESDAY JUNE 26TH, 2018 I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING, MY OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, I LOST ALL POWER, STEERING AND BRAKES BUT LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE. CAR WOULDN'T START BACK AT ALL. I KEEP MY OIL CHANGED EVERY 4,000 MILES AND HAVEN'T EVER HAD AN ISSUE. THE ENGINE WASN'T KNOCKING OR MADE ANY LOUD NOISE WHEN IT HAPPENED. AND THE OIL WAS STILL ON THE FULL MARK. AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THE SAME EXACT ENGINES HAVE BEEN RECALLED IN DIFFERENT KIA/HYUNDAI MODELS EXCEPT THE FORTE/FORTE KOUP 2.4L. SO NOW I AM LEFT WITHOUT MY CAR AND HAVING TROUBLE FINDING AN ENGINE I CAN AFFORD WHILE KIA/HYUNDAI IS REPLACING ENGINES THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO THEM BUT MINE THEY WONT REPLACE BECAUSE MY VIN DOESN'T CALL FOR THAT RECALL.
WE BOUGHT THIS 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP IN OCTOBER 2014. IT HAD 29,000 MILES ON IT. WE HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY AND ON SCHEDULE. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE ON DECEMBER 19, 2017 AND HER CAR STARTED SMOKING, SHAKING AND LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE CAR HAD 73,405 MILES ON IT. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED AT MY EXPENSE BACK TO OUR DEALERSHIP IN LUFKIN, TX, I RESEARCHED WHAT SHE DESCRIBED AND IT WAS IDENTICAL TO THE ENGINE FAILURES EXPERIENCED BY THE KIA OPTIMAS AND SORENTOS THAT WERE RECALLED. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IT WAS DECIDED THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE BLOCK. ACCORDING TO KIA IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET THE BLOCK IN. WE CHOSE TO SEND HER BACK TO SCHOOL IN OUR PERSONAL FAMILY VEHICLE. 2 WEEKS TURNED INTO 5 MONTHS. THE KIA SERVICE MANAGER UPON BEGINNING REPAIR IN MAY 2018, SAID THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT FULL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE SIMILAR TO THE OPTIMAS AND SORENTOS EVEN THOUGH THE FORTE WAS NOT RECALLED. BECAUSE OF THE SEVERITY OF THE FAILURE MULTIPLE ENGINE COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED BESIDES THE BLOCK. TOTAL INVOICE: LABOR $2464 PARTS $7435.34 TAX $613.42. TOTAL COST $9762.76 NADA VALUE OF CAR $9600. KIA CONSUMER SERVICE RESPONSE: INITIAL OFFER $1500, FINAL OFFER $2461.70 (PRICE OF THE REMAN ENGINE). NOT TO MENTION LOSS OF USE FOR 5 MONTHS. KIA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE ENGINE DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF USER NEGLECT AND THAT THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WAS 100% MANUFACTURE DEFECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP. WHILE DRIVING 73 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED FOR THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,039.
ON 10/13/17, MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FL TURNPIKE FROM COLLEGE WHEN HIS ENGINE SEIZED. LUCKY HE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. HAD CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA ORLANDO W DEALER, FOUND OUT THE ENGINE ROD WAS BLOWN THROUGH TOP AND BOTTOM OF BLOCK. ENGINE WAS REPLACED WITH A SHORT BLOCK AND REUSED PARTS. DURING TEST DRIVE CAR STALLED DUE TO A TIMING CHAIN FAILING. REPLACED TIMING CHAIN, THEN THE IGNITION COIL WENT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NEXT, THE CAR BEGAN TO MISFIRE AND THEY REPLACE ALL 4 FUEL INJECTORS. THEN TOLD CYLINDER 2 FAILED THE COMPRESSION TEST WHICH MEANS THE NEW MOTOR FAILED. KIA SENT NEW HEADS TO A MACHINE SHOP AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE BAD AND HAD TO ORDER NEW ONES. NOW WAITING ON NEW HEADS TO ARRIVE BE SENT BACK TO THE MACHINE SHOP THE REPLACED ON EXISTING BLOCK. STILL WITH OUT A CAR NEARLY 2 MONTHS LATER. I SEE KIA HAD SEVERAL RECALLS BUT NOT ON THE FORTE... THE KIA FORTE CONTAINS THETA II 2.4-LITER ENGINE. CURRENTLY, THE SAME ENGINE IN THE HYUNDAI SONOTA WHICH WAS MANUFACTURED BY THE SAME COMPANY WAS RECALLED IN THE 2013 - 2014 CARS. VERY FRUSTRATED WITH KIA'S PROCESS THE FACT THAT WHEN WE ASK FOR DOCUMENTATION THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE. SENT US A PRELIMINARY INVOICE WITH A MAJORITY OF THE INFORMATION MISSING. WE DO HAVE DOCUMENTATION OF PROOF. OUR SON HAS BEEN WITHOUT A CAR AT COLLEGE FOR 2 MONTHS.
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.
Data on this page last refreshed .