Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Kia Forte submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 18 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
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.
My car is affected by recall 17V773000, though it is not listed. Dealership refusing to fix.
I PURCHASE THE CAR FROM A CAR LOTIN THE CITY WHERE I LIVE I GOT THE CAR IN MARCH OF 2020 I DROVE THE CAR FOR 3 MONTHS ONE OF MY HEAD LIGHTS STARTED TO SHORT OUT SO IALEVIEATED THE PROBLEM TWO MONTHS LATER A MOTOR MOUNT WENT BAD I HAD IT REPLACED AFTER THAT MY SENSOR S STARTED TO MALFUNCTION
I believe that something within brake light assembly has caught fire at one time. The plastic I. Which holds the brake light bulb is melted to the point that I had to purchase a new brake light assembly because I can no longer replace the bulb because it is melted beyond repair.
THIS VEHICLE HAS NOW REPAIRED 2 TIMES FOR RECALL ON BRAKE LIGHT/WIRING ISSUE. WE WERE CHARGED BY THE JENKINS KIA OF GAINESVILLE,FLORIDA FOR THE LAST 2 TIMES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS BURNING OUT. MECHANIC AT ANOTHER BUSINESS ADVISED BULB BURNED SO MUCH THE BULB HOLDER WAS BURNED. SC158 IS RECALL NUMBER. REPAIRS DONE 10/22/2018, 2/14/2020 WIRING HARNESS & BULB HOLDER REPLACED ALL AT OUR COST. RECALLED TWICE FOR THIS ISSUE. BULB NOW BURNED OUT AGAIN 2/15/21. FEEL CHEATED BY THIS DEALER SINCE HAS BEEN RECALLED 2013 & 2015.
I BOUGHT MY 2012 KIA FORTE BRAND NEW. WELL..I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. IT MAKES A HORRIBLE TICKING NOISE LIKE ITS ABOUT TO BLOW UP AND I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY MILEAGE IS 96,000. MY DIM HEADLIGHTS KEEP BLOWING AS WELL. AND ITS SOMETHING ELECTRICAL. KIA NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND GO AHEAD AND RECALL BECAUSE I HAVE THE SAME ENGINE AS THE ONE THATS BEEN RECALL BUT THEY SAY MINE ISN'T LISTED IN THE RECALL.
TL* HE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATE WITH THE IGNITION IN THE OFF POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, THE GEAR SHIFTER COULD BE SHIFTED WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER SOUTH DADE KIA (17120 SOUTH DIXIE HWY, MIAMI) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPER PAD WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE STOPPER PAD WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V773000 (SERVICE BRAKES). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,400.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THE CONTACT WAS TESTING THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER EASILY SHIFTED OUT OF PARK WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT CALLED CROWN KIA ST PETERSBURG (5500 34TH ST N, ST PETERSBURG, FL 33714, (844) 921-3247) AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V773000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.
BLINKER LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AIR CONDITIONER, HEATER,ON THE CAR CONSTANTLY HAVE TO REPAIR MUST BE DEFECTIVE. AS WELL AS FUEL ISSUES WITH THE CAR.
WHEN DRIVING THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATE. THE BULBS IN THE TAIL LIGHT BURN OUT FREQUENTLY ON AVERAGE OF 60-90 DAYS..
THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE CAR GOES OUT OFTEN SINCE I BOUGHT IT, MORE COMMONLY THE RIGHT SIDE. I HAVE REPEATEDLY CHECKED AND REPLACED FUSES AND BULBS. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT WON'T LAST A MONTH BEFORE SOMEONE TELLS ME MY BRAKE LIGHT IS NOT WORKING. THIS IS A HAZARD. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY ISSUES WITH THE WIRES OR FUSES, BUT THROUGH RESEARCH FOUND EARLIER MODELS OF THE KIA FORTE HAD A RECALL FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE PROBLEM BEING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH BY THE PEDAL. KIA NEEDS TO FIND A FIX FOR THIS AND DO A PROPER RECALL.
CENTER MOUNT STOP LIGHT ASSEMBLY - THE BRAKE LIGHT BURNED OUT AND BURNED THE ASSEMBLY. I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING FROM MY VEHICLE AND WHEN I CHECKED THE VEHICLE FOUND THIS LIGHT HAD BURNED THROUGH THE ASSEMBLY. THIS BURNING OF THE CENTER ASSEMBLY SHORTED OUT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WHICH LEFT ME WITHOUT BRAKES. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT LOOKING AT THE CENTER ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS THE OTHER BRAKE LIGHT PORTS-THERE WAS A SURGE OF SOME SORT WHICH CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. THE AREAS IN THE BRAKE LIGHT SOCKETS WERE BLACK. I WAS DRIVING WHEN I SMELLED THE BURNING IN THE CAR AND THUS FAR NO OTHER ELECTRICAL OR LIGHT AREAS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. I THOUGHT THIS SHOULD BE REPORTED IN THE EVENT KIA TRUNKS START BURNING.
JUST RECENTLY (WITHIN THIS MONTH) I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN I TURN ON MY BLINKER EITHER WAY, OR STEP ON MY BREAK MY RADIO OR MUSIC FROM MY PHONE CUTS OUT. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME AND I DO NOT NOTICE IT HAPPENING AT A PARTICULAR SPEED. IT HAPPENS MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY BUT I JUST NOTICE IT DID IT ON A SURFACE STREET TODAY. MY HEADLIGHTS AND MY INSIDE ROOF LIGHTS FLICKER ALSO. HAD A FRIEND CHECK IT OUT AND HE SAID HE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. CHECKED ALL THE WIRING FOR CORROSION, SOMETHING GROUNDING WHERE IT SHOULDN'T BE, CHECK MY BATTERY VOLTAGE AND MY TRANSMISSION. CANNOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT IT BEING AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE DUE TO ME DRIVING 100+ MILES A DAY, 6 DAYS A WEEK. LAST THING I NEED IS FOR MY CAR TO CATCH FIRE...
BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING. TAIL LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WORKING FINE, BUT BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL. NO FUSE ISSUE.
MY 2012 KIA FORTE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE SUDDENLY RACING, AND ACTING LIKE IT IS OUT OF GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO MY MECHANIC AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT THEY CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. I ALSO GET PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS: I GET TOLD THAT THEY'RE OUT WHEN THEY AREN'T. I DO REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES ON MY VEHICLE. IT STARTED IN APRIL, 2014, AT FIRST OCCASIONALLY, BUT NOW IT IS ALMOST CONSTANT. IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT FOUND AND FIXED, I AM IN DANGER OF LOSING MY TRANSMISSION AND WORSE....UPDATED 12/10/15 *BF
I WAS PULLED OVER BY TRANSIT POLICE AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. IF THE PROBLEM FALLS TO THE WARRANTY THEY WILL DO IT, BUT I STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CHECK-UP. MY TAIL LIGHTS WORK, BUT MY BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN I PRESS ON THE BRAKE. IS THERE A RECALL? *TR
I WAS PULLED OVER BY A [XXX] AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM LOOK AT IT. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT EXACT PROBLEM ON 2009-2010 MODELS BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE YET ON 2012 MODELS. MY TAIL LIGHTS WORK, BUT MY BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN I PRESS ON THE BRAKE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES AND WITH EACH FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER. ON THE FOURTH VISIT TO THE DEALER, THE GROUND WIRE WAS CONNECTED TO THE LIGHT BULB AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,263.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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