2014 Kia Forte 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 2014 Kia Forte, 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
- Engine21836.8%
- Steering6210.5%
- Airbags6210.5%
- Electrical569.5%
- Brakes294.9%
- Fuel system254.2%
- Driver assistance244.1%
- Exterior lighting213.5%
- Powertrain (other)183.0%
- Body & structure183.0%
- Other / unspecified162.7%
- Seat belts142.4%
- Tires & wheels122.0%
- Interior & seats81.4%
- Suspension50.8%
- Visibility40.7%
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
The systems affected appear to be engine, powertrain, and vehicle speed control. My 2014 Kia Forte, VIN [XXX] has approximately 118,000 miles. Since purchase in November2025 from Wondries Toyota, the vehicle has had repeated high RPM, poor acceleration, and loss of power when entering freeway on-ramps and driving uphill. It struggles to accelerate while merging into faster traffic, creating a safety risk as vehicles behind approach at higher speeds. Two different mechanics verbally advised that there may be an oil leak or oil consumption issue affecting the catalytic converter. I replaced the catalytic converter a couple months ago, but it became clogged again and the power loss continues. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has not been inspected by the manufacturer yet, and I don’t have a written diagnostic report at this time. There was no crash, fire, injury, or fatality, and no police report. Warning lights are unknown. The exact incident date is approximate. The issue has been ongoing since after purchase and occurs multiple times, especially during freeway merging and uphill driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine smoking when started up engine has oil in it scared to move vehicle because I have no idea if it’s going to catch fire or anything
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated that there was a ticking sound coming from the steering column while turning the steering wheel in either direction while driving at slow speeds. The contact stated that over time, the clicking sound became progressively louder. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who replaced the steering wheel coupler, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the manufacturer had recalled other vehicle models for the same failure. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 10,243.
Steering column, steering coupler piece
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Large Buck deer hit car with force, did not loose control, did not slam brakes attempted to pull to side of road. The hood flew up and had to use the emergency brake to come to full stop, put in park but the gas was full throttle. Neither airbag deployed and definitely should have.
The air bad light is on and horn dose not working currently there is a open recall on the clutch spring for the air bag but my vin say no repair
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I have currently been avoiding driving my car because it goes in limp mode when I’m stopped at red lights I smell oil burning sometimes ive seen small amounts of smoke coming from the engine as well as just receiving an oil change less than a month ago and it already being bad , I checked the mail the other day and i received a recall letter from Kia stating my car needs to be serviced and that I can take it in for a free engine test and inspection free of cost as well as a system update free of cost , I schedule an appointment today for 11 I was told it will take half a day I receive a text to pick it back up 1 hour later I ask if an engine test was also done i received no response so I came in and was told that I would have to pay 270 for a diagnosis despite the engine inspection being different they refused to do one stating the previous owners warranty is up so the system update was done without any inspection or test to see if the damage was already which it is based off the state of my car , when trying to leave my car was not starting up and when it finally did it went into limp mode completely and wouldn’t drive at that point I reach out to Kia costumer care center and they let me know that I should have gotten a inspection free of charge along side the update and to go somewhere else online also states regardless of warranty all recalls must be addressed if problems persist regardless of past service or owner , they also cleared my recall and listed it as repaired and it was not Kia corporate shows it is still an open recall as well . I also received a Kia multi point inspection that was not at all fully performed it is 1/4 fill out .
Steering column is broken and keeps falling. Hard to replace entire steering column. While driving the entire steering wheel will fall into lap, makes the car nearly un-drivable. I have fixed before but the entire part is now failing and is extremely dangerous.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was operating as intended. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 249,000.
My vehicle was leaking fluid, so I took it in and discovered that my vehicle’s ABS module failed in what was described to me as an “unusual way” at both the initial garage where I took it and, later, to the dealership, which was the only place that could do the actual repair. Some research showed that the failure matched the way this component failed in Kia and Hyundais that were recalled for this issue, which the dealership acknowledged. But my specific car wasn’t included in the recall, so I had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket to repair it. Since then, I’ve been waiting for the recall to expand to include my vehicle so I could be reimbursed, because it seems very unlikely my vehicle didn’t get the same flawed system that was recalled in the other Kias and Hyundais. I’m told submitting this could help.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
I have currently been avoiding driving my car because it goes in limp mode when I’m stopped at red lights I smell oil burning sometimes ive seen small amounts of smoke coming from the engine as well as just receiving an oil change less than a month ago and it already being bad , I checked the mail the other day and i received a recall letter from Kia stating my car needs to be serviced and that I can take it in for a free engine test and inspection free of cost as well as a system update free of cost , I schedule an appointment today for 11 I was told it will take half a day I receive a text to pick it back up 1 hour later I ask if an engine test was also done i received no response so I came in and was told that I would have to pay 270 for a diagnosis despite the engine inspection being different they refused to do one stating the previous owners warranty is up so the system update was done without any inspection or test to see if the damage was already which it is based off the state of my car , when trying to leave my car was not starting up and when it finally did it went into limp mode completely and wouldn’t drive at that point I reach out to Kia costumer care center and they let me know that I should have gotten a inspection free of charge along side the update and to go somewhere else online also states regardless of warranty all recalls must be addressed if problems persist regardless of past service or owner , they also cleared my recall and listed it as repaired and it was not Kia corporate shows it is still an open recall as well . I also received a Kia multi point inspection that was not at all fully performed it is 1/4 fill out .
Break line, have to continue to fill break fluid, the smell of something burning when stopping or stopped , passenger right light keeps going out , continues need to be replaced
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The systems affected appear to be engine, powertrain, and vehicle speed control. My 2014 Kia Forte, VIN [XXX] has approximately 118,000 miles. Since purchase in November2025 from Wondries Toyota, the vehicle has had repeated high RPM, poor acceleration, and loss of power when entering freeway on-ramps and driving uphill. It struggles to accelerate while merging into faster traffic, creating a safety risk as vehicles behind approach at higher speeds. Two different mechanics verbally advised that there may be an oil leak or oil consumption issue affecting the catalytic converter. I replaced the catalytic converter a couple months ago, but it became clogged again and the power loss continues. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has not been inspected by the manufacturer yet, and I don’t have a written diagnostic report at this time. There was no crash, fire, injury, or fatality, and no police report. Warning lights are unknown. The exact incident date is approximate. The issue has been ongoing since after purchase and occurs multiple times, especially during freeway merging and uphill driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Back-up camera does not function. I'm told the camera unit itself is at fault, not the electrical circuit leading to the 'head unit' (infotainment system). It has not operated property for about two years. I've owned the vehicle for7 years.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
The MDPS power steering coupler became worn out causing erratic steering issues.the coupler part its self is not even listed on the vehicle so the dealership would only recommend replacing the entire MDPS. i replaced the coupler myself due to lack of affordability for entire motor. steering is now fixed. additional ongoing issue with left turn signal bulbs have burned out repeatedly within days of being changed cuurently the bulb is working but the system doesnt register that signals are working causing hyper flashing. researching these issues i have found multiple online sources claiming similar issues with both turn signals and power steering couplers.
The car will randomly cut off while driving, to restart the car must be put into neutral to restart and the lights go off during that time. If you are on the interstate going over 50, it will jerk and restart itself but the steering gets really stiff and you have to pull over and cut car off and restart to get the steering to work properly again.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The systems affected appear to be engine, powertrain, and vehicle speed control. My 2014 Kia Forte, VIN [XXX] has approximately 118,000 miles. Since purchase in November2025 from Wondries Toyota, the vehicle has had repeated high RPM, poor acceleration, and loss of power when entering freeway on-ramps and driving uphill. It struggles to accelerate while merging into faster traffic, creating a safety risk as vehicles behind approach at higher speeds. Two different mechanics verbally advised that there may be an oil leak or oil consumption issue affecting the catalytic converter. I replaced the catalytic converter a couple months ago, but it became clogged again and the power loss continues. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has not been inspected by the manufacturer yet, and I don’t have a written diagnostic report at this time. There was no crash, fire, injury, or fatality, and no police report. Warning lights are unknown. The exact incident date is approximate. The issue has been ongoing since after purchase and occurs multiple times, especially during freeway merging and uphill driving. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Slow to shift and accelerate
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving down the road the hood just opened shattering the windshield. Closed the hood back and drove down the road and it did it again.
I have 3 major recalls on this vehicle. I received recall from Kia but dealership will not fix the problem
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated that in 2021 the engine was replaced under an unknown recall. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after several attempts on each occasion. The check engine and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with the vehicle not having an oil change. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the oil was changed every 5,000 miles. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 156,000.
The contact owned a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire while it was parked outside her residence. The origin of the fire was unknown. The fire started from the rear of the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire, and the report was not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 196,781.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
After T-boning a Toyota Prius, my air bag did not go off and my driver seat belt did not lock. As a result, I suffered a collapsed right lung, my left hand punched the windshield fracturing my wrist and had to have surgery from that. Also suffered my 7th right rib fractured. There was no warning lamps and no shop or dealer mentioned any of the malfunctions.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while buckling the driver's side front seat belt buckle, the front driver's seat belt buckle failed to lock securely as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with front driver's side seat belt buckle failure. The contact was informed that the front driver's side seat belt buckle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 198,000.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH on the highway, there was smoke coming from under the hood. There was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and the vehicle stopped. The TPMS and engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that failure was due to the engine. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
2014 KIA FORTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRACKS IN VEHICLE TIRES BETWEEN TREADS. CONSUMER HAS DIFFERENT VEHICLE COMPLAINT IN ARTEMIS. *SMD
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
on or about 6-6-2023 store employee Tim Creel was airing up the tire on the passenger side front of the vehicle. Tim used a kia air compressor which comes standard with a lot of today's Kias instead of spare tire. The tire pressure reached 32 psi when Tim unplugged the 12v connector. As he went to walk away he noticed flames coming from under the plug in spot. The vehicle proceeded to keep a fire going for several minutes as the other employee Eddie pulled up and put it out with a fire extinguisher. The owner mark then advised a report be made. The D'Iberville police and fire dept showed up. They issued a case number of 23-01640 by officer IPOCK. Please find attached photos kind regards Timothy Creel
THE CAR HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS RAIN TO SOAK THE SEATS, SEAT BELTS, AND ENTIRE TRUCK CREATING BLACK MOLD IN THE SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT, MOLD IN SIDE THE CAR ON THE SEATS AND SEAT BELTS. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE TO BE MOVING IN ORDER FOR THE RAIN TO ENTER THE CAR. I HAVE HAD MY CAR DETAILED MULTIPLE TIMES ALONG WITH CLEANING THE MOLD OUT OF THE CAR MYSELF. SINCE OWNING THE CAR SINCE 2014 I HAVE STAYED SICK AND I ONLY FOUND OUT LAST MONTH HOW MY SEATS WERE GETTING SOAKED. THE ENTIRE BACKSEAT AND TRUNK NEED TO BE REPLACED FROM THE MOLD AND RUST FROM THE LEAK. ATTACHED ARE PHOTOS OF THE BACK SEAT AFTER A RAIN.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
There is an unknown smell (kind of smells like Carbon Monoxide) when cranking up my car. There is this knocking noise that I continue to hear as if something is loose under my car, but when inspected, nothing was loose. It happens when I hit a bump or go over a hump in the road. The unknown smell scares me as this could be potentially hazardous to me and drivers around me. The knocking noise is terrifying making me feel as though my car is going to break down on me at any moment because of something that can’t be detected.
Steering wheels coupler problem
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A BURNING ODOR WAS PERCEIVED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE ORIGIN OF THE ODOR COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILLION AUTO KIA (605-309-0977, LOCATED AT 1400 CAMBELL ST, RAPID CITY, SD 57701) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR CONNECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF AT RANDOM AND WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED AFTER THEY WERE MANUALLY TURNED OFF. THE SAME DEALER STATED THAT THE INTERIOR SWITCHES WERE INOPERABLE. THE FAILURES WERE NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
2014 KIA FORTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE REAR VIEW MIRROR. *LD *TR
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 .