Page 6 of 6 · complaints 251–262 of 262

2015 Kia Forte complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2015 record →

Service BrakesCrash
Filed Apr 1, 201620,000 milesCA

THE INCIDENT HAPPENED AS I BACKED OUT OF MY GARAGE IN MARCH OF 2016. I PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE AND BEGAN TO PUSH THE GAS TO BACK OUT. THE CAR ENGINE REVVED LOUDLY AND THE CAR SHOT OUT OF THE GARAGE. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THINKING I POSSIBLY HAD MY FOOT ON THE WRONG PEDAL (EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE), I LOOKED DOWN AT MY FEET AND VERIFIED THAT MY FOOT WAS INDEED ON THE BRAKE AND NOT THE GAS PEDAL. I THEN PUT BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT SLOW DOWN; IT CONTINUED TO PICK UP SPEED. AT THIS POINT, I HAD GONE DOWN MY DRIVEWAY ACROSS THE STREET AND WAS IN MY NEIGHBORS' DRIVEWAY HEADED TOWARD THEIR HOUSE. THEN, I TRIED PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK AND THAT STILL DID NOT STOP OR EVEN SLOW DOWN THE CAR. IT JUST MADE A TERRIBLE NOISE. MY NEXT STEP WOULD HAVE BEEN TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT I HAD ALREADY HIT THE OUTSIDE WALL OF MY NEIGHBORS' GARAGE AND THAT IS WHEN THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED AND BEGAN IDLING NORMALLY. I TOWED IT TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THEY RAN TESTS ON THE BRAKES, THROTTLE, ETC. AND FOUND NO ABNORMALITIES. WHEN I ASKED WHAT INFORMATION WAS GATHERED FROM THE CONTROL MODULE, I WAS TOLD THAT NO HISTORY CODES WERE SHOWN. SO, ACCORDING TO THEM THERE WAS NO RECORD OF ME BRAKING OR THE CAR ACCELERATING. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THAT IS POSSIBLE. I ASKED TWICE FOR COPIES OF THE ACTUAL TESTS AND DATA THAT WAS DOWNLOADED FROM THE CONTROL MODULE, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE THEM. I WAS TOLD THE INFORMAT

Seat Belts
Filed Mar 28, 201613,500 milesIN

I PURCHASED THIS USED VEHICLE TWO WEEKS AGO. I NOTICED THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT HAS ABOUT A 1-INCH FRAY ON IT. I ASKED MY SALESPERSON TO CHECK IF IT WAS COVERED UNDER KIA'S "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY. HE CHECKED WITH HIS MISHAWAKA INDIANA KIA DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS TOLD IT WAS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOOK A PICTURE AND TOLD ME HE WOULD SUBMIT IT TO HIS BOSS. TWO DAYS LATER, HE LEFT ME A MESSAGE SAYING HIS BOSS WAS "DECLINING" TO REPLACE THE BELT BECAUSE IT WAS FRAYED. THAT IS EXACTLY WHY I WAS ASKING IT BE FIXED. I'VE OWNED HONDAS FOR 25+ YEARS AND NEVER HAD A SEATBELT FRAY. PLUS, IT DISTURBS ME THAT KIA IS IMMEDIATELY DECLINING TO HONOR THEIR "BUMPER TO BUMPER" WARRANTY, ESPECIALLY ON WHAT SHOULD BE A RELATIVELY CHEAP FIX. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE FIXED UNDER WARRANTY ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE?

Tires
Filed Mar 4, 2016100 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE EQUIPPED WITH NEXEN N5000 TIRES, SIZE: 215/45ZR/17 (NA). WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THE BLOWOUT AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS AND THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRES HAD BUBBLES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100.

Power Train
Filed Jan 28, 20165,000 milesGA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DUE TO A CRASH, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CASE WAS DAMAGED AND STARTED TO CORRODE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTED THAT THE DAMAGE AND CORROSION WAS PRESENT PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000. UPDATED 04/04/16*LJ *CN

Engine
Filed Jan 21, 20165,000 milesNJ

WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATES FROM A STOP, THERE IS SEVERE VALVE PINGING SOUND. KIA MOTORS AMERICA IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT ARE NOT TAKING ANY STEPS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE "AS IT DOES NOT DO ANYTHING TO THE CAR". THE NOISE IS VERY SEVERE ON THE 2015 FORTE AND IT IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. THE WIND NOISE AND THE VALVE PING MAKE THE CAR VERY LOUD. THE DEALER SAYS THAT SINCE KIA MOTORS AMERICA IS NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUE, NOTHING CAN BE DONE. KIA MOTORS AMERICA HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS BUT HAVE FAILED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT AS THEY ARE DO NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE UPGRADING TO BETTER GAS, BUT THE NOISE STILL PERSISTS. KIA RECOMMENDS AND ADVERTISES REGULAR UNLEADED FOR THE FORTE, BUT A MORE EXPENSIVE PLUS OR PREMIUM GRADE IS NEEDED TO DECREASE THE SOUND OF THE PING. THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL ADDED EXPENSE TO THE CAR THAT KIA FAILS TO ADDRESS.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Jan 17, 201618,000 milesIL

ON 1/15/2016, I HIT A MASSIVE 10-POINT BUCK (DEER) HEAD ON. IT WAS STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, AND I DROVE INTO IT DOING 65 MPH. THE FRONT OF MY CAR SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE; THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS PUSHED BACK AND THE HOOD WAS BENT BACK TO THE WINDSHIELD. YET, MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAVE WORKED AS A PARAMEDIC/FF FOR OVER 15 YEARS, AND I HAVE WORKED HUNDREDS OF ACCIDENT SCENES. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW... THIS AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILED. WITH THE FRONT END DAMAGE THAT MY CAR SUSTAINED, THAT AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO KIA WITH NO RESPONSE, SO PERHAPS THE NHTSA CAN FORCE KIA TO FIX THIS. BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME FATALITIES IF THIS ISN'T FIXED.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 7, 201524,000 milesGA

"TAKATA RECALL" I WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MILES PER HOUR WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE AN ONCOMING LEFT TURN INTO MY LANE, CAUSING A COLLISION. I HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON WITH HER FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS? *JS

Unknown or Other
Filed Nov 27, 2015IN

WELL LEAKING WATER IN TRUNK HAD TO LET KIA STORE IN CLARKSVILLE, INDIANA TAKE IT TO FIX DIDN'T FIX STILL PAYING ON A LEASE AND THEY STILL WILL NOT FIX IT SCREWING ME OVER DO NOT EVER BUY A CAR FROM KIA STORE IN CLARKSVILLE, INDIANA THEY ARE CROOKS MOLD GROWING IN BACKSEAT [XXX]. VIN UNAVAILABLE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 24, 20154,664 milesNV

WHILE MONITORING THE REAR VIEW CAMERA DISPLAY TO AVOID OBSTACLES WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE VIDEO FRAME FROZE CREATING THE IMPRESSION THAT I WAS FARTHER AWAY FROM OBSTACLES THAN I ACTUALLY WAS AS I APPROACHED THEM. IT WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY OBVIOUS THAT THE VIDEO FRAME HAD FROZEN, AND THAT UPDATED VIDEO INFORMATION WAS NOT BEING PRESENTED. WHEN I LOOKED AT THE VIDEO DISPLAY IT WAS NOT SHOWING ME THE ACTUAL REAL-TIME SITUATION, IT WAS SHOWING ME A VIDEO FRAME FROM SEVERAL SECONDS PREVIOUS. THE VIDEO FROZE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS, BUT I'M UNSURE OF WHEN IT ACTUALLY STARTED TO FREEZE AS I WAS ALSO MONITORING MY FORWARD VIEW, SO WHEN I LOOKED DOWN AT THE MONITOR IT WASN'T ACCURATE. I STOPPED MOTION FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THE VIDEO STARTED UPDATING. I FOUND MYSELF (MY CAR) MUCH CLOSER TO NEARBY CARS THAN I HAD INTENDED. A PEDESTRIAN WANDERING IN THE PATH OF MY VEHICLE WOULD SURELY HAVE BEEN HIT.

Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear
Filed Jan 29, 20153,700 milesAR

REAR WINDOW SHATTERED OVERNIGHT FOR NO REASON. *TR

Air BagsCrash1 killed
Filed Jan 27, 20151,760 milesTX

DRIVER WAS IN MIDDLE LANE DRIVING AROUND 55 MPH. FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. CAR BEGAN FLIPPING WHILE STILL IN THE ROADWAY, EVENTUALLY HIT A GUARD RAIL AND CONTINUED FLIPPING. DRIVER WAS EJECTED AND KILLED. AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED...UPDATED 11/13/15 *BF .....UPDATED 12/23/15 *BF UPDATED 1/11/2015*JS UPDATED 9/17/2017*CN

Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear
Filed Nov 12, 2014108 milesOK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA FORTE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLOSING THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR, A LOUD ABNORMAL EXPLOSION NOISE EMITTED FROM THE BACK SEAT. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED AND GLASS SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2015 Kia Forte → · Every Forte year → · How the figures are calculated →