2012 Kia Forte: owner complaints and recalls

Complaints about the 2012 Kia Forte include 3 reports of a fatality, alongside 20 crashes and 21 fires across 289 filings.

289
Complaints
4
Recalls
20
Crash reports
21
Fire reports
16
Injuries
157.1
Severity index

Severity index 157.1 - High. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 157.1p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2012 Kia Forte sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Kia Forte ranks 9 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 93% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.

What actually fails

EngineEngine: 160 complaints (55.4%)160 55%Service BrakesService Brakes: 51 complaints (17.6%)51 18%Air BagsAir Bags: 36 complaints (12.5%)36 12%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 32 complaints (11.1%)32 11%Exterior LightingExterior Lighting: 23 complaints (8.0%)23 8%HydraulicHydraulic: 20 complaints (6.9%)20 7%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 20 complaints (6.9%)20 7%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 14 complaints (4.8%)14 5%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE16055.4%
SERVICE BRAKES5117.6%
AIR BAGS3612.5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3211.1%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING238.0%
HYDRAULIC206.9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER206.9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL144.8%

Complaints filed per year

022442012: 32013: 92014: 112015: 112016: 92017: 162018: 262019: 352020: 312021: 442022: 172023: 342024: 232025: 152026: 5 (partial year)12131415161718192021442223242526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
20123
20139
201411
201511
20169
201716
201826
201935
202031
202144
202217
202334
202423
202515
2026 (year to date)5
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
20V75000002/12/2020ENGINEKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
18V36300001/06/2018AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULEKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt prete
17V77300001/12/2017SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGESKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Forte and Forte Koup vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated
23V65200025/09/2023SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULEKia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Con
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.