2012 Kia Forte: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 398 complaints
398
Total Complaints
80,000mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE
Top Issue
34
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

43,700 25th Percentile
80,000 Median Mileage
115,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE
159
AIR BAGS
35
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
31
SERVICE BRAKES
29
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
20
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
20
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
18
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
12
STRUCTURE:BODY
9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
9

Severity Assessment

34
Crashes
32
Fires
26
Injuries
4
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"MARTIN GLASS COMPANY (AGRSS REGISTERED) REPLACED A FACTORY INSTALLED WINDSHIELD ON 04/18/2012. OUR TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO PUSH MOST OF THE WINDSHIELD OUT WITHOUT HAVING TO CUT THE URETHANE BEAD. THE URETHANE BEAD PULLED RIGHT OFF THE WINDSHIELD, AND WAS ONLY ADHERED TO ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WINDSHIELD ..."
"WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR..."
"WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PAR..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28