2013 Kia Forte: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 271 complaints
271
Total Complaints
75,682mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE
Top Issue
26
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

46,220 25th Percentile
75,682 Median Mileage
108,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE
106
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
24
SERVICE BRAKES
24
AIR BAGS
16
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
14
STEERING
13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
13
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
13
POWER TRAIN
10
SEAT BELTS
8

Severity Assessment

26
Crashes
23
Fires
27
Injuries
3
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"AT VEHICLE START - GAUGES ON DASH DID NOT WORK AND SHIFT LOCK WAS ENGAGED. UNABLE TO SHIFT VIA SHIFT RELEASE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. *TR *JS"
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT LOOKED THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR WINDSHIELD GLASS PROJECTED AN UNUSUAL IMAGE WHICH DISTORTED HIS VIEW. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT ANY SPEED BEING DRIVEN. THE VEHIC..."
"2013 KIA FORTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO MAJOR ENGINE DEFECTS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THREE WEEKS AFTER HER DAUGHTER PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MALFUNCTION AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. SMOKE AND A VERY ST..."

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