141 complaints reported

2014 Kia Forte Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
141
Crashes
0
Fires
14
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Apr 2019 Fire

BOUGHT VEHICLENUSED FROM PRIVATE PARTY. RAN GOOD LOOKS GREAT DROVE 500 MILES ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND SHUT OFF SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. OPENS HOOD AND SAW/SMELLED BURNING UNDER ENGINE COVER, PULLED COVER AND SAW MELTED WIRES AND MELTED PLASTIC. ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP. TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE AND WAS DETERMINED ENGINE OUT A ROD THROUGH THE BLOCK AND SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY BURNING KN TOP AT 1 POI T. EMAILED KIA GOT A CASE # BUT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD FOR OVER 30 MIN PROB LONGER COULDNT WAIT AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. DEALER WAS NO HELP AND SAID I NEEDED TO CONTACT KIA CORPORATE. SUCH A SHAME! 89,565 MILES AND I HAVE A BROKEN VEHICLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2019
Jan 2019

VEHICLE BURNS ALL OIL IN BETWEEN 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE. NO LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT. LAGRANGE GA KIA DEALERSHIP DID NOT DETECT ANY LEAKS .

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Jan 2019

THE CAR VERY HARD TO START. AFTER MANY TIMES OF TRYING TO START THE CAR IT DOES START IT WILL NOT READ THE CARS RPM. MANY TIMES THE CAR HAS JUST SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THE ENGINE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE RUNNING SMOOTHLY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Nov 2018

I ALREADY KNOW ABOUT KIA AND THEIR LOUD ENGINES DUE TO BEING AN GDI ENGINE. BUT THIS WAS NOT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THIS WAS A SLAPPING TYPE OF NOISE THAT IS NOT RELATIVE TO THE ENGINE RPMS. AFTER THINKING IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN BEING LOOSE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAS WAS THEY CALL ENGINE SLAP. AFTER READING AND SEEING A LOT OF VIDEOS ONLINE ABOUT THIS, THE ENGINE HAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT THE PISTON SKIRTS ARE TO SHORT. REPLACING THE ENGINE WITH NEW OR REMANUFACTURED IS ONLY GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. NOT THRILLED THAT MY 2014 KIA FORTE EX WITH THE 2.0 HAS ONLY 76000 MILES AND NOW THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. EVEN CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY ARE REPLACING A LOT OF THE 2.0 ENGINES AND OF COURSE THE 2.4 DUE TO THE RECALL ON THOSE. OF COURSE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 2.0. THIS NOISE OCCURRED THE DAY OF MY OIL CHANGE AND WHILE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH. NO LIGHTS, NO WARNING. AND YES THE OIL LEVEL WAS GOOD. MOBILE 1 SYNTHETIC.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2018
Oct 2018

MILEAGE 109000. DRIVING ALONG A HEARD KNOCKING IN ENGINE. PULLED TO SIDE AND WAITED FOR IT TO COOL DOWN AND CHECKED FLUIDS. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. STARTED BACK DRIVING AND KNOCKING INCREASED AND THEN ENGINE SHUT OFF CAUSING US TO COAST FROM 60MPH ON A 4 LANE ROAD. LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO A SAFE SPOT TO PULL OVER.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2018
Oct 2018

TAKATA RECALL I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN HEARD A BANG IN THE MOTOR PULLED OVER AND HEARD KNOCKING IN MOTOR. TURNED MOTOR OFF AND CHECKED FLUIDS AND ALL WE'RE NORMAL.. I HAVE A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE ALREADY AND WITH THE RECENT RECALLS ANNOUNCED I BELIEVE MY CAR IS ONE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG UNTIL THE NOISE HAPPENED. AND ONLY 74000 MILES ON VEHICLE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2018
Sep 2018

AT APPROXIMATELY 63,000 MILES I BEGAN HEARING A KNOCK IN THE ENGINE AND NOTICED HESITANCY AS THE ENGINE SHIFTED GEARS. ABOUT 4 DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE WOULD CONTACT KIA TO DETERMINE IF THE ENGINE REPAIR WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. YESTERDAY I WAS TOLD IT MAY BE AN ENGINE ROD. IT HAS BEEN OVER A WEEK WITHOUT ANY RESOLUTION. I MENTIONED THAT KIA HAD RECALLED KIA OPTIMA FOR SIMILAR ENGINE AND WAS RUDELY ADVISED THAT THE FORTE AND OPTIMA HAD DIFFERENT ENGINES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2018
Jul 2018 Fire Injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT DETECTED AN ABNORMAL ODOR. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND FLAMES APPEARED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIREFIGHTERS INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE CONTACT'S SIGNIFICANT OTHER SUFFERED BURNS ON THE RIGHT HAND THUMB, BUT NO MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2018
Jul 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER (RICK CASE KIA, 3190 SATELLITE BLVD, DULUTH, GA 30096, (888) 322-3854) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 12774224. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2018
Jul 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, AN ABNORMAL KNOCKING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (SHAWNEE MISSION KIA USED CARS, 7810 SHAWNEE MISSION PARKWAY, OVERLAND PARK, KS 66202) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MOTOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2017
Jul 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. HOMETOWN KIA (111 MIDTOWN AVE, MT HOPE, WV) DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 121,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2018
Nov 2017 Fire

2014 KIA FORTE EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPLAINED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FIRE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT A STEADY 40MPH IN 40 DEG. F. WEATHER. ALL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS SHOWED NO OBVIOUS DAMAGE, AND THE OWNER DID NOT PERFORM ANY RECENT SERVICE WORK. NO SYMPTOMS SUCH AS ENGINE LIGHTS OR SOUNDS WERE OBSERVED UNTIL THE CAR BEGAN LOSING POWER AND CAUGHT FIRE ABOUT 60 SECONDS LATER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER SMOKE WAS OBSERVED BY THE DRIVER WHO WAS STOPPING THE CAR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Nov 2017
Sep 2015

RECALL ISSUE ON THAT PERTAINS THE FAN BELT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2015
Sep 2014

I DISCOVERED ALONG WITH OTHER KIA FORTE/K3 OWNERS THAT WHEN IT RAINS, WHETHER IT IS MODERATE OR HEAVY, MASSIVE WATER LEAKS INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND NOT MOVE AN INCH AND STILL I FOUND WATER ALL OVER THE ENGINE(AFTER RAINY DAY), BATTERY TERMINAL, FUSE CASE, AIR FILTER CASE, AND MAJORITY OF LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE ROOM AS WELL. DEALER TOLD NOT TO WORRY, BUT I'VE HAD MANY CARS IN THE PAST THAT NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS FLAW. I'M AFRAID THIS CAN LEAD TO MASSIVE ENGINE/RUST POSSIBLY FIRE FROM MASSIVE WATER DROPLETS AND HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ENGINE AND ALL KINDS OF CONNECTORS THAT IS EXPOSED AS A RESULT OF THIS. I PLEAD NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS CRITICAL AND DANGEROUS FLAW POSED BY KIA AND THEIR IRRESPONSIBLE SOLUTION OF IGNORING PASSENGER SAFETY. AS OF NOW, I STOPPED DRIVING IN THE RAIN, AND THIS IS EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT AS A WORKING COMMUTER. I WOULD FIRST TEST THE PART WHERE WINDOW WIPERS MEET AND POUR SOME WATER THERE, AND THEN I WOULD USE PRESSURE WASH TO JUST SPRAY THE HOOD AND YOU'LL FIND WHAT I MEAN. MODERATE RAIN SHOULD NOT CREATE THIS MUCH WATER LEAKS ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THANK YOU. BEST TO CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL IF NEEDED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2014
May 2014

ON 2 OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN.THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN APRIL 2014.2ND TIME IT HAPPENED WAS AROUND JULY 29TH 2014. I FIRST REPORT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BACK IN MARCH WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR A OIL CHANGE. THEY WOULD NOT PUT IT DOWN ON THE PAPER WORK TO LOOK AT IT SINCE THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEN REPORTED IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS KIA. THE NEW DEALERSHIP DID PUT IT DOWN ON PAPERWORK. BUT SINCE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM,THEY WOULD NOT LOOK INTO IT FURTHER. ALSO HAVE REPORTED A ENGINE NOISE TO THE FIRST DEALERSHIP. THEY FIRST TOLD ME IT WAS A STANDARD NOISE. SO WE STARTED GETTING VIDEOS OF THE NOISE. THEY THEN SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE SAME DAY THAT WE PICKED THE CAR BACK UP FROM THE ENGINE BEING REPLACED WE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE CAR. SOME HOW THE RIGHT DRIVE AXLE GOT BROKE. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT WORK AROUND THAT AREA.SO THEN THAT MEANS THAT THEY COMMITTED FRAUD BY FALSIFYING DOCS WHEN THEY SAID THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE. 2 DAYS AFTER FINALLY GETTING THE CAR BACK THE ENGINE NOISE CAME BACK.NOW I GOT TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT LOOK AT THE CAR UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OR THE CAR COMES IN ON A TOW TRUCK. NOW THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE CAR JUST STALLING WHILE DRIVING? WHAT HAPPENS NOW IF WE GET INTO A ACCIDENT.THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. KIA NEEDS TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS.IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR A CAR WITH LESS THAN 14,000 MILES ON IT TO JUST UP AND STALL. I AM TIRED OF HEARING EVERYTHING IS STANDARD. KIA IS FRAUD THEY DO NOT WANT TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY THAT THEY SELL. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2014
Feb 2014

I HAVE A 2014 KIA FORTE SINCE SEPTEMBER 2013 ACQUIRED SEVERAL DAYS THE UNIT IS STARTED HAVING A VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE. THESE VIBRATIONS ARE FELT THROUGHOUT THE CAR AND WHEN IN LOW OR STOPPED. I TOOK HIM TO THE SERVICE CENTER WHERE YOU BUY AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS ALWAYS TELL ME THAT NO FAULTS EVERYTHING IS WORKING WELL, THE VIBRATION THAT I DESCRIBE IS NORMAL IN THESE CARS, THIS DUE TO THE TECHNOLOGY OF MOTOR BRACKET. AS OF TODAY I'M NOT HAPPY AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DRIVE IS FAILING. I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE EXPLANATION GIVEN ME THE SERVICE CENTER. A NEW CAR ZERO MILES PER MORE TECHNOLOGY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO HAVE MUCH VIBRATION IN THE ENGINE. FURTHER DETAILS OF THE UNIT THAT ARE WRONG ARE THE STRANGE SOUNDS OF THE VALVES AND THE SOUND ENGINE BRAKING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2014 KIA FORTE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2013

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2014 Kia Forte has 141 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.