10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 7 / 7
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 40,105 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
My antenna shark fin fell off my car while driving. Luckily it did not hit a vehicle behind me; however, this could have caused significant damage to someone else had it hit them or their windshield. This is unacceptable.
- Hurt, VA, USA
The vehicle caught on fire. The fire began in the engine compartment while driving on the interstate going approximately 70 mph. Smoke was noticed first and the vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road at which time the vehicle was exited and flames began consuming the vehicle.
- Muncie, IN, USA
I was in an accident and geico can communicate this. My vehicle has since been repaired due to the accident. In 2018 I tried to communicate with the manufacturer concerning the recall.
- Phoenix, AZ, USA
Airbag light for passenger comes on and off with or without a passenger sitting in the seat. Airbag light for the driver is on now, as well and will not turn off. The steering wheel knocks when the car is making a left or right turn and the horn has now stopped working because something is in the way and won't allow the pressure in the steering wheel. We have replaced bulbs for the tail light, brake lights and headlights multiple times a year. This can't be normal! we now keep bulbs in the car to be prepared to replace at any time. Was involved in a wreck, where a truck ran the red light and hit the passenger side of the car and no airbags deployed. This is troubling and extremely unsafe.
- Austin, TX, USA
While driving my car on the highway at 60 miles per hour, my car shut off and all the light on the dash board went out and the car would not start. I try to restart my car and it would not start again. As I got it off the road, I try to restart the car with no luck and white smoke coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light that came on while driving the car. The smoke smelled like electrical in nature.
- Dillsburg, PA, USA
Air bag light is on. Horn only work occasionally and cruise does not work.
- Argillite, KY, USA
Wiring to the heat and air conditioning is melted together and ge fan doesn't work all the time. Dont have air conditioning. And the adapters dont work cant charge phone. Also there is a ticking noise come from the front of car U can hear it when idling but gets worse when U step on the gas going down the road.oil has been charged and is checked frequently. The noise started right after had oil change and tires rotated.
- Rapid City, SD, USA
The car has a design flaw that allows rain to soak the seats, seat belts, and entire truck creating black mold in the spare tire compartment, mold in side the car on the seats and seat belts. The car does not have to be moving in order for the rain to enter the car. I have had my car detailed multiple times along with cleaning the mold out of the car myself. Since owning the car since 2014 I have stayed sick and I only found out last month how my seats were getting soaked. The entire backseat and trunk need to be replaced from the mold and rust from the leak. Attached are photos of the back seat after a rain.
- Hortense, GA, USA
Takara recall I would smell something burning under the hood and then my ac stopped blowing air/heat from the two center vents.
- Everman, TX, USA
I was driving down the street and thought I saw fire coming from under my hood. A few seconds later, there was massive smoke coming from my hood, so bad that I had to pull to the side of the road. I jumped out of the car and my car caught on fire. My car is totaled.
- Fairfield, OH, USA
I was leased this car without a spare tire and without a tire inflator.
- Buffalo Grove, IL, USA
Had recall repaired on 01-26-18 & had check electrical wire in photo, & why did not start when turn key. No one could find anything including personal mechanic. Found Kia Forte had many electrical problems & this should not occur with 4 year old car. Occurred 2nd time on 07-20-18 & when wire touched to "tighten, " car started. Feels like wants to cut off & you can feel vibration, but seems to keep going. Seems to occur after running then parking, but all lights & bells are working, so not battery. Situation occurred prior to recall for repair & was told to tell Kia shop. You have to check manually, not depend on computer as that is only as good as the programmer. It can make mistakes, too. All times vehicle was parked after operating. It could cut out in middle of interstate & cause serious or deadly accident.
- Glen Burnie, MD, USA
I was taking my boyfriend to work when I noticed a smell when he got out of the car the smell got worst I went to go get my boyfriend and when we got back to the car it was smoking. I hurried and grabbed the kids out if the car next thing we know the front if the car under the hood caught on fire. It was almost a brand new car it had only 60,000 miles on it. No warning lights nothing the fire was so big like something out if a movie. Kia isn't explaining why my car would just catch fire out of the blue. It was running parked on a business parking lot
- Columbus, OH, USA
On Saturday March 26th, 2018 I wss driving North bound on I471 in Kentucky. Doing about 50-55 mph while it was snowing/sleeting outside. As I was traveling another vehicle swerved over to get in exit lane while at same time on a right turn around exit lane. Once car did so, I had to press hard, slam on my brakes to avoid being clipped by other vehicle. As I did this I began to spin nor, the ESC or traction control took over and I spun out of control striking guard rail at unknown speed. I was uninjured, however as U can see lots of damage to front and driver side airbag did not deploy. I contacted Kia right away do to the recent recalling brake stop pedal. I took pictures they required andcs3nt them as, too they were concerned of non airbag deployment. They determined via an engineer with in their dept. Just by looking at photo's that airbag should not have deployed. So, my issue with this is they are making a determination by not physically having vehicle damage to make assumption airbags never deployed. Upon looking at other complaints on here about the same time as mine. This maybe a concern going forward. I have given said automaker to help with repairs from accident. And they seem to trying to avoid these problems with said vehicle.
- Amelia, OH, USA
The car manufacturer refuses to honor the advertised warranty for vehicle [xxx]. the vehicle was in motion driving straight on the interstate 5 southbound. It experienced a kind of road hazard like a small rock somewhere between exits 210 and 205. The impact was minimal and made only a small noise against the underside of the vehicle so there was no reason to think the vehicle suffered damage or needed to stop. However, the check engine light came on after 3 or 4 miles. The vehicle was brought to a stop immediately on the side of the interstate before exit 205. The vehicle's oil pan was punctured, and the engine oil was drained out. The engine had suffered critical damage. The vehicle was then towed to a Kia dealership in glendale, ca. Repair costs were quoted to be $7,332.63. Kia deemed the repairs non-warrantable due to the damage being external. Kia offered goodwill assistance at a reduced price of $4532. However, I feel that this should be completely covered under the warranty. The complaint is for the amount of the repair described above ($4532). The complaint is against the structural integrity of the oil pan and the engine which became critically damaged from such a minimal impact. The complaint is also against the warning system of the car which failed to notify the engine oil leaking at such a high rate in a timely manner before the vehicle suffered critical damage and put the passen gears at risk. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- La Canada Flintridge, CA, USA
The cover of the antenna ("shark fin") has fell off possibly due to a carwash. The cover protects the antenna and potentially some other wiring in the car and its radio. The manufacturer (Kia) does not replace the (plastic) cover, but rather changes the whole antenna wiring to the radio. This costs (in the DC area) about $650. I do not see the reason why the manufacturer does not have a more inexpensive solution for this rather potentially frequent problem. Is it reasonable to ask for that much money in order to solve an easy to fix problem that if not fixed might mess with the electronics of your car? I think not.
- Washington, DC, USA
The vehicle was in motion driving straight on the interstate 5 southbound. It experienced a kind of road hazard like a small rock somewhere between exits 210 and 205. The impact was minimal and made only a small noise against the underside of the vehicle so there was no reason to think the vehicle suffered damage or needed to stop. However, the check engine light came on after 3 or 4 miles. The vehicle was brought to a stop immediately on the side of the interstate before exit 205. The vehicle's oil pan was punctured, and the engine oil was drained out. The engine had suffered critical damage. The vehicle was then towed to a Kia dealership in glendale, ca. Repair costs were quoted to be $7,332.63. Kia deemed the repairs non-warrantable due to the damage being external. Goodwill assistance was offered by Kia at a price of $4532.66. However, I feel that this should be completely covered under the warranty. The complaint is against the structural integrity of the oil pan and the engine which became critically damaged from such a minimal impact. The complaint is also against the warning system of the car which failed to notify the engine oil leaking at such a high rate in a timely manner before the vehicle suffered critical damage and put the passengers at risk.
- La Canada Flintridge, CA, USA
My wife was driving to work on the expressway and suddenly heard a loud "pop" and the sunroof glass shattered for no apparent reason. Thankfully, she had the visor closed underneath it so that the glass did not fall on her. It did do damage to the trunk and other areas in the rear of the car as the glass blew off the car. When I (husband) went to Kia and told the service person what happened he said it was "impossible" for glass just to shatter without being struck. After listening to news reports through youtube I do not believe the service person. From what I am hearing from the media....the glass on top is being made thinner because of weight concerns. Also, my body shop advisor told me that the design of our Kia is sloped and the glass is more exposed rather than being on a "flat" roof design vehicle of say an older Ford Explorer type vehicle. If the glass on certain designed vehicles is more exposed by sloping forward then all the more reason to have a glass that won't shatter or that is thicker. If the sloped design makes the glass more exposed....then it may also be that it only takes a very small rock being thrown by a vehicle in front to shatter a thinner glass on a sloped design vehicle...and a rock size that a driver would not notice. There was a truck in front of my wife but she did not notice any rock hitting her car.
- Shawnee, KS, USA
Water is leaking into my car when it rains. What I have inspected, it is the weather strip. Water it going into the frame under my trunk lining and under my back seats. Mold has grown in my trunk.
- Whittier, CA, USA
- Columbia, SC, USA