2012 Kia Forte Problems, Recalls & Reliability
404 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Kia Forte, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 4 defect investigations. It scores 65/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 100,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2012 Kia Forte sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2020–2022.
Avoid
Where 2012 sits among all Forte years
What owners report
“Knocking in engine caused by thrown rod bearing. I was driving down the highway in cruise when vehicle started knocking. No warning lights or anything before or after! Was changing oil regularly”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Forte
“My car is affected by recall 17V773000, though it is not listed. Dealership refusing to fix.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Forte
“The contact owns a 2012 Kia Forte. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Forte
“The car was involved in a serious frontal impact and the front seat airbags did not go off. The passenger was killed and the driver was seriously injured. Kia was informed and the airbag control module was tested and found to be not working.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Forte
“The nhtsa website says i have a recall under my vin number but when i go to the kia website and enter it for service it says no recall found, so i can not have it repaired.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Forte
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 240 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 82,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 116,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
Kia 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…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners…
Kia 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.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free…
Kia 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…
Fix: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU…
Kia 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…
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 30, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Led to recall campaign 18E043000.
Technical service bulletins
71 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and steering — are on file for the 2012 Kia Forte. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Kia Forte reliable?
The 2012 Kia Forte drew 404 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 65/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2012 Kia Forte problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Kia Forte are engine (165 complaints), electrical (55), and brakes & stability (51).
At what mileage do 2012 Kia Forte problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Kia Forte problems around 82,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 116,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Kia Forte have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Kia Forte. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.