Car · Kia problems

2012 Kia Forte problems

292 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Kia Forte. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (57% of them). NHTSA also lists 42 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 16. Deaths: 3.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 292 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling166 · 57%
• Service brakes52 · 18%
• Air bags37 · 13%
• Electrical system32 · 11%
• Exterior lighting23 · 8%
• Other or unknown20 · 7%
• Speed control and throttle14 · 5%
• Fuel system11 · 4%

13 smaller areas not shown (52 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 42 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2012 Kia Forte. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. TSB_TRA046_R5Received April 23, 2025

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

2. TSB_TRA046_R4Received June 4, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

3. TSB_TRA046_R3Received December 6, 2022

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Transmission fluid application guide - This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

4. PS443Received December 3, 2020

   Equipment

   Excessive static or noise when listening to the audio source.

5. PS675Received September 3, 2020

   Equipment

   PITSTOP - brake caliper leak inspection - This PITSTOP provides information related to a brake caliper fluid/oil substance found on some Kia vehicles, due to possible excess assembly oil applied...

6. TSB_ELE148Received February 4, 2020

   Exterior lighting

   Halogen head lamp low beam bulb connector replacement - This bulletin provides information regarding the procedure to repair the bulb connector on some 2010MY~ vehicles listed on the table below...

7. TSBCHA084_R4Received December 9, 2019

   Equipment

   Follow the MDPS Flowchart (page 2) along with the MDPS DTC Table (page 3) procedure outlined in this bulletin before replacing the C-MDPS Motor, ECU or Steering Column Housing.

8. PS067_R1Received November 13, 2018

   Engine and engine cooling

   Pitstop: cylinder head steel ball inspection and installation - This Pitstop provides information regarding the inspection and installation of the steel sealing ball on: 3.3L & 3.8L Lambda engines...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 20V750000December 2, 2020

   Engine

   An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

2. 23V652000September 25, 2023Do not drive notice

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

3. 17V773000December 1, 2017

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released.

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Kia Forte, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Forte will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 166 complaints · 57%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Service brakes 52 complaints · 18%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Air bags 37 complaints · 13%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Electrical system 32 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Kia Forte: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Kia Forte?

Of the 292 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Kia Forte, 166 (57%) name engine and engine cooling, and 52 (18%) name service brakes. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Kia Forte reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 20 of the 292 complaints as involving a crash and 23 as involving a fire. They also reported 16 injuries and 3 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Kia Forte have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 42 repair bulletins for the 2012 Kia Forte.

More

• 2017 Forte problems
• 2015 Forte problems
• 2014 Forte problems
• 2010 Forte problems
• 2012 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.