Reliable Auto DB

2014 Kia Forte reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 442 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Forte over 13 years — 19 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Forte years here — over the median of the other years, which is 8. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Engine, Pedals and linkages, and Electrical system.

2012 Kia Forte
Photo by Michael Gil from Calgary, AB, Canada, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0
Complaints

442

Per year

19

Recalls

3

Years on the road

13

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (215 of 442), then Steering (64) and Air bags (63). Those filings include 32 that report a crash, 36 that report a fire, and 23 that report an injury.

Next to 2013 and 2015

The 2013 Forte has 195 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2015 has 259 complaints, 8 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2014 Kia Forte. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall Engine 2020-12-02 · NHTSA campaign 20V750000
Summary 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.
Remedy 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 of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Recall hydraulic brakes, pedals and linkages 2017-12-01 · NHTSA campaign 17V773000
Summary 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 to remain illuminated continuously. It can also allow the shift lever to be moved without depressing the brake pedal, or activate the engine management brake pedal override feature.
Remedy 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 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC158.
Recall Electrical system 2015-01-16 · NHTSA campaign 15V015000
Summary Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014 Kia Forte vehicles manufactured December 5, 2012, to April 17, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the cooling fan resistor may overheat and melt.
Remedy Kia will notify owners, and for vehicles produced from December 5, 2012 to January 27, 2014, dealers will replace the cooling fan resistor and multi-fuse unit. For vehicles produced from January 28, 2014 to April 17, 2014, dealers will replace the multi-fuse unit only. Owners of vehicles with a 1.8L engine will also have the engine control unit software updated. The recall began on February 20, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC113.

Complaints by component (442 total)

Engine
215
Steering
64
Air bags
63
Electrical system
57
Service brakes
26
Fuel and propulsion system
24
Exterior lighting
22
Powertrain
18
Structure
18
Seat belts
14
Speed control
14
Tires
12
Wheels
11
Seats
8
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
Suspension
5
Engine and engine cooling
4
Fire-related
3
Forward collision avoidance
3
Visibility
3
Back-over prevention
2
Hydraulic brakes
2
Traction control
2
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Lane departure
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 18 more Show less
Crash-flagged

32

Fire-flagged

36

Injury reports

23

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

1201323201421201512201652017422018602019492020822021382022422023212024272025192026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2014 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to operate. The contact stated that the steering wheel would knock from left to right and would…"
    Steering · filed 2026-09-24
  • "Airbag warning light has came on had a mechanic run codes and it says all air bags unresponsive. Now my car is refusing to start. If continue to try it eventually starts. Major oil leak and consumption along with…"
    Electrical system, Air bags, Engine · filed 2026-09-22
  • "There is a bad flexible steering coupler. Caused steering wheel to click and lose responsiveness, shakes going over bumps. The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by the dealer Vehicle was inspected by dealer There were…"
    Steering · filed 2026-08-31
  • "The systems affected appear to be engine, powertrain, and vehicle speed control. My 2014 Kia Forte, VIN [XXX] has approximately 118,000 miles. Since purchase in November2025 from Wondries Toyota, the vehicle has had…"
    Powertrain, Speed control, Engine · filed 2026-08-12
  • "I was getting into my car when I noticed that it was full of smoke, I then opened my hood and trunk. My trunk was on fire from a wire that had came down. I was only about to pull it out and put it out. Insurance said it…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-07-23

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2014 Kia Forte 4 DR FWD 4 stars 3 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2014 Kia Forte 5 HB FWD 4 stars 3 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2014 Kia Forte Koup 2 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Forte 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 35 28 MPG $2300
Forte 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 35 28 MPG $2300
Forte 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 34 28 MPG $2300
Forte 1.8L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 25 36 29 MPG $2250
Forte 5 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 33 27 MPG $2400
Forte 5 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 33 27 MPG $2400
Forte 5 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 21 29 24 MPG $2700
Forte 5 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 21 28 24 MPG $2700
Forte Eco 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 34 29 MPG $2250
Forte Koup 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 29 25 MPG $2600
Forte Koup 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 29 24 MPG $2700
Forte Koup 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 32 27 MPG $2400
Forte Koup 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 24 33 28 MPG $2300

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (YD), 2012–2018
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-20 or 0W-20 (1.8L and 2.0L) , 4.2 qt capacity
Tire size 195/65R15 to 225/40R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 21V622000. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release." A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury. Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.

Compare

Previous year 2013 Kia Forte Next year 2015 Kia Forte See every Kia Forte model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Kia Forte reliable?

Owners have filed 442 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Forte over 13 years — 19 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Forte years here — over the median of the other years, which is 8. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Engine, Pedals and linkages, and Electrical system.

What are common problems with a 2014 Kia Forte?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (215 of 442), then Steering (64) and Air bags (63). Those filings include 32 that report a crash, 36 that report a fire, and 23 that report an injury.

Is the 2014 Kia Forte more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Forte has 195 complaints, 7 per year, and the 2015 has 259 complaints, 8 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

Has the 2014 Kia Forte been recalled?

The 2014 Kia Forte has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2014 Kia Forte?

Owners have filed 442 complaints about the 2014 Kia Forte with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2014 Kia Forte get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 Kia Forte is 26.8 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Forte take?

Viscosity and capacity depend on engine and model year; use the generation specs here and confirm in the owner’s manual.

What generation is the 2020 Kia Forte?

4th generation / BD (2019-on).

What tire sizes does a Kia Forte use?

US Forte fits commonly run about 195/65R15 to 225/40R18 depending on trim.