Engine, brake, and structural issues are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2022 Kia Forte is a modern car in an era where sedans seem to be taking a back seat. To counteract this, the automaker claims it is “sleek and sporty.” However, this tagline isn’t helping customers with Fortes that have faulty brakes, serious engine problems, or structural issues.
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Problems experienced by owners of the 2022 Kia Forte are varied. Complaints to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) mention 4 components and systems: back over prevention, brakes, and forward collision avoidance. Several are highlighted as safety issues.
Problems that complaints highlight range from engine damage caused by overheating to the fact that the Kia Forte doesn’t come with a spare tire.
While there are no complaints relating to steering for the sedan, there is a recall issued because some steering columns are not properly secured. As NHTSA Campaign Number 22V304000 points out, “Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.” The problem is that a bolt in the steering column may be unsecured. The danger is that the steering column could detach from the steering rack, which would be likely to result in a loss of steering control.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Air Bags | |
| Engine | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Back Over Prevention: Warnings | |
| Electrical System | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline |
With a functional electrical system, most other flaws could be overlooked. On the other hand, when these systems fail, everything becomes cumbersome and annoying.
One Edmunds review points out a single aspect that is causing problems. “Infotainment system turns off after 10 minutes if engine isn’t running (listening to music during lunch break is a challenge).”
For now, Kia has remained quiet about electrical system issues. The automaker would rather keep the problems tucked away, hidden from car shoppers looking at the new model. However, customers are speaking louder than the advertisements and fake news about the Forte. The car might look “sleek and sporty,” but that’s as far as it ever goes. There are no brains behind the beauty.
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One of the indications that a vehicle might be a lemon is recurring problems that affect the use and safety of the vehicle.
The owner of a 2022 Kia Forte from Alabama states that “on multiple occasions, the car slams on brakes in the middle of traffic. It’s like it has a mind of its own. I can back up, and a car can be passing by all the way across the street, and the car will beep and slam on brakes.”
Sometimes while driving, “the car will just slam on brakes” even though there are no other cars nearby. “That has almost caused me multiple accidents and I’m afraid that one day it will. The safety feature on this car is very dangerous.”
It seems that it isn’t only the bolts in the steering column that are a problem. A Forte owner from Connecticut had to have the engine replaced because of a faulty engine pulley bolt. The car in question had only 608 miles on the clock.
The complaint states that “while driving (at) approximately 65 mph the vehicle suddenly started revving without driver input. The battery and high engine temperature warning lights illuminated before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and diagnosed with engine damage due to the overheating caused by a faulty engine pulley bolt.”
The owner of the Forte was told that the engine needed to be replaced. The issue hadn’t been resolved when the complaint was filed.
We realize that the Kia Forte is a reasonably priced sedan, but some issues seem to be related to cutting down on manufacturing costs. Here’s an example of problems with the structure from another NHTSA complaint.
Having bought a new, black 2022 Kia Forte FE/L on November 9, 2021, less than a month later, an owner from Texas was already having problems.
The AC stopped working, so he took it to the Kia dealership in Katy. “The supervisor said it had no Freon in it and it was safe to drive home.” He said “it was a structural design flaw that caused the problem.” So, he took it to the dealership he’d bought it from. They said the problem was due to a hole in the condenser that wasn’t covered by the warranty. The estimated cost for parts and labor was $1,351.13 + tax.
The complaint goes on to say that the “Kia dealership won’t fix it unless we pay $1,300+ saying it’s not covered under the warranty. It’s a brand new car (and the) parts manager in another Kia dealership says it was caused by a structural design flaw. But the Kia dealership where we bought the car says we have to pay to get it fixed. They claim a little rock or something from the road caused the damage. However, there is no way for a little rock to reach the AC condenser from the bottom.”
It isn’t just the customers taking notice that there are structure problems. Even the NHTSA is alerting customers to safety issues. During crash testing, there was an intrusion in the side barrier on the rear passenger side. This incident caused damage to the rear passenger dummy’s torso, which, had it been a real person, would have led to spine difficulties .
If you think you have a lemon, you don’t have to live with it. Lemberg Law is a specialist consumer law firm, and we specialize in lemon law cases. If you think you’ve bought a lemon, we’ll be happy to assess your problems. That’s what we do, and we have successfully negotiated many buybacks, trade-ins, cash settlements, and replacement vehicles for our clients.
The law makes Kia pay, so you don’t have to worry about legal bills if we go to court. So, call our Helpline today.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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