2nd generation (YD) · YD · 1,786 complaints, 923 with mileage
Owners filed 1,786 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014–2018 Kia Forte, and 923 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
This generation has two distinct failure patterns rather than one, which is the most useful thing on this page. 17% of failures occur before 12,000 miles, which looks like a manufacturing defect, and a further 25% occur after 100,000, which looks like wear. Two different problems share one name in the complaint data — and an average of the two describes neither.
The most-reported areas are the engine (35.6% of complaints, typically around 85,511 miles), problems owners could not categorise (9.8% of complaints, typically around 47,528 miles), the electrical system (9.4% of complaints, typically around 51,000 miles).
6 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 635 | 35.6% | 85,511 | 57,000–120,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 175 | 9.8% | 47,528 | 19,044–75,000 |
| Electrical System | 168 | 9.4% | 51,000 | 27,000–88,824 |
| Air Bags | 133 | 7.4% | 63,766 | 28,000–98,000 |
| Exterior Lighting | 93 | 5.2% | 50,000 | 35,000–75,000 |
| Steering | 85 | 4.8% | 50,938 | 11,503–76,000 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 76 | 4.3% | 38,000 | 11,300–87,800 |
| Power Train | 70 | 3.9% | 58,090 | 10,000–87,800 |
| Service Brakes | 62 | 3.5% | 58,266 | 9,612–118,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 60 | 3.4% | 25,000 | 5,660–89,992 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 641 | 392 |
| 2015 | 325 | 180 |
| 2016 | 201 | 91 |
| 2017 | 431 | 193 |
| 2018 | 188 | 67 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 62,500 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 35.6% of complaints (635 reports, 306 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,511 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 57,000 and 120,000 miles.
A single system taking 35.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 9.8% of complaints (175 reports, 67 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 47,528 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 19,044 and 75,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 9.4% of complaints (168 reports, 85 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 51,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 27,000 and 88,824 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 7.4% of complaints (133 reports, 84 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 63,766 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 28,000 and 98,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 5.2% of complaints (93 reports, 45 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 75,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 4.8% of complaints (85 reports, 40 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,938 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 11,503 and 76,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2014 model year drew the most — 641 complaints — while 2018 drew the fewest at 188. The median year sits at 325.
The first year of the generation, 2014, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
NHTSA records 6 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 1,786 complaints filed against this generation, 159 reported a crash; 105 reported a fire; 131 reported an injury; 9 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 8.9% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, the two-peak pattern is the useful part. The early cluster — 17% of failures below 12,000 miles — will already have happened on any example you are looking at today, and either been repaired under warranty or not. Ask what was done. The late cluster, 25% above 100,000 miles, is the one still ahead of you if the car has lower mileage than that.
On inspection, the engine and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 47,528, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
2.0L Nu connecting rod bearing wear. Kia's remedy is the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software campaign, which monitors engine vibration for the onset of excessive rod bearing wear and alerts the driver at an early stage — before bearing failure progresses to seizure or an engine compartment fire. Delivered as a free dealer software update.
Keyed-ignition trims lack an engine immobilizer, leaving them vulnerable to the same steering-column hot-wire theft method as the first generation. Eligible for Kia's anti-theft software upgrade.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 22V031000 | 2022-03-21 | Air Bags |
| 21V622000 | 2022-02-10 | Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:Latch |
| 21V260000 | 2021-08-16 | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication:Pump |
| 20V750000 | 2021-01-25 | Engine |
| 17V773000 | 2018-01-30 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And Linkages |
| 15V015000 | 2015-02-20 | Electrical System |