2014 Kia Forte electrical system problems

Related recalls

• Recall 15V015000Jan 16, 201586,880 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  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.

  Risk: If the cooling fan resistor overheats and melts, there is an increased risk of a vehicle fire.

  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.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 22, 2026TXAirbagsElectrical SystemEngine

   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 knocking. Along with my break lights not working occasionally along with my head lights and brights not working at all

   NHTSA complaint #11766256 · source
2. Filed Feb 27, 2026WAElectrical SystemEngineFuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion

   I have currently been avoiding driving my car because it goes in limp mode when I’m stopped at red lights I smell oil burning sometimes ive seen small amounts of smoke coming from the engine as well as just receiving an oil change less than a month ago and it already being bad , I checked the mail the other day and i received a recall letter from Kia stating my car needs to be serviced and that I can take it in for a free engine test and inspection free of cost as well as a…

   NHTSA complaint #11720848 · source
3. Filed Sep 26, 2025ALElectrical SystemSteering

   Steering column is broken and keeps falling. Hard to replace entire steering column. While driving the entire steering wheel will fall into lap, makes the car nearly un-drivable. I have fixed before but the entire part is now failing and is extremely dangerous.

   NHTSA complaint #11689852 · source
4. Filed Mar 2, 2025TNElectrical SystemEngineLighting

   The car will randomly cut off while driving, to restart the car must be put into neutral to restart and the lights go off during that time. If you are on the interstate going over 50, it will jerk and restart itself but the steering gets really stiff and you have to pull over and cut car off and restart to get the steering to work properly again.

   NHTSA complaint #11645865 · source
5. Filed Mar 1, 2024TXBrakesElectrical SystemEngine

   Driving to school and the engine started acting weird and took to Good Year mechanic and I received the attached invoice. Kindly refer to the invoice.

   NHTSA complaint #11574821 · source
6. Filed Jan 2, 2024NCElectrical SystemEngine

   Driving down the highway and check engine light came on and dropped the cars speed down to 30 mph and was stuck on the highway and I called the KIA dealership that I got the car from and they cleared the code on the car and claimed they fixed it just for the car to go back into limp mode and now I’m stuck without a car and the dealership doesn’t want to fix it

   NHTSA complaint #11563070 · source
7. Filed Sep 25, 2023126,889 miCAElectrical System

   Electrical problems from the start when purchaed November 2016. Ghost electrical problems, affecting radio, gas guage, lights, and traction, Also tail lights leaked water in.

   NHTSA complaint #11546446 · source
8. Filed Jul 5, 2023OKElectrical SystemEngineOther / Unknown

   Vehicle states glow relay stuck on (p1326) vehicle has gone into limp mode. Not able to drive over 60mph. All recommendations by Kia has been completed and vehicle still in limp mode.

   NHTSA complaint #11530443 · source
9. Filed Jul 3, 2023CTCrashBody & StructureElectrical SystemOther / Unknown

   My car was parked overnight in front my house on the street, and I remote started it around 4 pm. As I was looking out the window to check if the car started- I saw it moving forward. I ran out of the house and within a few seconds- the car rolled into my neighbor's truck and sustained damage to the hood and frame. This is a safety issue because the car is a push start car- and should not have started and moved. Luckily it hit a parked car and not a person. The remote start…

   NHTSA complaint #11530152 · source
10. Filed Jun 15, 2023MSFireElectrical SystemOther / UnknownSeats & Seat Belts

    on or about 6-6-2023 store employee Tim Creel was airing up the tire on the passenger side front of the vehicle. Tim used a kia air compressor which comes standard with a lot of today's Kias instead of spare tire. The tire pressure reached 32 psi when Tim unplugged the 12v connector. As he went to walk away he noticed flames coming from under the plug in spot. The vehicle proceeded to keep a fire going for several minutes as the other employee Eddie pulled up and put it out…

    NHTSA complaint #11527256 · source
11. Filed Apr 6, 2023KYFireElectrical SystemOther / Unknown

    My car caught on fire out of nowhere when i pulled into my grandmother's driveway. I had smelt smoke maybe 10 minutes before I arrived but assumed it was from someone starting a fire while I was driving. No smoke had started forming while I was driving. The smoke rolled out from the dash board area and kept spreading once I had arrived and got out to get my grandma from inside. My entire car was engulfed in flames within minutes. The firefighters informed me that they had…

    NHTSA complaint #11515767 · source
12. Filed Feb 27, 2023KYFireElectrical SystemEngineOther / Unknown

    My car caught on fire out of nowhere when i pulled into my grandma's house. I was unaware of a recall until I was advised by the firman that put my car out that they had also put another kia out the same day and it had a recall. Upon searching I found this recall. I contacted kia and went through their claims process. They inspected my vehicle and are still claiming it didnt come from inside the dash board which is where the fire originated when I tried to put it out before…

    NHTSA complaint #11509413 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology