What are the most common problems with the 2014 Kia Forte?

The engine group has the most complaints, 221 complaints. Steering and air bags follow.

Does the 2014 Kia Forte have recalls?

Yes. The by-year data lists 3 recalls. See the Recalls section on this page for the details.

How many complaints does the 2014 Kia Forte have?

NHTSA has 445 owner complaints on file. The Problems section breaks them down by group.

What is the gas mileage of the 2014 Kia Forte?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2014 Kia Forte reliable?

The complaint record is mixed. Engine complaints lead the list, and the by-year section shows how this year compares with others.

2014 Kia Forte Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 445 owner complaints on file for the 2014 Kia Forte^[1]. The engine group is the biggest, with 221 complaints^[2].

445owner complaints^[1]

3recalls^[3]

24–29MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

4★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups, biggest first.

Engine. 221 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe knocking sounds, shaking at idle, and the car stalling or cutting out while driving. Some say the dealer could not find a fault.
Steering. 64 complaints^[6]. Owners describe the wheel locking up or jerking, and power steering dropping out on hot days.
Air Bags. 63 complaints^[7]. Owners describe crashes where the air bags stayed shut, including side impacts and a rollover.
Electrical System. 58 complaints^[8]. Owners describe a car that caught fire and warning lights that came on all at once.
Unknown Or Other. 51 complaints^[9]. These reports do not name a clear part.

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2014 Forte is necessarily included.

Engine (20V750), December 2020. About 294,756 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[10]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Pedals And Linkages (17V773), December 2017. About 134,366 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[11]
Electrical System (15V015), January 2015. About 86,880 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire.^[12]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[13]	24 / 35 / 28	$2,400
Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[14]	24 / 34 / 28	$2,400
Forte Eco, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	26 / 34 / 29	$2,300
Forte, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[15]	24 / 35 / 28	$2,400
Forte, 1.8L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[16]	25 / 36 / 29	$2,300
Forte Koup, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	22 / 29 / 25	$2,700
Forte Koup, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	22 / 29 / 24	$2,800
Forte Koup, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[19]	24 / 33 / 28	$2,400
Forte Koup, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[20]	24 / 32 / 27	$2,500
Forte 5, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[21]	21 / 29 / 24	$2,800
Forte 5, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[22]	21 / 28 / 24	$2,800
Forte 5, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[23]	24 / 33 / 27	$2,500
Forte 5, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[24]	24 / 33 / 27	$2,500

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[5]	4	3	5	4	10.3%
5 HB FWD^[25]	4	3	5	4	10.3%

NHTSA lists these versions as not rated: 2 DR FWD^[26].

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2014 Kia Forte with 1.6L 4-cylinder^[27]	201 hp
2014 Kia Forte with 1.8L 4-cylinder^[28]	145 hp
2014 Kia Forte with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[29]	166 to 173 hp

How 2014 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Forte model year. The 2014 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2010	232	3
2011	162	3
2012	306	4
2013	211	5
2014	445	3
2015	260	1
2016	138	1
2017	305	3
2018	136	3
2019	149	2
2020	78	0
2021	69	2
2022	28	1
2023	65	3
2024	26	0

NHTSA's counts for the Forte show 445 complaints and 3 recalls for 2014^[3]. Among the 15 model years listed, 14 have fewer complaints than 2014 and 0 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2024 (26) and the most are for 2014 (445)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2014 Forte?

The engine group stands out among the complaints^[2]. Steering and air bags come next, and the air bag reports carry more crash mentions than the steering ones^[6]^[7]. These are owner reports sent to NHTSA, so they show what people ran into and not how often it happens. Check the recall list on this page and look for engine noises and steering feel on a test drive.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2014 Kia Forte?: The engine group has the most complaints, 221 complaints^[2]. Steering and air bags follow^[6]^[7].
Does the 2014 Kia Forte have recalls?: Yes. The by-year data lists 3 recalls^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the details.
How many complaints does the 2014 Kia Forte have?: NHTSA has 445 owner complaints on file^[1]. The Problems section breaks them down by group.
What is the gas mileage of the 2014 Kia Forte?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2014 Kia Forte reliable?: The complaint record is mixed. Engine complaints lead the list^[2], and the by-year section shows how this year compares with others.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Kia Forte

2014 this page
2016 138 complaints, 1 recall
2017 305 complaints, 3 recalls
2018 136 complaints, 3 recalls
2019 149 complaints, 2 recalls
2023 65 complaints, 3 recalls
2024 26 complaints, 0 recalls

Compare all model years of the Kia Forte

Other Kia models from 2014

2014 Kia Optima 621 complaints, 7 recalls
2014 Kia Soul 904 complaints, 5 recalls

All Kia models

Similar cars from 2014: compact cars

2014 Subaru Impreza/Outback Sport 108 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 Volkswagen Jetta 441 complaints, 7 recalls
2014 Volvo S60 25 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 Audi A4 78 complaints, 4 recalls
2014 Chevrolet Camaro 188 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 Ford Fiesta 504 complaints, 7 recalls

All compact cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 445 owner complaints on file for the 2014 Kia Forte (32 mention a crash, 36 a fire, 29 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
221 complaints name the engine component group (3 crashes, 23 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 93,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Kia Forte model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Forte Eco, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 26 city / 34 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 3 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.3%. NHTSA vehicle records
64 complaints name the steering component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 60,100). NHTSA vehicle records
63 complaints name the air bags component group (21 crashes, 0 fires, 18 injuries, median mileage at failure 83,000). NHTSA vehicle records
58 complaints name the electrical system component group (3 crashes, 10 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 70,000). NHTSA vehicle records
51 complaints name the unknown or other component group (7 crashes, 8 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 65,000). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 20V750, filed December 2, 2020: Engine. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V773, filed December 1, 2017: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Pedals And Linkages. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V015, filed January 16, 2015: Electrical System. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 35 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 34 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte, 1.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 35 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte, 1.8L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 36 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte Koup, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 29 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte Koup, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 29 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte Koup, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 33 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte Koup, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 32 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte 5, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte 5, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte 5, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 33 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Forte 5, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 33 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 5 HB FWD: overall 4 stars, frontal 3 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 10.3%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 2 DR FWD: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Kia Forte with 1.6L 4-cylinder: rated 201 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Kia Forte with 1.8L 4-cylinder: rated 145 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Kia Forte with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 166 to 173 hp depending on version. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2014 Kia Forte: problems, recalls and fuel economy