2014 Kia Forte: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
441 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2014 Kia Forte, which has 439 complaints and a score of 44, and treat the 2012 and 2017 cars (289 and 301 complaints, scores of 67 and 52) with caution. Buy a 2018 or later car: the 2020 has 74 complaints, no recalls and a score of 90. Read the full note on the model page. 2014 specifically: this is one of the years the note above says to approach with care — 441 complaints on record, verdict AVOID.
Read the guide
Used Kia Forte and Hyundai Veloster: the years to avoid, including 2014 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 441 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 36.75
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
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
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 no warning signs other than the wheel click and losing responsiveness.
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 will most likely be deemed a total loss.
Recalls: 3 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 17V773000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And Linkages | 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. |
| 20V750000 | Engine | 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. |
| 15V015000 | 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. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,300
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Engine215 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Air Bags63 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Steering63 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Electrical System57 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other50 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Service Brakes28 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Kia Forte years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Kia Forte?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (215 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2014 Kia Forte a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 43/100, computed from 441 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2014 Kia Forte's most common problem?
215 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2014 Kia Forte sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2014 Kia Forte cost to run per year?
About $5,278 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,390 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2014 Kia Forte have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2014 Kia Forte, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/12/2017. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compacts of about the same age.
What will a 2014 Kia Forte really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 441 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 441 NHTSA complaints on record (36.8/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (15.9/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems