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Kia Forte KoupModel year report

2012 Kia Forte Koup Problems

Complaints
14filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
84,000miles, 13 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
27 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 24 city / 32 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2012 Kia Forte Koup (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2012 Kia Forte Koup. The part named most often is engine, with 13 complaints (93% of the total), followed by air bags (1) and electrical system (1). 13 of the complaints include a mileage, and 15% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 84,000 miles. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 32 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Engine: “While driving this car, I heard a knock coming from the engine!! I had it towed to a Kia dealer and was told that I needed a new engine! This is unacceptable for car that is only 6 years old and all maintenance kept up to date!! I did some checking and other Kia engines with similar or same engine types have been recalled. This make and model needs to included!!”

NHTSA complaint #11124222, filed 2018-09, 127,000 miles

Air bags: “The srs light came on on this vehicle while driving, at 109,381 miles. I know there is an investigation going on, and I read that there's a recall now, but I just checked the VIN both here and on Kia's owners site, and both say zero recalls.”

NHTSA complaint #11101078, filed 2018-06, 109,381 miles

Electrical system: “My car started over heating at stop and go traffic so I checked everything and found out my coolant fan resister was melting..I checked to see if it was a recall on that part and it was but I dont think it was change because everything the recall web site said would happen did.”

NHTSA complaint #11104939, filed 2018-07, 95,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “I am the original owner of a 2012 Kia Forte Koup sx with the 2.4 liter theta ii engine that is being recalled on a limited basis by Kia under NHTSA sc147. A week while merging with faster traffic my engine died forcing me into a very dangerous situation trying to cross several lanes of much faster moving traffic with a dead engine. I came to a stop in the center lane and had several very close calls before other vehicles had to swerve at the last second to avoid hitting me. …”

NHTSA complaint #11099888, filed 2018-06, 80,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

15% of the 13 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 77,800 and 108,000 miles.

8%0–100%10–258%25–508%50–7546%75–10031%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (13 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 84,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

201720181020212025
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2012 Kia Forte Koup version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Forte Koup FWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed automatic253428$2,400
Forte Koup FWD2.0L 4-cyl6-speed manual243227$2,500
Forte Koup FWD2.4L 4-cyl6-speed automatic233026$2,600
Forte Koup FWD2.4L 4-cyl6-speed manual223126$2,600

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2012 Kia Forte Koup → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 32 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 32 bulletins →

Other model years of the Kia Forte Koup

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20131680,0004—27—Stable
20121484,0004—27—Not enough data
2011878,0002—27—Not enough data
201011125,0002———Not enough data

All Kia Forte Koup model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2012 Kia Forte Koup have?

NHTSA recorded 14 consumer complaints for the 2012 Kia Forte Koup as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2012 Kia Forte Koup is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 13 complaints (93% of the total), followed by air bags with 1.

Has the 2012 Kia Forte Koup been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2012 Kia Forte Koup get?

The EPA rates the 2012 Kia Forte Koup (Forte Koup, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 27 mpg combined, 24 city and 32 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,500 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2012 Kia Forte Koup reported?

Among the 13 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 84,000 miles and the middle half falls between 77,800 and 108,000 miles; 15% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.