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2012 Kia Forte Cruise Control Problems

7 owner-reported cruise control complaints from NHTSA data

7
Complaints
1
Crashes
Feb 2015Oct 2014
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Owner Complaints (7)

highVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Filed: Jun 2025

Your intake manifold runner control coupler can break apart, causing your engine to lose power and your check engine light to turn on with code P200. To fix this, you'll need to replace both the coupler and the VCM (variable cylinder management) motor, and then have a Kia dealer reprogram the new motor's software.

NHTSA #: 11664831
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
Filed: Sep 2024

Engine keeps turning off when driving at 65 mph it also jerks accelerate by itself loosen power it occurs occasionally, engine smells burn oil and engine light comes on. Dealer has failed to reproduce failure and now they want to charge me $185 to run a full diagnose this problem started after 8/16/2017 after dealer service

NHTSA #: 11615119
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Mar 2019

WHEN STARTING MY VEHICLE IN PARK, I PUT IT IN REVERSE, AND IT BARELY GOES. IT SEEMS TO LACK POWER, OR IS BEING BOGGED DOWN. IT ALMOST COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND THEN IT SUDDENLY KICKS IN, AND JERKS YOU BACKWARDS VERY FAST. IT IS SCARY BECAUSE I COULD EASILY HIT SOMETHING OR CRASH, BECAUSE THE CAR BECOMES ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO KICK BACK IN EITHER. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE KIA DEALER, BUT THEY SAID IT DID NOT DO IT FOR THEM OF COURSE. SO I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT IS HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THEM RIGHT NOW. I AM NOT WORKING, AND THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD ME THE CAR RIPPED ME OFF. I HAVE ALREADY PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT. IT SEEMS TO DO IT THE WORST WHEN IT RAINS FOR SOME REASON.

NHTSA #: 11190284
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE
Filed: Jun 2016

I BOUGHT A 2012 KIA FORTE EX HATCHBACK WITH 60,000 MILES ABOUT A MONTH AGO. TWO INSTANCES HAVE OCCURRED WHICH I BELIEVE MIGHT BE RELATED. FIRST TIME I WAS TRAVELING @ 65MPH AROUND A 50MPH CURVE ON CRUISE CONTROL. I HIT A BUMP, AND CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF AUTOMATICALLY. NO BIG DEAL, I JUST PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND RESET THE CC AFTER THE CURVE. HOWEVER, YESTERDAY, I WAS NEARING THE BEGINNING OF A MERGE RAMP TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE. I WAS TURNING AND ACCELERATING WHEN I HIT A POTHOLE AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. INSTEAD OF MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, I COASTED @ 5-10 MPH UNTIL I COULD REACH THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED THE KEY OFF AND THEN IMMEDIATELY STARTED THE CAR BACK UP. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS AND THE CAR RAN LIKE A TOP. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND I AM LUCKY I DIDN'T GET REAR-ENDED (THIS WAS AN ON/OFF RAMP, SO CARS WERE PILING UP BEHIND ME AND HONKING DUE TO MY SLOW SPEED). I HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY A MECHANIC BEFORE I BOUGHT IT AND HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO CEL, THERE WAS A CODE IN THE COMPUTER FOR THE 'YAW' SENSOR (HE TOLD ME IF THE CAR RUNS OK, HE WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT REPLACING IT). KNOWING THIS, I HAVE TURNED OFF THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL IN HOPES THAT THE ISSUE IS RELATED AND WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN IF THE ESC IS OFF. CAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND WAS WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY PREVIOUS OWNER.

NHTSA #: 10872290
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE
Filed: Feb 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA FORTE. DURING COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO EXCEED 2000 RPMS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA #: 10682098
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES
Filed: Oct 2014

SEPTEMBER 24TH AT 6:30 A.M. TRAVELING AT 65MPH ON 91 FREEWAY. START TO SLOW AND THEN STOP FOR TRAFFIC. TRAFFIC STARTS TO SPEED UP AND MY VEHICLE GOES INTO ?LIMP MODE?. CAR REV METER GOES UP TO ABOUT 5, BUT CAR WILL NOT GO FASTER THAN APPROX. 35 MPH. THEN WITHIN 20 SECONDS CAR SURGES FORWARD AND REGAINS SPEED AND REV COUNTER DROPS TO NORMAL. TAKE CAR TO KIA DEALER ITS PLUGGED INTO THE COMPUTER. AT 3PM HE SAYS THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES. HE AND I TAKE IT FOR A TEST DRIVE FOR APPROX. 20 MILES AND IT DOES NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I ADVISE HIM THAT IT HAS DONE THIS TWICE BEFORE BUT ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS. OCTOBER 1 AT 6:40A.M I AM TRAVELING TO WORK ON THE 91 FREEWAY. I AM DOING 65 MPH AND START SLOWING DOWN TO APPROX. 20 MPH AS I PASS THE 55 INTERCHANGE. AGAIN TRAFFIC SPEEDS UP RAPIDLY. I AM IN THE MIDDLE LANE. I ACCELERATE AND IT GOES INTO ?LIMP MODE?. THE CAR WILL NOT GO FASTER THAN APPROX. 35/40 MILES PER HOUR. THE ESC LIGHT COMES ON. CARS ARE GOING PAST ME AS I AM IN A MIDDLE LANE AND I NEARLY GET REAR ENDED AS A CAR BEHIND ME DOES NOT REALIZE MY SPEED. I PULL INTO THE SLOW LANE JUST IN CASE I NEED TO PULL TO THE HARD SHOULDER. I CONTINUE SLOWLY 5 MILES TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY BY WORK. I NOTICE A BURNING SMELL. I GET OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND SMELL A VERY STRONG SMELL OF BURNING THAT SMELLS ALL OVER BUT APPEARS TO BE VERY MUCH STRONGER ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE AREA. I TURN THE ENGINE OFF. WHEN I TURN THE ENGINE BACK ON THERE IS NO WARNING INDICATOR ON. *TR

NHTSA #: 10640520
mediumVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CrashFiled: Aug 2013

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY APPROX. 3 FEET WHEN THE CAR LURCHED BACKWARDS AT FULL RPM WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE GAS PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET THE CAR TO STOP WAS TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. IT WAS LIKE THE BRAKES WEREN'T WORKING AND THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK. THIS "PROBLEM" CAUSED DAMAGE TO A SUPPORT BEAM OF A CARPORT CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND FALL ON A CAR PARKED UNDERNEATH. I KNOW THERE ARE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS SUCH AS THIS ON THIS EXACT CAR, WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN ANY INVESTIGATIONS AND/OR RECALLS ON THIS CAR? THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE CAR. BY THE WAY, THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR AND NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA #: 10534939

Other 2012 Kia Forte Issues