2012 Kia Forte Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 07/12/2026

30Service Brakes complaints

10.4%Of all 289 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE160 · 55.4%

AIR BAGS36 · 12.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM32 · 11.1%

SERVICE BRAKES30 · 10.4%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC20 · 6.9%

Share of the 289 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Kia Forte overview page.

What owners report

“MY BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO OFF LAST WEEK AND I FOUND THAT THE STOPPER WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THE ONLY WAY TO TURN THEM…”NHTSA complaint 11252883 — filed 09/03/2019

“THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF. FORTE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPERS AND SWITCHES COULD BE FAULTY. THE MATERIAL FOR THE…”NHTSA complaint 11222910 — filed 06/27/2019

“I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT AT A CORNER STORE PARKING LOT. AS I WAS TURNING THE ACCELERATER DROPPED TO THE…”NHTSA complaint 11119248 — filed 08/10/2018

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Kia Forte have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Kia Forte: 30 of 289 complaints on file (10.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Kia Forte have in total?

289 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 20 involved a crash, 21 involved a fire, 16 reported injuries, and 3 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.