2013 Kia Forte Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/14/2026

24Electrical System complaints

12.3%Of all 195 complaints

#2Most-reported category

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

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE107 · 54.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM24 · 12.3%

SERVICE BRAKES24 · 12.3%

AIR BAGS16 · 8.2%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING14 · 7.2%

Share of the 195 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2013 Kia Forte overview page.

What owners report

“MY 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP WAS PARKED AS I RAN INTO THE STORE, I CAME OUT TO MY CAR ON FIRE AND IT IS NOT…”NHTSA complaint 11406929 — filed 04/07/2021

“MY KIA WENT ON FIRE AND I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY KIA, I FOUND OUT FROM CARFAX AND SET UP APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS RECALL…”NHTSA complaint 11398959 — filed 03/03/2021

“I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS NOW AND I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE REAR TAIL LIGHT/ BRAKE LIGHT BULBS CONTINUOUSLY BLOWING…”NHTSA complaint 11375927 — filed 11/23/2020

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

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Kia Forte have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2013 Kia Forte: 24 of 195 complaints on file (12.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2013 Kia Forte have in total?

195 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 16 involved a crash, 13 involved a fire, 17 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 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 07/14/2026.