2012 Kia Forte air bags problems
37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the air bags on the 2012 Kia Forte — 13% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Airbag light came on August 21, 2026. I tried several steps to troubleshoot with no resolution. I took it to the local Kia dealership for further inspection. I was terrified to drive the vehicle because of the airbag failure. I explained to the technician that I had read that there was an warranty…”
filed Aug 28, 2026
“There is a class action lawsuit concerning the airbag control unit not functioning properly leading to safety issues during a crash. The case is called ZF-TRW Airbag Control Unit Product Liabilty Litigation. Case number XXX My Kia Forte was on the list of recalled vehicles. I have been having…”
filed Jun 4, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the…Campaign 18V363000 · Jun 1, 2018
Air Bags problems in other Forte years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Forte | 7 | 29% |
| 2023 Forte | 5 | 8% |
| 2022 Forte | 2 | 8% |
| 2021 Forte | 6 | 9% |
| 2020 Forte | 5 | 7% |
| 2019 Forte | 6 | 4% |
| 2018 Forte | 16 | 12% |
| 2017 Forte | 18 | 6% |
| 2016 Forte | 13 | 10% |
| 2015 Forte | 23 | 9% |
| 2014 Forte | 62 | 14% |
| 2013 Forte | 16 | 8% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2012 Kia Forte
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.