DRIVING THE CAR SMELLED A GAS SMELL, THEN LATER A BURNING SMELL, THEN THE CAR STALLED, CRANKED IT AGAIN IT STALLED AGAIN. WAS SMOKING UNDER THE HOOD. HAD JUST HAD THIS CAR OIL CHANGE AND MULTIPOINT INSPECTION THEY STATED THE CAR WAS FINE. TODAY THEY TELL ME IT'S ENGINE FAILURE. WE WERE DRIVING WHEN THE CAR STALLED.
2016 Kia Forte
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2016 Kia Forte do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 141.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Forte years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
60 reports with mileage · 75 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 66 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine complaints
66 reportsPISTON ROD FAILURE
WENT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE 5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR A D THERE WAS METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL. MECHANIC SAID THIS TYPE OF ENGINE WAS NOTORIOUS FOR THIS AND WE WOULD NEED A NEW MOTOR VERY SOON. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING SO WE HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS HAPPENING. THE MOTOR LOCKED UP AROUND 74,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING DOWN…
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WENT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE 5 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THIS CAR A D THERE WAS METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL. MECHANIC SAID THIS TYPE OF ENGINE WAS NOTORIOUS FOR THIS AND WE WOULD NEED A NEW MOTOR VERY SOON. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING SO WE HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS HAPPENING. THE MOTOR LOCKED UP AROUND 74,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THIS DOESN'T SEEM FAIR AT ALL! FIRST CAR LOAN I'VE EVER TAKEN AND CAN'T EVEN DRIVE THE CAR OR AFFORD A NEW MOTOR, YET STILL MAKING MY PAYMENTS ON THE LOAN...
ROUGH IDLE, SHAKING ENGINE, ALTERNATOR PULLED REPLACED 2 TIMES, WATER PUMP BURST WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, OVERHEATING DUE TO COOLANT EXPLOSION ON HIGHWAY, INSUFFICIENT IDLE, ACCELERATION, AND CHANGING GEARS ROUGH
KIA FORTE 2016 - WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND IT LOSES POWER STEERING BREAKS, THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, STARTING THE CAR, DRIVING 10 MPH, 50MPH, 35 MPH. I HAVE HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP. THE CAR IS STILL IN DRIVE, THE KEY IS TURNED ON, THE DASHBOARD GOES OUT, BUT THE RADIO AND C…
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KIA FORTE 2016 - WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND IT LOSES POWER STEERING BREAKS, THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, STARTING THE CAR, DRIVING 10 MPH, 50MPH, 35 MPH. I HAVE HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO STOP. THE CAR IS STILL IN DRIVE, THE KEY IS TURNED ON, THE DASHBOARD GOES OUT, BUT THE RADIO AND CLOCK STAY ON. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 KIA DEALERSHIPS 4 TIMES TOTAL AND THE ISSUES CONTINUE. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.
WHILE I WAS DRIVING I LOST POWER AND THE CAR WOULD HARDLY MOVE. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED ME THAT HIS BROY=THER HAD THE SAME CAR AND THIS HAPPENED TO HIM ALSO. HE THAN TOLD ME THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND SINCE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THE ENGINE IS COVER. HE ALSO STATED THA…
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WHILE I WAS DRIVING I LOST POWER AND THE CAR WOULD HARDLY MOVE. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED ME THAT HIS BROY=THER HAD THE SAME CAR AND THIS HAPPENED TO HIM ALSO. HE THAN TOLD ME THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE ENGINE AND SINCE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THE ENGINE IS COVER. HE ALSO STATED THAT AFTER THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY THERE WILL BE A RECALL. THIS PUT ME AT SOME EASE BUT I KNEW IT WAS ONLY HERE SAY. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS MY FAULT SINCE I DID NOT PROPERLY MAINTAIN IT. I ALWAYS GET MY OIL CHANGED AND IF I DON'T SHOW PROOF IT IS NOT COVERED. I DO NOT HAVE ALL MY RECEIPT, THE GARAGES CLOSE TO MY HOUSE JUST PUT THEM ON PAPER RECEIPTS WITH KNOW COMPUTER RECORD. THE DEALER IS 10 MILES FURTHER AWAY THAN MY LOCAL GARAGE. I GAVE THE KEYS TO THE KIA DEALER AND TOLD THEM TO KEEP IT. IF ITS 'S UNDER WARRANTY WITH ABOUT 44,000 MILES WHY ISN'T IT COVERED.
TAKATA RECALL WHEN TURNING MY VEHICLE OFF THERE IS A TICKING COMING FROM THE COMPUTER WHEN SITTING STILL IT WILL CAR WILL AISLE UP IN TRY TO TAKE OFF A LITTLE WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT ALSO SHAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND L I HAVE REPORTED THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE AND THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE MOTOR ON T…
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TAKATA RECALL WHEN TURNING MY VEHICLE OFF THERE IS A TICKING COMING FROM THE COMPUTER WHEN SITTING STILL IT WILL CAR WILL AISLE UP IN TRY TO TAKE OFF A LITTLE WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT ALSO SHAKES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK AND L I HAVE REPORTED THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE AND THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED IN THE MOTOR ON THE VEHICLE A LITTLE AFTER THE WARRANTY REPLACEMENT WAS DONE THE TICKING BEGIN AGAIN UNDER THE HOOD AND THE SHAKING AND EVERYTHING IS STARTING OVER AGAIN AND I KEEP TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WHICH IS EXACTLY LIKE THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WAS START TAKING IT BEFORE THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET IN MY MOTOR
WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE GOING ABOVE 65 MPH AND SHUTTERS WHEN LOSING POWER. IT ALSO BURNS 1/2 QUART OF OIL PER WEEK WHILE DRIVING OR IN USE. ALSO WHEN REFILLING OIL THERE IS A WHITE SUBSTANCE ON THE DIPSTICK WHEN CHECKING THE OIL LEVELS. WHEN IT LOSES POWER WHILE IN MOTION THE ELECTRONICS DIM OR FLICKER. THIS H…
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WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHILE GOING ABOVE 65 MPH AND SHUTTERS WHEN LOSING POWER. IT ALSO BURNS 1/2 QUART OF OIL PER WEEK WHILE DRIVING OR IN USE. ALSO WHEN REFILLING OIL THERE IS A WHITE SUBSTANCE ON THE DIPSTICK WHEN CHECKING THE OIL LEVELS. WHEN IT LOSES POWER WHILE IN MOTION THE ELECTRONICS DIM OR FLICKER. THIS HAVE BEEN ON GOING FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS NOW. THIS IS AN APPARENT ENGINE FAILURE LIKE OTHER FORTE'S.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE LOW OIL MESSAGE DISPLAYED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MORITZ KIA (11210 N. FREEWAY, FT WORTH, TX) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PAN PLUG DETACHED AND CAUSED OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ENG…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE LOW OIL MESSAGE DISPLAYED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MORITZ KIA (11210 N. FREEWAY, FT WORTH, TX) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PAN PLUG DETACHED AND CAUSED OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. THE PLUG WAS REPLACED AND OIL WAS ADDED TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
I PURCHASED T A KIA FORTE SEPTEMBER OF 2017. I ALSO BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS SO I BROUGHT IT INTO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD HER THE ENGINE WAS SHOT. I THEN CALLED KIA (GARY LANG - IN MCHENRY) WHOM TOLD HER TO BRING IT IN AND THAT ACCORDING TO THE VIN# THEY WOULD COVER IT. WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY …
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I PURCHASED T A KIA FORTE SEPTEMBER OF 2017. I ALSO BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS SO I BROUGHT IT INTO A MECHANIC WHO TOLD HER THE ENGINE WAS SHOT. I THEN CALLED KIA (GARY LANG - IN MCHENRY) WHOM TOLD HER TO BRING IT IN AND THAT ACCORDING TO THE VIN# THEY WOULD COVER IT. WHEN I GOT THERE, THEY TOLD ME AGAIN IT WOULD BE COVERED AND EVEN GAVE ME A LOANER TO DRIVE. 3 DAYS LATER THEY CALLED HER WITH BAD NEWS AND SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNLESS COULD PROVE THAT IT WASN'T FROM NEGLECT. I THEN PRODUCED 7 OIL CHANGES FROM TWO DIFFERENT SHOPS AS WELL AS MY YEARLY UBER INSPECTIONS (DONE BY JIFFY LUBE). I HAS BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH KIA'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIVISION AS WELL. AGAIN I GAVE THEM ALL THE DOCUMENTATION AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THE SAME THING - THEY WILL NOT HELP WITH ANYTHING.
Official recalls
121V622000 · Latches/locks/linkages:trunk Lid:latch
Aug 9, 2021
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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