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2017 Kia Forte

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Forte years

Owner complaints for the 2017 Kia Forte are substantially higher than the model-year median of 141.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

135 reports with mileage · 166 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 144 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

23 crash reports9 fire reports14 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

5 reports
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70,000 miles · Feb 24, 2023
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where unknown sensors were replaced. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. Additio…

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The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where unknown sensors were replaced. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. Additionally, the ABS warning light and the check engine warning light were illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI #11508874

41,000 miles · Aug 18, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

I TOOKEN MY 2017 KIA FORTE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP COUNTLESS OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND STILL WITH NO AVAIL. AS I'M DRIVING THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTS SHAKING THE ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON THEN THE CAR EITHER SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN THEN GOT TO WAIT IT OUT FOR IT TO START. IF I GO TO TURN ON THE AC THE CAR ALSO SHUTS OFF.…

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I TOOKEN MY 2017 KIA FORTE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP COUNTLESS OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND STILL WITH NO AVAIL. AS I'M DRIVING THE CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTS SHAKING THE ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON THEN THE CAR EITHER SHUTS OFF ON ITS OWN THEN GOT TO WAIT IT OUT FOR IT TO START. IF I GO TO TURN ON THE AC THE CAR ALSO SHUTS OFF. I'VE ALMOST GOTTEN HIT DUE TO THE CAR UN RELIABILITY.

NHTSA ODI #11350053

28,000 miles · Apr 30, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineUnknown Or Other

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE DEC. 2017 WITH 318 MILES. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER WHEN TRYING TO START. FIRST TIME, TOWED IN WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. WENT HOME, NEXT MORNING THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED TO START. AFTER 3RD TRY & LOUD SOUNDING, I POPPED THE HOOD & THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS SHAKING IN ITS CRADLE. TOWED IN AGAIN, DEALERSHIP DIAG…

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I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE DEC. 2017 WITH 318 MILES. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER WHEN TRYING TO START. FIRST TIME, TOWED IN WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. WENT HOME, NEXT MORNING THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED TO START. AFTER 3RD TRY & LOUD SOUNDING, I POPPED THE HOOD & THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS SHAKING IN ITS CRADLE. TOWED IN AGAIN, DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED COILS MISFIRE & REPLACED. VEHICLE DUPLICATED THE SAME PROBLEM A WEEK LATER. I REPLACED THE BATTERY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. THIRD TIME, DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED FUEL PUMP BUT ENDED UP REPLACING THE ENTIRE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM BECAUSE REPLACING THE FUEL PUMP DID NOT FIX THE MATTER. THEY HAD MY VEHICLE FOR 2 FULL WEEKS. HAD THE VEHICLE BACK 2 DAYS, VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BUT CONTINUED TO SPUTTER. DEALERSHIP HAS NOW HAD MY VEHICLE 5 WEEKS, FIRST SAID THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT KEPT MY VEHICLE ANYWAY. THEN SAID COILS WERE BAD EVEN THOUGH THEY JUST REPLACED THEM 3 MONTHS AGO SOMETHING IS CAUSING THE COILS TO MISFIRE. I HAVE NO ANSWERS. EVEN WITH KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS INVOLVED, NO ONE HAS AN ANSWER. AT ONE POINT KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS CALLED TO ASK ME HOW THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THEM THEY DID NOT EVEN HAVE MY VEHICLE ANYMORE. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A REPORT TO MY INSURANCE CARRIER. MY VEHICLE HAS 30,000. I'VE MAINTAINED REGULAR OIL CHANGES & OTHER REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AS SUGGESTED, FAITHFULLY.

NHTSA ODI #11322902

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

HAD THIS CAR FROM THE END OF 2017. AFTER ONE YEAR THERE WAS A RECALL DONE ON IT FOR THE SPARK PLUGS AND COIL. NOT EVEN 7 MONTHS AFTER GET IT DONE THE NEXT SET THEY ADD IN THE CAR ALMOST BOTTOM OUT ON ME WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR AND SOMEONE ALMOST RAN IN THE BACK OF ME. THEY FIX IT TOOK A WEEK TO GET MY CAR BACK. AND NOW I FEEL L…

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HAD THIS CAR FROM THE END OF 2017. AFTER ONE YEAR THERE WAS A RECALL DONE ON IT FOR THE SPARK PLUGS AND COIL. NOT EVEN 7 MONTHS AFTER GET IT DONE THE NEXT SET THEY ADD IN THE CAR ALMOST BOTTOM OUT ON ME WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR AND SOMEONE ALMOST RAN IN THE BACK OF ME. THEY FIX IT TOOK A WEEK TO GET MY CAR BACK. AND NOW I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION I ASK THE DEALERSHIP IS IT TIME FOR SERVICE AND THEY SAID NO. I AM A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THAT. I SAY ON TOP OF ALL MY SERVICE TO THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11315991

10,000 miles · Jun 13, 2019
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

IN AUGUST 2018, MY SON STARTED THE CAR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT OPERATIONAL AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS WERE LIT. CAR STILL DRIVES. (SEE PIC). IN NOVEMBER 2018, WE TOOK THE CAR TO KIA. AFTER 2-3 DAYS, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE, AND SAID TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT OCCURS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT ALWAYS OCCURS AFTER HIS PRACTI…

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IN AUGUST 2018, MY SON STARTED THE CAR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT OPERATIONAL AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS WERE LIT. CAR STILL DRIVES. (SEE PIC). IN NOVEMBER 2018, WE TOOK THE CAR TO KIA. AFTER 2-3 DAYS, THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE, AND SAID TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT OCCURS. UNFORTUNATELY, IT ALWAYS OCCURS AFTER HIS PRACTICE (@6PM), HOTTEST TIME IN S. TEXAS AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS CLOSED. FROM 31MAY-7JUN2019, MY SON SENT ME VIDEOS OF IT HAPPENING (5 DIFFERENT DAYS). SUMMARY: PROBLEM OCCURS DURING HOT DAYS AT START UP (TURNING CAR OFF/ON WILL NOT RESET), VEHICLE WILL OPERATE BUT WITHOUT INSTRUMENTATION, AND IT EVENTUALLY RESETS ITSELF WHEN HE STARTS IT UP AFTER WORK OR THE NEXT DAY. DURING ONE EPISODE IN JUNE, HE HEADED TO KIA; DURING THE DRIVE THE DOOR LOCKS STARTED LOCKING AND UNLOCKING AND HE HEARD CLICKING NOISES. WHEN ALL THIS STOPPED, THE TACHOMETER STARTED WORKING BUT THE WARNING LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS STILL INOP. HE PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, (TO INSPECT IT) AND WHEN HE STARTED THE CAR AGAIN EVERYTHING WORKED. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED ON OR ABOUT JULY 2017. LESS THAN 2-YEARS OLD AND UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR WAS DROPPED OFF ON 10JUNE2019 AND AS OF TODAY 13JUN2019, THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. CONCERNS: PROBLEM IS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT, THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT UNTIL IT CAN BE REPLICATED, THEY WILL NOT OFFER A LOANER OR RENTAL; NOR CAN THEY TELL ME IF THE PROBLEM AFFECTS OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR, OR IF IT IS SAFE TO OPERATE DURING THESE EPISODES. IN ADDITION, MY SON HEADS TO COLLEGE (250M AWAY) ON 13AUG2019. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT WORLD CAR KIA, NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS.

NHTSA ODI #11219684

Official recalls

3

22V031000 · Air Bags

Jan 25, 2022

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

21V622000 · 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.

21V260000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump

Apr 13, 2021

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.