NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Exterior Lighting complaints
43 reportsClear category filter59,000 miles · Dec 21, 2020
Exterior Lighting
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD, THE HEADLIGHT WORKED AS DESIGNED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD LIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS N…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER OPENING THE HOOD, THE HEADLIGHT WORKED AS DESIGNED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE USING THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD LIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
NHTSA ODI #11384457
40,000 miles · Oct 30, 2020
Exterior Lighting
HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT MULTIPLE TIMES EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT WITH NEW HEADLIGHT BULBS. THERE HAS BEEN ONE OCCASION WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A BUSY ROAD. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST EVERY 6 MONTHS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. *WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN* DATE IS THE MOST RECENT OF ALL OC…
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HEADLIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT MULTIPLE TIMES EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT WITH NEW HEADLIGHT BULBS. THERE HAS BEEN ONE OCCASION WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A BUSY ROAD. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST EVERY 6 MONTHS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. *WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN* DATE IS THE MOST RECENT OF ALL OCCURRENCES. HEADLIGHTS ARE ALSO ALWAYS VERY DIM EVEN WITH NEW BULBS.
NHTSA ODI #11372353
Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2020
Exterior LightingVisibility/wiper
FRONT WINDSHIELD SMEARS EVERYTIME I USE WINDSHIELD WIPER. I NOTICED THIS WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CAR BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT, AND IT WOULD GO AWAY EVENTUALLY. NOW, I TRY TO AVOID DRIVING WHEN IT RAINS BECAUSE IT SEEMS THE WIPERS JUST MAKES IT WORSE. ALSO, MY HEADLIGHTS DO NOT DO ANY JUSTICE. SOMETIMES I THINK I DO NOT HAVE THEM O…
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FRONT WINDSHIELD SMEARS EVERYTIME I USE WINDSHIELD WIPER. I NOTICED THIS WHEN I FIRST GOT THE CAR BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT, AND IT WOULD GO AWAY EVENTUALLY. NOW, I TRY TO AVOID DRIVING WHEN IT RAINS BECAUSE IT SEEMS THE WIPERS JUST MAKES IT WORSE. ALSO, MY HEADLIGHTS DO NOT DO ANY JUSTICE. SOMETIMES I THINK I DO NOT HAVE THEM ON BECAUSE OF HOW DIM THEY ARE. AT NIGHT, I WOULD HAVE TO USE MY HIGH BEAMS ON THE HIGHWAY OR REGULAR ROADS SOMETIMES TO AVOID SHARP TURNS OR JUST TO SEE THE STREET LINES.
NHTSA ODI #11365642
Mileage unknown · Oct 6, 2020
Exterior Lighting
MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE BARELY ON. I CAN NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT WITHOUT USING MY HIGH BEAMS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A VEY COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE IT HAS NOT CAUSED ANY SERIOUS HARM TO PEOPLE. KIA NEEDS TO STEP UP AND DO A SAFETY RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #11363120
Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2020
Exterior Lighting
MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SOME TIME NOW I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR 3 YEARS AND AT FIRST THE HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT AFTER REPLACING THE BULBS I NO LONGER HAVE ENOUGH POWER SOURCE GOING TO THE HEADLIGHTS TO USE MY LOW BEAMS ANYMORE. I TOOK IT TO KIA AND THEY TOLD ME JUST THE LIGHT BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACE…
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MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SOME TIME NOW I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR 3 YEARS AND AT FIRST THE HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT AFTER REPLACING THE BULBS I NO LONGER HAVE ENOUGH POWER SOURCE GOING TO THE HEADLIGHTS TO USE MY LOW BEAMS ANYMORE. I TOOK IT TO KIA AND THEY TOLD ME JUST THE LIGHT BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND MY WHOLE PASSENGER SIDE LIGHTING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS SOUNDS SO WRONG BECAUSE BOTH THE LIGHTS WORK BUT THEY ARE SO DIM THEY ARE NOT USEABLE. THE DRIVER SIDE WENT OUT FIRST THE CAR WAS STATIONARY THEN A MONTH LATER THE PASSENGER.
NHTSA ODI #11339905
12,000 miles · Jul 17, 2020
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND GO OUT COMPLETELY. I HAVE TO FLIP THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH OR TAP THE COLUMN TO GET THEM TO TURN BACK ON . IT HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES ON MY 32 MILE TRIP HOME FROM WORK AT NIGHT . IT HAPPENS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY. MAINLY WHEN I USE A TURN SIGNAL OR HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD .
NHTSA ODI #11339856
70,000 miles · Jul 12, 2020
Exterior Lighting
I HAVEN'T EVEN OWNED THIS CAR FOR 7 MONTHS YET AND I HAVE CHANGED THE LIGHTS 20 TIMES! AS SOON AS I CHANGE ONE THE NEXT ONE BLOWS AND THE PREVIOUS ONE WILL BLOW THE FOLLOWING THE WEEK. I'M TIRED OF MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE THAT KEEPS ACTING CRAZY WITH THE LIGHTS.
NHTSA ODI #11338867
35,000 miles · Jun 14, 2020
Electrical SystemExterior LightingUnknown Or OtherFire
MY CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE LIKE IT ALWAYS IS. WENT FOR A WALK AND WHEN I CAME BACK, MY CAR HAD BEEN ON FIRE. AFTER FIRE DEPARTMENT DID THEIR INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DEEMED ELECTRICAL. THE LIGHT IN MY VISOR OR THE WIRING TO IT HAD GONE WRONG. MY WHOLE FRONT OF THE SEATS IS TOTALED.
NHTSA ODI #11328786
50,000 miles · May 26, 2020
Exterior Lighting
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT EVERY 2-3 MONTHS, ONE AFTER THE OTHER. SOMETIMES ONE WILL GO OUT AND BE OUT FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND THEN COME BACK ON, BUT USUALLY THEY GO OUT AND STAY OUT UNTIL THE BULB IS REPLACED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #11326043
Mileage unknown · May 10, 2020
Exterior Lighting
MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED AND EVERY TIME I GO OUTSIDE MY LIGHTS ARE ON. THE HAS BEEN GOING FOR A MONTH. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS OUT OF MY HEADLIGHTS EVERY SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR THIS HAS GOTTEN TO BE COSTLY. WHEN I?M DRIVING SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL GO OUT. THESE LIGHTS HAVE HAD ME BUYING BATTERIES…
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MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED AND EVERY TIME I GO OUTSIDE MY LIGHTS ARE ON. THE HAS BEEN GOING FOR A MONTH. I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS OUT OF MY HEADLIGHTS EVERY SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR THIS HAS GOTTEN TO BE COSTLY. WHEN I?M DRIVING SOMETIMES THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WILL GO OUT. THESE LIGHTS HAVE HAD ME BUYING BATTERIES AND BULBS . *TR
NHTSA ODI #11324063
Official recalls
3Jan 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.
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.
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 ↗
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