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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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

301 reports
40,000 miles · Jan 28, 2020
Vehicle Speed Control

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL INCIDENCE OF BEING "LOCKED" AT ONE SPEED. WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE GAS THE CAR WILL SPEED UP UNTIL REACHING 30-35MPH AND WILL NO LONGER ACCELERATE. THE GAS PEDAL COULD BE TOUCHING THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 35MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED AT OUR LOCAL KIA DEALER IN THE E…

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THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL INCIDENCE OF BEING "LOCKED" AT ONE SPEED. WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE GAS THE CAR WILL SPEED UP UNTIL REACHING 30-35MPH AND WILL NO LONGER ACCELERATE. THE GAS PEDAL COULD BE TOUCHING THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE PAST 35MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED AT OUR LOCAL KIA DEALER IN THE EARLY FALL OF 2019. IT WAS SAID TO BE REPAIRED NOW LESS THAN 6 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS SOMETIMES ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA ODI #11302455

82,000 miles · Jan 13, 2020
Electrical System

THE CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND IT WOULD START INTERMITTENLY. SOMETIMES IT WOULD START WITH NO PROBLEM BUT SOMETIMES IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I TURN THE IGNITION KEY AND I COULD BARELY HEAR CLICKING SOUND AND NOTHING. I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN AND WHERE I WILL BE STRANDED IF THIS HAPPE…

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THE CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND IT WOULD START INTERMITTENLY. SOMETIMES IT WOULD START WITH NO PROBLEM BUT SOMETIMES IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I TURN THE IGNITION KEY AND I COULD BARELY HEAR CLICKING SOUND AND NOTHING. I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN AND WHERE I WILL BE STRANDED IF THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE LITTLE OVER 80000 MILES ON THIS CAR AND DEALER SAID THIS IS NOT COVER UNDER 100000 MILE WARRANTY. I THINK MANY OTHER KIA OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THIS HAS TO BE A RECALL ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11298907

39,300 miles · Jan 3, 2020
Electrical System

3 WEEKS AGO MY VEHICLE WENT THROUGH ITS ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IT FAILED. THE PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH MY REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WHICH WERE NOT WORKING. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS BURNED OUT DUE TO WATER GETTING INTO THE LINES. HE INDICATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD PROBABLY BE COV…

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3 WEEKS AGO MY VEHICLE WENT THROUGH ITS ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IT FAILED. THE PROBLEM HAS TO DO WITH MY REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WHICH WERE NOT WORKING. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS BURNED OUT DUE TO WATER GETTING INTO THE LINES. HE INDICATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD PROBABLY BE COVERED UNDER KIA'S 10 YEAR WARRANTY. I PLAN TO REACH OUT TO MY LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM INVESTIGATE, AND HOPEFULLY REPAIR THIS DEFECT ON THEIR DIME. ANY INPUT OR RELATED ISSUES BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION WOULD BE APPRECIATED AS WELL AS IF YOUR ORGANIZATION HAS ISSUED A RECALL ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11296793

27,933 miles · Dec 16, 2019
Wheels

ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE HAD THE TIRES BLOWOUT ON MY VEHICLE. ONCE WHILE DRIVING AND THE OTHER OCCASION WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND HAD NOT BEEN MOVED FOR THREE DAYS. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 27,000 MILES AND HARDLY ANY THREAD WEAR. THE TIRES ARE KUMHO 205/R16 55

NHTSA ODI #11289366

64,750 miles · Dec 13, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion System

WHILE DRIVING MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR BEGAN INCREASED VIBRATION. THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF WHEN COASTING AND TURN BACK ON WHEN ACCELERATING. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME THE VIBRATIONS CONTINUED EVEN WHEN IN PARK AS WELL AS NOT ACCELERAING. ENGINE CODE P0303 WAS READ FROM THE ENGINE LIGHT. I HAVE NOW REPLACED THE SECOND…

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WHILE DRIVING MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR BEGAN INCREASED VIBRATION. THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF WHEN COASTING AND TURN BACK ON WHEN ACCELERATING. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME THE VIBRATIONS CONTINUED EVEN WHEN IN PARK AS WELL AS NOT ACCELERAING. ENGINE CODE P0303 WAS READ FROM THE ENGINE LIGHT. I HAVE NOW REPLACED THE SECOND COIL PACK ON A CYLINDER IN THE PAST 5 MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI #11288880

20 miles · Dec 11, 2019
Engine

I WAS DRIVING MY KIA FORTE 2016 IN A REGULAR STREET WHEN IT STARTED JERKING BEFORE IT STALLED. LUCKILY I PULLED UP QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID BEING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAITED FEW MINUTES THEN I STARTED IT AGAIN AND I DROVE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT I STARTED LOOKING INTO IT ONLINE WHEN I …

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I WAS DRIVING MY KIA FORTE 2016 IN A REGULAR STREET WHEN IT STARTED JERKING BEFORE IT STALLED. LUCKILY I PULLED UP QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID BEING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAITED FEW MINUTES THEN I STARTED IT AGAIN AND I DROVE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT I STARTED LOOKING INTO IT ONLINE WHEN I REALIZED OTHER KIA MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11288309

43,000 miles · Nov 30, 2019
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE ANOTHER DRIVER FAILED TO YIELD AND CAUSED THE IMPACT ON 3 LANE ROAD GOING AT ABOUT 40MPH. AT THE POINT OF IMPACT, I WAS THROWN INTO THE STEERING COLUMN. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEATBELT LOCK TO KEEP ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. MINOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BECAUSE OF LACK OF PROTEC…

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INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE ANOTHER DRIVER FAILED TO YIELD AND CAUSED THE IMPACT ON 3 LANE ROAD GOING AT ABOUT 40MPH. AT THE POINT OF IMPACT, I WAS THROWN INTO THE STEERING COLUMN. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEATBELT LOCK TO KEEP ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. MINOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BECAUSE OF LACK OF PROTECTION. THE POLICE OFFICER ON SCENE NOTED THAT NEITHER SAFETY DEVICE WORKED IN MY VEHICLE. THE OFFICER EXAMINED THE BELT. BASED ON THE FACT MY CHEST WAS HIT BY THE STEERING WHEEL THE OFFICER IMMEDIATELY ASSUMED I WAS NOT WEARING A BELT AND ASKED ABOUT IT, BUT I HAD TO CORRECT THE OFFICER'S ASSUMPTION, INDICATING THAT I WAS WEARING MY BELT AND REPORTED TO THE OFFICER THAT THE BELT DID NOT LOCK. THE OFFICER ASKED ABOUT MY SPEED AND I REPORTED THAT MY SPEED WAS BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR. THE OFFICER OBSERVED THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND NOTED THIS AS WELL. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED AT TIME OF REPAIR BUT NO INDICATION OF A FAULTY AIRBAG OR SEATBELT OTHER THAN NOTING PRODUCT LIABILITY AND TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA ODI #11282974

25,000 miles · Nov 26, 2019
EngineVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN MY CAR LOST POWER. I TRIED GIVING IT GAS AND IT JUST WOULD SPUTTER, STILL BARELY MOVING. I HAD PEOPLE ALMOST HITTING ME. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES AND I JUST HAD BOUGHT IT 60 SOMETHING DAYS AGO. THE CAR WILL JUST LOOSE POWER NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU GOING. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DR…

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN MY CAR LOST POWER. I TRIED GIVING IT GAS AND IT JUST WOULD SPUTTER, STILL BARELY MOVING. I HAD PEOPLE ALMOST HITTING ME. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 30,000 MILES AND I JUST HAD BOUGHT IT 60 SOMETHING DAYS AGO. THE CAR WILL JUST LOOSE POWER NO MATTER HOW FAST YOU GOING. THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI #11282532

17,000 miles · Nov 18, 2019
Unknown Or OtherCrash

HAD A SMALL SCRATCH TO FRONT OF VEHICLE STOPPED AEB SYSTEM FROM WORKING. HUTCHINSON KIA, ALBANY, GA CAN'T REPAIR IT BACK TO ORIGINAL AND WON'T REPLACE CAR OR REFUND MY INSURANCE MONEY, GOT TO CLOSE TO A STATIONARY OBJECT AT NIGHT HITTING IT WITH A SCRATCH ON FRONT GRILL

NHTSA ODI #11280894

Mileage unknown · Nov 10, 2019
Unknown Or Other

ON 11/10/2019 IN N.C. THE TEMP DROPPED DOWN TO 29 DEGREES THE NEXT MORNING I GET UP TO START MY CAR AND THE BATTERY DRAGGED SO I HAD TO GET A BOOST. IT RAN ALL THAT DAY, THEN SUNDAY THE SAME THING APPENED AGAIN I HAD TO GET A BOOST. I WENT TO BUY A BATTERY AND ONCE THE BATTERY WAS TAKEN OUT WE NOTICED THE POSITIVE SIDE BOX (B…

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ON 11/10/2019 IN N.C. THE TEMP DROPPED DOWN TO 29 DEGREES THE NEXT MORNING I GET UP TO START MY CAR AND THE BATTERY DRAGGED SO I HAD TO GET A BOOST. IT RAN ALL THAT DAY, THEN SUNDAY THE SAME THING APPENED AGAIN I HAD TO GET A BOOST. I WENT TO BUY A BATTERY AND ONCE THE BATTERY WAS TAKEN OUT WE NOTICED THE POSITIVE SIDE BOX (BOTTOM) HAD MELTED ONTO THE TOP OF THE BATTERY, SO MY BATTERY WAS DAMAGED BY THE BATTERY CABLE BOX.

NHTSA ODI #11279272

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.