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2018 Kia Forte

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2018 Kia Forte do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 141.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

51 reports with mileage · 85 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 57 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. 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.

13 crash reports3 fire reports8 injury reports

Engine complaints

57 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 26, 2023
Engine

Car with less than 100K in Miles requires a new camshaft and accuator. Kia will not replace as a warranty defect due to it being a second owner car. The car can stall and cut off due to this issue.

NHTSA ODI #11552138

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2023
Engine

The engine seizes under 100000 miles with no warning lights on and regular maintenance done. We were driving it and pulled up to a light it stopped running and would not come back on. We took it Kia and they confirmed that the engine was seized and that we needed to replace the engine. We were also then told that the warranty wo…

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The engine seizes under 100000 miles with no warning lights on and regular maintenance done. We were driving it and pulled up to a light it stopped running and would not come back on. We took it Kia and they confirmed that the engine was seized and that we needed to replace the engine. We were also then told that the warranty would not cover anything because we are the second owner. It was inspected at the kia dealership but not anyone else because we weren’t in an accident so neither our insurance nor our gap insurance will cover anything. There were no warning lights or signs of something wrong at all it litterally was driving great one moment and dead the next.

NHTSA ODI #11544148

Mileage unknown · Aug 29, 2023
Air BagsEngineUnknown Or Other

2018 kia forte kept stalling out, 3 times in 2minutes. Drove it home, had it towed to Kia Spitzer West, it'd been there since May27, 2023. They will not repair, they will not replace, they won't even call me back. It's a disgrace

NHTSA ODI #11541396

118,000 miles · Jun 19, 2023
EngineSteering

Kia Forte 2018 - the engine stopped working while driving (around 55mph) the car shut off and I could barely control the car as I no longer had speed control which made it risky going from one line to another to get off the road and pull over, putting myself and the other drivers at risk of an accident, and almost at the end whe…

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Kia Forte 2018 - the engine stopped working while driving (around 55mph) the car shut off and I could barely control the car as I no longer had speed control which made it risky going from one line to another to get off the road and pull over, putting myself and the other drivers at risk of an accident, and almost at the end when leaving the road the steering column became hard and I could not control the steering wheel very well. The car was towed to the dealer but they said they couldn't check it because they were overloaded for the next few weeks and the closest to check it would be at least 10 to 15 business days after they finished their current services (I called 4 other kia agencies around the winston-salem NC area and they all told me the same thing), so the car was towed to an independent service where they inspected it and determined that the engine had a problem with some internal components and that it is necessary to replace the whole engine, I called the dealer but they told me that because it has more than 100,000 miles the engine no longer has a warranty (currently it has 118,000 miles), a few days before the engine light on the dashboard came on but the next day it went off and then it did not turn on again.

NHTSA ODI #11527812

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2023
Engine

Car shuts down for no reason. At low speeds, the car shuts down, oil light, check engine light and battery ligh illuminate. Have to stop, place the car in park, restart engine and drive again but car keeps stalling

NHTSA ODI #11518101

Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2023
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

My Vehicle stalls and shuts while driving in the midst of traffic

NHTSA ODI #11516734

Mileage unknown · Mar 21, 2023
Engine

My car would idle and shake at stop signs. My car would turn off entirely while stopped at stop signs/lights on occasion. It turned off while driving on the freeway. The engine light and battery notification light would turn on. - I had several error codes related to my engine and exhaust system. After getting it “fixed” at Kia …

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My car would idle and shake at stop signs. My car would turn off entirely while stopped at stop signs/lights on occasion. It turned off while driving on the freeway. The engine light and battery notification light would turn on. - I had several error codes related to my engine and exhaust system. After getting it “fixed” at Kia and Firestone, I am still having the same issues. My engine is burning oil quickly but I do not have a leak. I will have no fuel within a month after filling it/getting an oil change. I also possibly have a coolant leak. yes it is available for inspection. - yes, my safety as well as other’s safety have been at risk due to my car turning off while driving on the freeway without warning. My steering wheel and brakes would lock up. - yes the problem has been confirmed by Kia and Firestone. - yes the problem has been looked at by Kia service members. - my car began shaking and idling prior to any notification. It was approximately 3 weeks later that my check engine light turned on.

NHTSA ODI #11513121

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2023
Engine

Two weeks ago I started to experience issues with my car stalling in the engine making a knocking or clicking noise. Two days after this started the engine noise was so loud in the car kept stalling that I could not drive the vehicle. I have a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty on the vehicle. I told the vehicle to a Kia dealershi…

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Two weeks ago I started to experience issues with my car stalling in the engine making a knocking or clicking noise. Two days after this started the engine noise was so loud in the car kept stalling that I could not drive the vehicle. I have a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty on the vehicle. I told the vehicle to a Kia dealership and it was determined that the engine needs replaced. They have denied my warranty because I do not have all of my maintenance records for oil changes. Unfortunately for myself I didn’t take my vehicle to the dealer for oil changes I had a family member change the oil for me over the past 4 1/2 years of owning the vehicle. I bought this vehicle from Kia because of this warranty. This is the only vehicle I have it is impeding on me getting to and from work. I have several maintenance records of oil changes at a garage that I take my car for inspections, tire changes, brakes,alignment and oil changes. Is there anything that I can do to get Kia to honor this warranty. When I called Kiya of America customer service the woman that I spoke with told me that I needed to go to the places where I purchase oil and get receipts. I purchased oil at auto parts stores they never took my name so how am I supposed to get these receipts. And most of the time I paid cash. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

NHTSA ODI #11511315

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2022
EngineUnknown Or Other

The 2018 Kia Forte LX that my daughter is the primary driver of (but I am on the loan) engine light has been on for several weeks and it has also had trouble starting, resulting in several days of missed work. We have taken it to two mechanics, whose partial diagnosis was that it needed a new timing chain kit which we had done o…

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The 2018 Kia Forte LX that my daughter is the primary driver of (but I am on the loan) engine light has been on for several weeks and it has also had trouble starting, resulting in several days of missed work. We have taken it to two mechanics, whose partial diagnosis was that it needed a new timing chain kit which we had done on November 1, 2022 along with new spark plugs. However the engine light continues to stay on, with a loud idle and trouble starting. We took it back to the mechanic and after checking everything he could think of, he advised us that there is definitely an oil pressure issue and that we should take it to the Kia dealership and ask about a silent recall on the engine/oil pump. The issues we are having with the vehicle exactly match NHTSA Recall No. 21V-260; Manufacturers Recall No. SC210, however it is not showing up on my VIN number. I fear that this is only getting worse and as Recall SC210 states, if the vehicle is continually operated with this condition, the engine can be damaged (if not already) and loss of motive power may occur, increasing the risk of a crash. I have also attached Part 573 Safety Recall Report 21V-260. Your consideration in this matter would be greatly appreciated as we feel it applies to our vehicle and that we shouldn't have to spend even more than what we have already spent in repairs and job time loss. I can be contacted at [XXX] or by email at [XXX]. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #11493667

Mileage unknown · Nov 6, 2022
Engine

My kia broke down on the highway ,I believe the engine is blown ,No warning lights came on until the exact incident occurred. I wasn't able to get power from the accelerator and managed to pull to the side of the highway .My car had started a knocking noise a day and a half b4 the incident, I've seen online that my car model an…

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My kia broke down on the highway ,I believe the engine is blown ,No warning lights came on until the exact incident occurred. I wasn't able to get power from the accelerator and managed to pull to the side of the highway .My car had started a knocking noise a day and a half b4 the incident, I've seen online that my car model and year has had issues with engine failure ,So far kia has ignored my calls ,I was in touch on the day b4 incident

NHTSA ODI #11492461

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.