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2019 Kia Forte

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2019 Kia Forte do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 141.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

68 reports with mileage · 79 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 47 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports

Power Train complaints

47 reports
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10,000 miles · Dec 3, 2019
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND IT RESUMED NORMAL OPER…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALL STAR KIA OF SAN BERNARDINO (735 SHOW CASE DR N, SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408, (888) 480-0418) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTELLIGENT VARIABLE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.

NHTSA ODI #11286723

16,400 miles · Dec 2, 2019
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2019. I HAD IT'S 15,000 MILE CHECK UP ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED, MY CAR WOULD JUMP. THE RPM WOULD BOUNCE BETWEEN 1-2 RPMS AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND EVEN TEST DRO…

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I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2019. I HAD IT'S 15,000 MILE CHECK UP ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED, MY CAR WOULD JUMP. THE RPM WOULD BOUNCE BETWEEN 1-2 RPMS AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND EVEN TEST DROVE IT. I WAS SURE SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND WE WENT OUT ON ANOTHER TEST DRIVE AND SURE ENOUGH IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THE NEXT DAY THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND THAT IT DIDN'T TRIGGER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING A NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11286449

5,000 miles · Dec 2, 2019
Power Train

ON 11/27, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2019 KIA FORTE S WITH ABOUT 5,000 MILES ON IT AND SAID IT WAS DOING SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE. SHE WOULD PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL LIKE NORMAL, BUT THE RPMS WOULD SOAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP BUT THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE. WE DROVE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN SHE GOT BACK AND I NOTICED THE SAME …

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ON 11/27, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2019 KIA FORTE S WITH ABOUT 5,000 MILES ON IT AND SAID IT WAS DOING SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE. SHE WOULD PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL LIKE NORMAL, BUT THE RPMS WOULD SOAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP BUT THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE. WE DROVE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN SHE GOT BACK AND I NOTICED THE SAME THING. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AREA THAT NIGHT TO BRING IT IN ON FRIDAY, 11/29. THERE WERE NO ISSUES ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT MORNING WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MINUTES AWAY. WE LET THEM KNOW WE HAVE A LONG TRIP BACK THE NEXT DAY AND WANTED TO BE SURE THERE WASN'T A BIG ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT SINCE THERE WASN'T AN ENGINE LIGHT ON, THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY CODES TO TROUBLESHOOT THE ISSUE AND WE WERE SENT ON OUR WAY. AN HOUR INTO OUR TRIP ON 11/30, WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH AND THE CAR STARTED HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. IT WOULD REV UP DRAMATICALLY WHEN TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL AND WE SOON LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. NO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GOT IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. THEY COULDN'T LOOK AT IT THEN SO WE GOT A RENTAL CAR TO GET BACK HOME. I GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEM THE FOLLOWING MONDAY AND THEY SAID THEY WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THEY WILL COVER THE RENTAL CAR EXPENSE AS WELL. I'M HOPEFUL THE NEW TRANSMISSION WILL FIX THIS ISSUE AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL REOCCUR AFTER ANOTHER 5,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11286431

3,900 miles · Dec 2, 2019
Power Train

I WAS DRIVING MY 2019 KIA FORTE AT 75 MPH, THEN LOWERED MY SPEED, THEN ACCELERATED AGAIN. A LOUD SCREECH/GRINDING SOUND HAPPENED, THEN THE CAR STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE ROADSIDE, AND RE-START THE CAR. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER 15 MPH. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THEY DROVE THE CAR, BUT…

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I WAS DRIVING MY 2019 KIA FORTE AT 75 MPH, THEN LOWERED MY SPEED, THEN ACCELERATED AGAIN. A LOUD SCREECH/GRINDING SOUND HAPPENED, THEN THE CAR STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE ROADSIDE, AND RE-START THE CAR. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER 15 MPH. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THEY DROVE THE CAR, BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I INSISTED THAT THERE IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I SUGGESTED THEY INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL.

NHTSA ODI #11286422

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2019
Power Train

I HAVE A 2019 KIA FORTE THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED IT LEFT ME STRANDED BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T CRANK. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS OUT AND I HAD A HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE TRYING TO DRIVE HOME AFTER MY GRANDMA PASSED AWAY. MY FAMILY LIVES 2 1/2 HOURS AWAY. THEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT VERBALLY ASSAULTED ME WHILE I WAS TRYING TO R…

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I HAVE A 2019 KIA FORTE THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED IT LEFT ME STRANDED BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T CRANK. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS OUT AND I HAD A HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE TRYING TO DRIVE HOME AFTER MY GRANDMA PASSED AWAY. MY FAMILY LIVES 2 1/2 HOURS AWAY. THEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT VERBALLY ASSAULTED ME WHILE I WAS TRYING TO RECEIVE HELP. I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED GOING OUT. I WAS NEARLY HIT SEVERAL TIMES AS THE CAR WOULD SLOW DOWN AND NOT SHIFT GEARS.

NHTSA ODI #11265645

1,700 miles · Sep 30, 2019
Power Train

BRAND NEW 2019 FORTE WITH LESS THAN 2,000 MILES ON IT. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH AND THE ENGINE STARTS TO REV AND JOLT. GET TO THE RIGHT LANE AND IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL WITH MY FOOT ON THE GAS. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO FIND I NEEDED A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI #11265239

3,100 miles · Sep 7, 2019
Power Train

ON 9/6/19, ON MY WAY BACK FROM A TRIP TO DALLAS, MY 2019 KIA FORTE (LAUNCH EDITION) STARTED TO RANDOMLY REV UP ON THE HIGHWAY. AT FIRST, I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT, BUT THEN IT STARTED TO LOSE ACCELERATION. I TRIED TO USE THE MANUAL SHIFTING, BUT NO HELP. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF IN HOPES OF "RESETTING" IT AND IT SEEM…

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ON 9/6/19, ON MY WAY BACK FROM A TRIP TO DALLAS, MY 2019 KIA FORTE (LAUNCH EDITION) STARTED TO RANDOMLY REV UP ON THE HIGHWAY. AT FIRST, I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT, BUT THEN IT STARTED TO LOSE ACCELERATION. I TRIED TO USE THE MANUAL SHIFTING, BUT NO HELP. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF IN HOPES OF "RESETTING" IT AND IT SEEMED TO WORK, BUT WHEN I PULLED OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY AGAIN IT SUDDENLY STARTED TO REV TO 6-7 K AND WENT NOWHERE. ULTIMATELY, IT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR AND I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP 5 HOURS AWAY FROM HOME. KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS WAS NOT VERY MUCH HELP! MY FORTE IS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD WITH 3,100 MILES ON IT. I PURCHASED NEW IN JUNE. BE CAREFUL WITH THIS CAR!

NHTSA ODI #11253798

2,600 miles · May 30, 2019
Power Train

WHILE HAVING MY CAR FOR TWO MONTHS MY, 2019 KIA FORTE TRANSMISSION WENT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT KEPT STALLING. IT WAS REVING ALL THE WAY UP TO 7/8 RPMS WITH ME GENTLY TAPPING ON THE GAS. I HAD MY GRANDMOTHER WITH ME AND RIGHT WHEN WE GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY MY CAR JUST STOPPING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY MAIN ROAD. I…

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WHILE HAVING MY CAR FOR TWO MONTHS MY, 2019 KIA FORTE TRANSMISSION WENT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT KEPT STALLING. IT WAS REVING ALL THE WAY UP TO 7/8 RPMS WITH ME GENTLY TAPPING ON THE GAS. I HAD MY GRANDMOTHER WITH ME AND RIGHT WHEN WE GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY MY CAR JUST STOPPING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY MAIN ROAD. I WAITED A MOMENT AND TOOK MY KEYS OUT OF THE EGNISION. AFTER 3 MINUTES MY CAR TURNED BACK ON AND I WAS SLOWLY ABLE TO GET IT TO THE GAS STATION WITH IT STILL REVING. I HAD MY CAR TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT THE CAR AND THEY ENDED UP FIXING IT. THEY SAID IT WAS A DEFECT. I'M STILL VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THEY PUT THE SAME ONE BACK IN. IT'S A CVT TRANSMISSION. I DON'T FEEL SAFE AFTER EXPERIENCING THAT ISSUE. IT COULD OF CAUSED A BAD ACCIDENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I THINK THE TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD HAVE A REGULAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PUT BACK INTO THEM. JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THIS ISSUE I HAD AND LET YOU KNOW HOW CONCERNED I AM ABOUT IT. THANKS

NHTSA ODI #11217006

1,995 miles · Apr 22, 2019
Power Train

CAR IS A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD WITH 2001 MILES SHOWING ON THE ODOMETER. THE RPMS WOULD SURGE WHILE DRIVING, EVEN AT CONSTANT SPEED THEY WOULD JUMP 500 RPM OR SO THEN DROP BACK DOWN. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THE SAID THAT IS NORMAL FOR A CVT. A WEEK LATER IT WAS STILL DOING THAT THEN IT WOULD FELL LIKE IT WAS STUMBLING WHILE …

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CAR IS A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD WITH 2001 MILES SHOWING ON THE ODOMETER. THE RPMS WOULD SURGE WHILE DRIVING, EVEN AT CONSTANT SPEED THEY WOULD JUMP 500 RPM OR SO THEN DROP BACK DOWN. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THE SAID THAT IS NORMAL FOR A CVT. A WEEK LATER IT WAS STILL DOING THAT THEN IT WOULD FELL LIKE IT WAS STUMBLING WHILE STARTING UP FROM A STOP. THE NEXT DAY IT HAD NO POWER, ACCELERATOR ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND IT WOULD BARELY MOVE, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY HEADED FOR THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I GOT THERE I HAD TO WAIT A BIT AND THE SERVICE TECH CAME OUT AND TOLD ME THAT WHEN THEY CALLED THE CODES INTO KIA THAT WERE IN THE COMPUTER THEY SAID TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN IT. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD HAVE THE TRANSMISSION OVERNIGHTED WHICH I LATER FOUND OUT WAS A LIE, AND THAT TECH IS NO LONGER AT THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE A RENTAL VEHICLE IN ITS PLACE. I HAVE STARTED A CLAIM WITH KIA.

NHTSA ODI #11202985

2,800 miles · Apr 17, 2019
Power Train

CAR WAS MAKING WEIRD NOISES AND JUMPY ACCELERATION, TOOK IT IN AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS AND THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL NOT IN AT THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT. I WAS TOLD IT'S ON BACKORDER AND NOBODY KNOWS WHEN I WILL BE ABLE TO REPLACE IT. MY CAR IS NOW BARLEY ACCELERATING UNLESS I FLOOR IT. CALL…

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CAR WAS MAKING WEIRD NOISES AND JUMPY ACCELERATION, TOOK IT IN AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, IT'S BEEN TWO WEEKS AND THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL NOT IN AT THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT. I WAS TOLD IT'S ON BACKORDER AND NOBODY KNOWS WHEN I WILL BE ABLE TO REPLACE IT. MY CAR IS NOW BARLEY ACCELERATING UNLESS I FLOOR IT. CALLED KIA AND THE DEALER AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE

NHTSA ODI #11196970

Official recalls

2

20V459000 · Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft

Aug 5, 2020

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Forte vehicles. The left front axle driveshaft may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to break.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A broken driveshaft can result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle driveshaft for a heat treatment verification code, and replace it if the code is missing, free of charge. The recall began September 2, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC195.

18V771000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Oct 31, 2018

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Kia Forte vehicles equipped with LED headlights. The headlights may not have been manufactured with the correct low beam aiming. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the headlights are not properly aimed, the driver may have reduced visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlight aiming and replace the headlights, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC171.

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.