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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

Visibility complaints

1 reports
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100,900 miles · Nov 29, 2024
Electrical SystemService BrakesVisibility

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the rear brake lights failed to illuminate while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that the A/C was blowing hot air. Additionally, the front and rear passenger’s side windows were rolling down independently. The vehi…

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The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the rear brake lights failed to illuminate while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that the A/C was blowing hot air. Additionally, the front and rear passenger’s side windows were rolling down independently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously in a crash, and the frame was overheating. The contact confirmed that the vehicle did not have a Salvage Title. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,900.

NHTSA ODI #11627947

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.