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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

Wheels complaints

2 reports
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18,500 miles · Dec 22, 2020
Wheels

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DASHBOARD ALERTED TO FRONT END COLLISION WARNINGS BUT I WAS NOT IN A COLLISION THEN MOMENTS LATER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW CAUSING BODY DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER AND GUARDS, TOTALLY SHREDDING THE TIRE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 18,500 MILES AND TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED. NORMAL DRIVING USE. TIRES ARE MADE B…

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WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DASHBOARD ALERTED TO FRONT END COLLISION WARNINGS BUT I WAS NOT IN A COLLISION THEN MOMENTS LATER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW CAUSING BODY DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER AND GUARDS, TOTALLY SHREDDING THE TIRE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 18,500 MILES AND TIRES WERE PROPERLY INFLATED. NORMAL DRIVING USE. TIRES ARE MADE BY KUMHO AND THE CAR IS A KIA FORTE. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THESE SPECIFIC BRAND TIRES BLOWING OUT AROUND 20,000 MILES EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE GUARANTEED FOR 70,000 MILES. UNFORTUNATELY BLOW OUTS, BUBBLES, ETC ARE ALL NOT COVERED UNDER TIRE WARRANTY OR UNDER CAR WARRANTY. VERY DISAPPOINTING AND VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI #11384543

Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2018
Wheels

I BOUGHT THIS CAR 2 MONTHS AGO AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME IT DOESNT COME WITH A DONUT OR SPARE TIRE ......THIS IS UNSAFE

NHTSA ODI #11149930

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.