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Kia Forte recalls by year & common problems

NHTSA safety recalls and owner-reported complaints for every Kia Forte model year from 2010 to 2024. Real, government-sourced figures — use them to gauge how common a problem actually is before you spend on parts.

NHTSA's data does not show a U.S.-market Kia Forte for 2025, so that model year is left out rather than shown as zero.

Compact Sedan Model years 2010–2024 18 NHTSA recalls 2,610 owner complaints
18 NHTSA recalls
2,610 owner complaints
15 model years covered
237 citing a crash
142 citing a fire
193 citing an injury

Kia Forte recalls & complaints by model year

Every Forte model year from 2010–2024. Pick yours to jump to its recall list.

Model year Recalls Complaints Details
2010 Kia Forte 3 232 2010 recalls ↓
2011 Kia Forte 3 162 2011 recalls ↓
2012 Kia Forte 4 306 2012 recalls ↓
2013 Kia Forte 5 211 2013 recalls ↓
2014 Kia Forte 3 445 2014 recalls ↓
2015 Kia Forte 1 260 2015 recalls ↓
2016 Kia Forte 1 138 2016 recalls ↓
2017 Kia Forte 3 305 2017 recalls ↓
2018 Kia Forte 3 136 2018 recalls ↓
2019 Kia Forte 2 149 2019 recalls ↓
2020 Kia Forte 0 78 No recalls
2021 Kia Forte 2 69 2021 recalls ↓
2022 Kia Forte 1 28 2022 recalls ↓
2023 Kia Forte 3 65 2023 recalls ↓
2024 Kia Forte 0 26 No recalls

A recall campaign that covers several model years is counted in each of them, so the yearly figures add up to 34 while NHTSA lists 18 separate campaigns.

Most-reported systems on the Kia Forte

The component categories Kia owners file the most complaints about with NHTSA, summed across model years 2010–2024.

Recent recalls on the Kia Forte

The most recent NHTSA recall campaigns on file across every model year. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if your specific vehicle is affected and unrepaired.

Every Kia Forte recall, year by year

Each NHTSA recall campaign listed for that model year, newest first. A recall applies to specific VINs, so enter yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your vehicle is included and still unrepaired.

2010 Kia Forte recalls (3)

  • SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC › ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP › CONTROL UNIT/MODULE Sep 2023

    The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

    NHTSA campaign 23V652000 · also 2011–2013
  • AIR BAGS › AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE Jun 2018

    In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

    NHTSA campaign 18V363000 · also 2011–2013
  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING › BRAKE LIGHTS › SWITCH Apr 2013

    Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles.

    NHTSA campaign 13V114000

2011 Kia Forte recalls (3)

  • SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC › ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP › CONTROL UNIT/MODULE Sep 2023

    The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

    NHTSA campaign 23V652000 · also 2010 and 2012–2013
  • AIR BAGS › AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE Jun 2018

    In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

    NHTSA campaign 18V363000 · also 2010 and 2012–2013
  • POWER TRAIN › AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION › COOLING UNIT AND LINES Feb 2016

    The affected vehicles have a transmission fluid cooler hose that may have been improperly manufactured, resulting in a transmission fluid leak.

    NHTSA campaign 16V070000

2012 Kia Forte recalls (4)

  • SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC › ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP › CONTROL UNIT/MODULE Sep 2023

    The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

    NHTSA campaign 23V652000 · also 2010–2011 and 2013
  • ENGINE Dec 2020

    An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

    NHTSA campaign 20V750000 · also 2013–2015
  • AIR BAGS › AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE Jun 2018

    In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

    NHTSA campaign 18V363000 · also 2010–2011 and 2013
  • SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC › PEDALS AND LINKAGES Dec 2017

    The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously.

    NHTSA campaign 17V773000 · also 2013–2014

2013 Kia Forte recalls (5)

  • SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC › ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP › CONTROL UNIT/MODULE Sep 2023

    The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

    NHTSA campaign 23V652000 · also 2010–2012
  • ENGINE Dec 2020

    An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

    NHTSA campaign 20V750000 · also 2012 and 2014–2015
  • AIR BAGS › AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE Jun 2018

    In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

    NHTSA campaign 18V363000 · also 2010–2012
  • SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC › PEDALS AND LINKAGES Dec 2017

    The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously.

    NHTSA campaign 17V773000 · also 2012 and 2014
  • SEAT BELTS › FRONT › RETRACTOR May 2016

    The screws that hold the front seatbelt retractor retaining plates may not have been properly tightened, and as a result, the seatbelt retractor retaining plates may break in a crash.

    NHTSA campaign 16V312000

2014 Kia Forte recalls (3)

  • ENGINE Dec 2020

    An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

    NHTSA campaign 20V750000 · also 2012–2013 and 2015
  • SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC › PEDALS AND LINKAGES Dec 2017

    The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously.

    NHTSA campaign 17V773000 · also 2012–2013
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 2015

    In the affected vehicles, the cooling fan resistor may overheat and melt.

    NHTSA campaign 15V015000

2015 Kia Forte recalls (1)

  • ENGINE Dec 2020

    An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

    NHTSA campaign 20V750000 · also 2012–2014

2016 Kia Forte recalls (1)

  • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES › TRUNK LID › LATCH Aug 2021

    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."

    NHTSA campaign 21V622000 · also 2017–2018

2017 Kia Forte recalls (3)

  • AIR BAGS Jan 2022

    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.

    NHTSA campaign 22V031000 · also 2018
  • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES › TRUNK LID › LATCH Aug 2021

    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."

    NHTSA campaign 21V622000 · also 2016 and 2018
  • ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING › ENGINE › OIL/LUBRICATION › PUMP Apr 2021

    Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.

    NHTSA campaign 21V260000 · also 2018

2018 Kia Forte recalls (3)

  • AIR BAGS Jan 2022

    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.

    NHTSA campaign 22V031000 · also 2017
  • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES › TRUNK LID › LATCH Aug 2021

    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."

    NHTSA campaign 21V622000 · also 2016–2017
  • ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING › ENGINE › OIL/LUBRICATION › PUMP Apr 2021

    Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.

    NHTSA campaign 21V260000 · also 2017

2019 Kia Forte recalls (2)

  • POWER TRAIN › AXLE ASSEMBLY › AXLE SHAFT Aug 2020

    The left front axle driveshaft may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to break.

    NHTSA campaign 20V459000
  • EXTERIOR LIGHTING › HEADLIGHTS Oct 2018

    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."

    NHTSA campaign 18V771000

2021 Kia Forte recalls (2)

  • STEERING › COLUMN May 2022

    A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.

    NHTSA campaign 22V304000 · also 2022
  • AIR BAGS › AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE Mar 2021

    The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat.

    NHTSA campaign 21V164000

2022 Kia Forte recalls (1)

  • STEERING › COLUMN May 2022

    A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.

    NHTSA campaign 22V304000 · also 2021

2023 Kia Forte recalls (3)

  • SUSPENSION › FRONT › CONTROL ARM › LOWER ARM Apr 2024

    The right front lower control arm may have been improperly welded, which can cause it to fail.

    NHTSA campaign 24V244000
  • SUSPENSION › FRONT › CONTROL ARM › LOWER ARM Sep 2023

    The right front lower control arm may have been improperly welded, which can cause it to fail.

    NHTSA campaign 23V649000
  • STEERING › LINKAGES › KNUCKLE › SPINDLE › ARM Dec 2022

    Due to a manufacturing error, the front left steering knuckle may crack, which can result in a loss of steering control.

    NHTSA campaign 22V906000

No recalls on file as of October 2026 for the 2020 and 2024 Kia Forte.

More on the Kia Forte

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Kia Forte recalls: frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the Kia Forte have?

NHTSA lists 18 recall campaigns for the Kia Forte across model years 2010–2024 (15 model years covered here). The 2013 model year has the most, with 5. A recall is an official safety action with a free remedy at a franchised dealer.

Which Kia Forte year has the most recalls?

The 2013 Kia Forte has the most NHTSA recalls (5), followed by 2012 (4) and 2023 (3). A campaign that covers several model years counts toward each of them.

Which Kia Forte years have no recalls?

As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2020 and 2024 Kia Forte. Newer model years can still be recalled later, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Which Kia Forte year has the most complaints?

Owners have filed the most NHTSA complaints about the 2014 Kia Forte (445), followed by 2012 (306) and 2017 (305). Older and higher-volume model years collect more reports simply by being on the road longer.

What are the most common problems on the Kia Forte?

Across 2,610 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for model years 2010–2024, the most-reported systems on the Kia Forte are Engine (1,166), Electrical System (330), Air Bags (299), Power Train (220), Exterior Lighting (180) and Steering (166).

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public recalls and complaints databases, model years 2010–2024, as of October 2026. Counts combine the records NHTSA files under “FORTE” and “FORTE KOUP”. A complaint is an unverified owner report; a recall is an official safety action with a free remedy. High complaint counts often reflect high sales volume.