Owners have filed 188 complaints
about the 2018 KIA Forte with NHTSA between 2018 and 2026.
The largest single group is the engine & cooling.
Across this model's run it ranks 7 of 15 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 39
Against the median year of the KIA Forte. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 96
18.6% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 99
58% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
69.0%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
1420.9%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
1014.9%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
1522.4%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
710.4%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
23.0%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
1014.9%
150,000+ miles
34.5%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Apr 2018peak 10Apr 2026
Recalls on the 2018 KIA Forte
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 202202358,054 units in Canada
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, a defect in the airbag control unit could cause the airbag warning light to turn on. If this happens, the airbag system may not work properly, and the airbags may not inflate in a crash. Safety Risk: An airbag system that does not work properly could create an increased risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the airbag control unit software. If the airbag warning light is on because of diagnostic trouble code B1620, the dealer will replace the airbag control unit.
Recall 202150432,274 units in Canada
Structure
Issue: On certain vehicles, a part in the trunk release latch could fail. If this happens, the emergency trunk release located inside the trunk compartment may not work properly. This could prevent a person that is trapped inside the trunk from opening it. Safety Risk: If a person is closed inside the trunk compartment, they may not be able to get out. This could create a risk of injury. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the trunk latch assembly.
Recall 2021224443 units in Canada
Engine
Issue: On certain vehicles, small metal particles that are not captured by the oil filter can build up in the oil pump. If this happens, the engine oil pressure may be reduced. This can cause engine wear and result in abnormal engine noise. The malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) and/or oil pressure warning light may also turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with these symptoms, the engine could fail. An engine failure can cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart. Note: This only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L Nu MPI engine. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the oil pan with a new one that has two magnets to capture small metal particles.
Recall 202103930,938 units in Canada
Engine
Issue: Kia Canada is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign that provides an update to the engine control module to detect potential problems before an engine fails. An engine failure could cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart. Note: This only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L Nu GDI engine. Safety Risk: A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of an accident. An engine failure could also create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to update the software for the engine control module. Note: Kia recommends that you should always follow the correct vehicle maintenance schedule, which is printed in the Owner's Manual. If you experience unusual engine noise, reduced power, or a check engine/oil warning light, Kia advises you to immediately visit a Kia dealership to have your vehicle diagnosed.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Visalia, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unknown. Fire was located under in the engine compartment area and fire was visible from below the engine under the car. When it happened I was driving on the freeway when noticed my car seemed to be struggling stay at the current speend and to loose speed then a it suddenly l no longer would accerlatoed so I pulled over to call 911 a passing vehicle stopped and informed me there was flames under my car. I safetly exited and called for emergency services. The Safety risk of major bodily harm by fire to myself or risk of harm to the environment around me a risk. The check engine light had come on before the fire. Reached out to manufacturer for a fire investigation and was instructed to take car to dealership to for service department to inspect. Was told a ETA of 2 weeks before they will check out my car.
NHTSA complaint #11685190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Visalia, CAFire
ENGINE
Unknown. Fire was located under in the engine compartment area and fire was visible from below the engine under the car. When it happened I was driving on the freeway when noticed my car seemed to be struggling stay at the current speend and to loose speed then a it suddenly l no longer would accerlatoed so I pulled over to call 911 a passing vehicle stopped and informed me there was flames under my car. I safetly exited and called for emergency services. The Safety risk of major bodily harm by fire to myself or risk of harm to the environment around me a risk. The check engine light had come on before the fire. Reached out to manufacturer for a fire investigation and was instructed to take car to dealership to for service department to inspect. Was told a ETA of 2 weeks before they will check out my car.
NHTSA complaint #11685190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chino, CACrash1 injured
SEAT BELTS
I got into a car accident and my air bags never deployed and the seat beat didn’t lock so I cause me to get jerked and my head hit the side door and I messed up my left shoulder and arm in the process of holding myself from hitting the steering wheel and my breaks didn’t stop when I got hit and pressed down my car got stuck on drive accelerating on its own after I had my foot on break to stop the car
NHTSA complaint #11583731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Chino, CACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
I got into a car accident and my air bags never deployed and the seat beat didn’t lock so I cause me to get jerked and my head hit the side door and I messed up my left shoulder and arm in the process of holding myself from hitting the steering wheel and my breaks didn’t stop when I got hit and pressed down my car got stuck on drive accelerating on its own after I had my foot on break to stop the car
NHTSA complaint #11583731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Minevill, NYCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
Brakes completely locked up during my attempt to stop the vehicle does have abs and that is supposed to allow the wheels to keep moving so that you can try to maneuver and when I made contact with the other vehicle the airbag never deployed
NHTSA complaint #11571352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Minevill, NYCrash1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
Brakes completely locked up during my attempt to stop the vehicle does have abs and that is supposed to allow the wheels to keep moving so that you can try to maneuver and when I made contact with the other vehicle the airbag never deployed
NHTSA complaint #11571352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Milton, FL
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Have to replace running lights every 4-6 months on both of my headlights. Happened every 4-6 months since I got the car in 2017
NHTSA complaint #11734041 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 104,000 milesCleveland, OH
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was discovered that the engine oil level was extremely low. The dealer kept the vehicle for nine months and performed an oil change. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who replaced the oil gasket cover, but the failure recurred with the engine making knocking sounds. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
NHTSA complaint #11726619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Collinsville, CT
ENGINE
Recently, while my boyfriend was driving my vehicle, the engine suddenly lost power without warning. He had the accelerator pedal fully depressed, yet the vehicle would barely move. He was fortunate to safely maneuver the vehicle off the road. Upon inspection, he discovered there was no oil present in the engine. Critically, neither the low oil warning light nor the check engine light had illuminated prior to this failure, providing absolutely no warning of a severe mechanical problem. After adding oil and performing a proper oil change, the engine began violently shuddering and shaking upon startup, and only then did the check engine light illuminate. The vehicle was immediately towed to an authorized Kia dealership, where I was informed that the timing chain had failed.
NHTSA complaint #11720401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wesley Chapel, FL
POWER TRAIN
While driving the car with the flow of busy traffic, the engine failed and the car stopped. It eventually turn back on (side of the road) but now drives with hesitation, a strange noise, and with the engine light on. This cycle continued until we arrived at the repair shop. And after much research, it seems that this experience is common for other Kia engines. Why was mine not included? Someone could have been badly injured!
NHTSA complaint #11719191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Wesley Chapel, FL
ENGINE
While driving the car with the flow of busy traffic, the engine failed and the car stopped. It eventually turn back on (side of the road) but now drives with hesitation, a strange noise, and with the engine light on. This cycle continued until we arrived at the repair shop. And after much research, it seems that this experience is common for other Kia engines. Why was mine not included? Someone could have been badly injured!
NHTSA complaint #11719191 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jackson, OH
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Engine would run fast and then sound like was going to stop and then it would start shaking and rumbling while driving on highway and in town. Car would stall while at a stop. Gas smells inside the car. Did not feel safe driving. Had the car towed to an independent garage on February 7th and They did an oil change, change 2 Sensors, changed all the spark plugs and changed all 4 Cylinders and on the way home from Starks garage the car was doing the same as before going to the garage with gas smells inside the car, shaking, rumbling and stalling of the engine. And the car wanting to stall while on the highway speed limit of going 60 mph. the next morning My mom and stepdad had the car towed again to another mechanic close to them at Hudson Import Automotive -Napa Auto Care and they emailed a list of problems after inspecting the car. Attaching the list of codes from a diagnostic test from Auto Zone Store # 00791 , and the Estimate for Service from Hudson Import Automotive - Napa Auto Care. Have no paperwork from Starks mechanic shop.
NHTSA complaint #11718356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jackson, OH
ENGINE
Engine would run fast and then sound like was going to stop and then it would start shaking and rumbling while driving on highway and in town. Car would stall while at a stop. Gas smells inside the car. Did not feel safe driving. Had the car towed to an independent garage on February 7th and They did an oil change, change 2 Sensors, changed all the spark plugs and changed all 4 Cylinders and on the way home from Starks garage the car was doing the same as before going to the garage with gas smells inside the car, shaking, rumbling and stalling of the engine. And the car wanting to stall while on the highway speed limit of going 60 mph. the next morning My mom and stepdad had the car towed again to another mechanic close to them at Hudson Import Automotive -Napa Auto Care and they emailed a list of problems after inspecting the car. Attaching the list of codes from a diagnostic test from Auto Zone Store # 00791 , and the Estimate for Service from Hudson Import Automotive - Napa Auto Care. Have no paperwork from Starks mechanic shop.
NHTSA complaint #11718356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jackson, OH
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Engine would run fast and then sound like was going to stop and then it would start shaking and rumbling while driving on highway and in town. Car would stall while at a stop. Gas smells inside the car. Did not feel safe driving. Had the car towed to an independent garage on February 7th and They did an oil change, change 2 Sensors, changed all the spark plugs and changed all 4 Cylinders and on the way home from Starks garage the car was doing the same as before going to the garage with gas smells inside the car, shaking, rumbling and stalling of the engine. And the car wanting to stall while on the highway speed limit of going 60 mph. the next morning My mom and stepdad had the car towed again to another mechanic close to them at Hudson Import Automotive -Napa Auto Care and they emailed a list of problems after inspecting the car. Attaching the list of codes from a diagnostic test from Auto Zone Store # 00791 , and the Estimate for Service from Hudson Import Automotive - Napa Auto Care. Have no paperwork from Starks mechanic shop.
NHTSA complaint #11718356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Groton, CT
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I went to Kia dealership in Groton CT 06340 for an oil change. They also fixed a recent recall, and after I picked up my car, both of my key fobs weren’t working. I can’t open my car. I can’t lock my car and they are refusing to fix it. I contacted kia corporate. they were not helpful. What can I do here to have this situation resolved? I’m worried that the anti theft system doesn’t work now on my car because my key fobs don’t work at all.
NHTSA complaint #11716854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hacienda Heights, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The car turn off while driving it. This creates a serious safety concern. We took the car to a mechanic and he was not able to identify the problem, he suggested we take it to the dealership. We then took it to the kia dealer ( Covina) and they have had it for months and yet are not able to fix it. Yesterday we received a call telling us, the engine failure is related to the oil pressure and it would need a new engine. This is no longer covered under warranty. This same car has already had the engine replaced once before. When we bought the Kia in 2018 (new) just weeks after we took it home, it required a new engine, which Kia replaced. The current issue appears to be related to oil pressure and is consistent with engine concerns reported on this model year.
NHTSA complaint #11714130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Hacienda Heights, CA
ENGINE
The car turn off while driving it. This creates a serious safety concern. We took the car to a mechanic and he was not able to identify the problem, he suggested we take it to the dealership. We then took it to the kia dealer ( Covina) and they have had it for months and yet are not able to fix it. Yesterday we received a call telling us, the engine failure is related to the oil pressure and it would need a new engine. This is no longer covered under warranty. This same car has already had the engine replaced once before. When we bought the Kia in 2018 (new) just weeks after we took it home, it required a new engine, which Kia replaced. The current issue appears to be related to oil pressure and is consistent with engine concerns reported on this model year.
NHTSA complaint #11714130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Aztec, NM
ENGINE
No warning lights/ indicators at all. Well taken care of vehicle 84,400 miles on the vehicle second owner. Had an oil change and my husband noticed bad blow by, had it diagnosed by a mechanic. They said we need a whole new engine. Dont understand how this would happen unless some manufacturer defect. No recalls apparently for this vehicle. Seems to be a common issue. Really sucks that I dont even have 100000 miles and need a new engine. We got screwed over as first time buyers with a huge loan ended up paying nearly 30000 dollars for this vehicle and the engine is already no good. I hope something comes of this because people are tired of getting screwed around by major corporations. Theres no reason why my engine should be no good with only 84400 miles and well maintained. Luckily my husband noticed when he did because who knows what would have happened if it had gone out while driving with no indicators that anything is wrong whatsoever. Could have been a bad crash for all I know.
NHTSA complaint #11714332 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Kansas City, MO
ENGINE
While driving on U.S. 69 highway in Overland Park, Kansas, the engine in my 2018 Kia Forte suddenly failed without warning. I was entering the northbound lanes from the 95th Street on-ramp and was accelerating to merge at about 50 mph. There had been no prior warning lights or messages. Just after getting into the right lane to merge with traffic, the engine lost power and the car began slowing down quickly. I had vehicles behind me that were still moving at highway speed. I had to react immediately, and fortunately the driver behind me was able to brake. I turned on my signal and coasted as best I could to the shoulder of the highway. Only after the failure did the check engine light come on. The engine never restarted and the vehicle had to be towed. This incident created a serious safety risk to me and to other drivers on the highway. A car entering the highway and then immediately losing power is not something other drivers expect, and I could have been hit from behind. There was no prior warning or symptom before the failure. The vehicle has since been diagnosed by a Kia dealer as needing an engine replacement.
NHTSA complaint #11704388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shreveport, LA
ENGINE
MY VEHICLE IS USING ALOT OF OIL AND WILL NOT START THE WARNING COMES UP IS CONCERNING THE OIL PUMP.
NHTSA complaint #11700717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Halifax, PA
SERVICE BRAKES
Right break light fills up with water. Consistently changing break light bulbs due to moisture in the break light.
NHTSA complaint #11697327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Toms River, NJ
ENGINE
the engine was burning oil unknown to me. You had an oil change completed at 101k miles and 106k miles and there was no oil left in the engine per mechanic. This caused the check engine light to turn on. Upon running the engine scans the code for a crankshaft error was discovered. P0017 The mechanic has now stated that a new engine is required due to the damage done to the engine because of the oil loss.
NHTSA complaint #11695139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clayton, NC
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ABS light, parking break light, tire pressure light, ESC light, and outdoor temperature and climate control all flicker and the speedometer stops working. Multiple cars with same make and model have same issue and are constantly in and out of the dealer with the issue unresolved.
NHTSA complaint #11688679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clayton, NC
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ABS light, parking break light, tire pressure light, ESC light, and outdoor temperature and climate control all flicker and the speedometer stops working. Multiple cars with same make and model have same issue and are constantly in and out of the dealer with the issue unresolved.
NHTSA complaint #11688679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Clayton, NC
SERVICE BRAKES
ABS light, parking break light, tire pressure light, ESC light, and outdoor temperature and climate control all flicker and the speedometer stops working. Multiple cars with same make and model have same issue and are constantly in and out of the dealer with the issue unresolved.
NHTSA complaint #11688679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Visalia, CAFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Unknown. Fire was located under in the engine compartment area and fire was visible from below the engine under the car. When it happened I was driving on the freeway when noticed my car seemed to be struggling stay at the current speend and to loose speed then a it suddenly l no longer would accerlatoed so I pulled over to call 911 a passing vehicle stopped and informed me there was flames under my car. I safetly exited and called for emergency services. The Safety risk of major bodily harm by fire to myself or risk of harm to the environment around me a risk. The check engine light had come on before the fire. Reached out to manufacturer for a fire investigation and was instructed to take car to dealership to for service department to inspect. Was told a ETA of 2 weeks before they will check out my car.
NHTSA complaint #11685190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Visalia, CAFire
ENGINE
Unknown. Fire was located under in the engine compartment area and fire was visible from below the engine under the car. When it happened I was driving on the freeway when noticed my car seemed to be struggling stay at the current speend and to loose speed then a it suddenly l no longer would accerlatoed so I pulled over to call 911 a passing vehicle stopped and informed me there was flames under my car. I safetly exited and called for emergency services. The Safety risk of major bodily harm by fire to myself or risk of harm to the environment around me a risk. The check engine light had come on before the fire. Reached out to manufacturer for a fire investigation and was instructed to take car to dealership to for service department to inspect. Was told a ETA of 2 weeks before they will check out my car.
NHTSA complaint #11685190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Montebello, CA
STEERING
Steering wheel making a clicking noise when turning both ways, stationed and moving, also rattles a lot when going over speed bumps, seems like a manufacturer defect as this is a common thing heard around these Kia’s
NHTSA complaint #11675794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fayetteville, NC
ENGINE
In January 2025, Shortly after an oil change (6-7days after), the vehicle first slowed down abruptly while driving and had a clinking sound. The vehicle was then pulled into a parking spot, refrained from driving due to the clinking sound. It was then towed to a Kia dealership in Jacksonville NC, diagnosed as engine failure at the cost of over $9000. The vehicle has been at the lot since January of 2025 because we can't afford the cost. Similar Kia vehicles have been recalled, and we would like this particular vehicle investigated. We purchased the vehicle in November of 2022 from a used car sales lot.
NHTSA complaint #11674423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Osage City, KS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Timing, VVT sensor. Oil pressure
NHTSA complaint #11672136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Osage City, KS
ENGINE
Timing, VVT sensor. Oil pressure
NHTSA complaint #11672136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.