NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Kia Forte. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Error code B1620 is registering on my 2017 KIA Forte. The current recall for this issue only covers some 2017 KIA Forte vehicles.
Unknown
My engine has an oil consumption problem. I already had to replace one catalytic converter due to this. It is still happening and now multiple mechanics have confirmed that this is ultimately an engine problem. Not even 1,000 miles after an oil change, it starts making noises and the oil light will flicker on and off. The mechanics all say this is a known issue with Kia engines, but when I looked it up, there is no recall for this part.
The light that marks the low oil of the engine, never turned on and the engine’s time belt was damaged as a result of this, and one of the valves too, and the car just consumed the synthetic oil in just about 7 months, and this is a factory defect because the low oil light inside the car never turned on. And I need that the company replace my engine as a result of this manufacturing defect. My car after that incident has a code P0011.
Engine light came on and off intermittently and then stayed on. Idle was rough and engine almost stalled. When scanned a P0301 code was thrown (misfire on cylinder 1).
I got a code P1326. I looked online and saw this was a common Kia issue. My engine light is flashing and car went into limp mode while driving. I can’t got more than 60 mph. There is occasional knocking as well.
I keep having issues with the crankshaft pulley and the drive belt.
Hello, my name is [XXX] , i just had a 2017 kia forte car accident on [XXX]. I was hit by the driver's side in my door and in the door behind me. the airbag are supposed to be released upon impact. The would have to open because i was going over 25 miles per hour the airbags supposedly release when you go over 25 miles this caused me to break my wrist of my left hand I hit my knees and hurt my face this caused my injuries the malfunction of the airbags conclusion that the car was a total loss i need you to answer for my damages to me because as a consumer i have the right to complain I am waiting for a formal response thank you very much INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Experienced temporary loss of electronic power steering (EPS) on 10FEB24. After driving about 15 miles returning from across town, my wife experienced a momentary loss of the EPS while slowing to make a left turn into our subdivision. She was able to wrestle the wheel through the turn with difficulty but then stopped the car to decide whether she should keep driving. After just a moment, she decided to try and when she pulled forward found that the power steering was working again. She made two more left turns over the two blocks to our house and had no trouble. She doesn't recall any dashboard warning lights coming on but was too flustered to have really noticed. I verified the drive belt looks fine and there are no saved fault codes. The car has about 116k miles on it and the drive belt was changed at 110k miles. Car was inspected two days later by my local repair shop including the suspension system. No fault codes or other anomalies were found and they could not duplicate a problem with the EPS.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the low oil pressure and the battery warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired, due to the warranty being expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage approximately 135,000.
I was getting on the interstate gradually got up to 60 miles per hour when my car started to rev high an then lost all power an stalled it almost got me hit by a tractor trailer the car has ran ok up until then an Kia claims there not a recall for this but I’ve read the stories of the same situation it’s crazy to think they won’t cover to fix this issue my car only has 82k on it an it’s basically totaled an still have payments on it
The speedometer does not work. The car will not accelerate. I always have belt problems.
My car started sounding like a diesel truck. The car didn’t want to changes gears right. It was shutting off randomly. I got on the freeway and it wouldn’t shift out of 3rd gear the way it was suppose to, the car speedometer was reading 60-70 mph but when I switched it to manual it was only in 3rd gear. I almost got rear ended by a diesel truck with a trailer due to it not wanting to shift. I had a mechanic look at it and put it in the code reader. It came up just the cam sensor which were replaced. Went to drive off and it sounded way worse than before. Reput it on the code reader and it said something about the oil pump. Got a second opinion and this mechanic said that it was the bearings in the motor. And now it’s going to be a problem and that’s I’m better off getting a new car.
I have 2 complaints with my Kia Forte. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Yes it can be inspected. 1st complaint-The component or system that malfunctioned was the brakes, possibly caused from the entire braking system, the electronic parking brake software and any damaged intermediate shafts. The problem is like the Telluride SUV KIA. 2nd complaint is an intermittent burning smell mostly in the rear area after I get out of the car to park in the garage for the night. It does not occur all the time. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? After I was outside of the parked car on a level road, I saw my car rolling. I had to open the door and jump in to pull the emergency brake on with it moving. I was not able to get my left leg into the car with it moving so my left leg was dragging outside on the rough pavement and ruined my brand new shoes and hurt my left leg and big toe. I was shook up. Ever since, I always pull on my emergency brake when parked. 2nd issue- I am not sure of the safety issue with the burning smell. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No, I did not know what to do. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning and no symptoms prior to the issues. The 1st issue with the brakes occurred this past Dec. 2023 and was then only occurrence. The 2nd issue has occurred several intermittent times in the past 2 years with the burning smell.
The airbags did not deploy when a large jeep turned into the driver side door.
My engine shutoff/misfired while I was driving. The rest of my vehicle maintained power, dashboard headlights, radio. I took it to an autoshop where the issue was replicated. When my engine shut off the I had three check lights come on eps, oil, and battery. There was no warning prior to the engine shutting off.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 165,000.
The engine failed. Transmission wouldn’t switch. No prior warning but oil lamp. Was on Freeway when it happened. Problem has been confirmed but not with my vin. Lamp didn’t come on until It started to fail
I keep taking my call to the Kia dealership they say my oils is burning and could mess up my engine. They say it’s a recall for issue like this for 2017 Kia forte and I don’t understand why my car is not in that recall if the recalls is the same thing that’s happening to my car
1. The knock sensor failed. As a consequence the vehicle will not run properly. 2. The vehicle has been at Fred Beans KIA of Langhorne for several weeks. I assume that it is available for inspection. 3. The vehicle will not run properly. It will not accelerate when the gas pedal is pressed and the engine often stops running. Very dangerous on highways and heavily traveled roadways. 4. Yes the problem has been confirmed by Ciocca KIA of Trenton, NJ. Frank's Service Center 645 Knowles Ave., South Hampton, PA 18966 and Fred Beans KIA of Langhorne, PA 19047. 5. Yes. See attached report. 6. Yes there was an engine warning light and a message on the screen.
Consumo excesivo de aceite / Defecto del motor - Kia Forte 2017 -Estimado NHTSA, Me gustaría informar de un problema de consumo excesivo de aceite en mi Kia Forte 2017, que parece estar relacionado con un defecto interno del motor similar a los problemas previamente identificados en otros motores Kia. Mi vehículo fue inspeccionado por un concesionario autorizado de Kia, Miami Lakes Kia (Florida). Realizaron una prueba oficial de consumo de aceite y confirmaron que el motor consume aproximadamente 1 litro de aceite cada 1.000 millas, lo que está muy por encima de los niveles normales. El concesionario recomendó reemplazar el motor debido al desgaste interno. Abrí un caso formal con Kia America (caso #25501358) antes de recibir su denegación. Kia America reconoció mi caso, pero más tarde declaró que mi vehículo está "fuera de garantía" y "no está incluido en el acuerdo o en la garantía extendida por consumo de aceite". A pesar de esto, el problema refleja claramente un defecto de fabricación que podría conducir a fallas del motor y riesgos de seguridad durante la conducción (pérdida de presión de aceite, posible convulsión del motor o estancamiento a velocidades de autopista). Solicito respetuosamente que la NHTSA revise este caso y lo incluya en cualquier investigación sobre el consumo excesivo de aceite o los defectos del motor en los motores Kia 2.0L "Nu". Gracias por su atención y por ayudar a proteger la seguridad del consumidor. Saludos cordiales.
Came outside to back windshield shattered. Cars all around me were perfectly fine and mine had a huge hole and was completely shattered. After googling, this is apparently a common problem with kias
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the oil warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed but no errors were found. Out of an abundance of precaution, the oil pressure sensor was replaced; however, the failure persisted. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V260000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which he linked to the failure. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Car does not turn off. Put car in park, remove key, still running. Change gears, step on brake, park, remove key while still on brake pedal, still running. Had to remove two components from fuse box to turn off car & electrical (dashboard was still on when first component was removed, which stopped engine). Key fob doesn’t work either, have to manually lock/unlock. Car is available for inspection. *trying* to set up an appt with the dealership to get it serviced, but it’s a holiday weekend. This is dangerous, bc it’ll kill battery, and if ppl don’t figure out how to manually turn car off from fuse, the fumes can be dangerous. I was at work & in a parking garage. I had to run inside for a few min & the smell was strong afterwards. No warning signs/codes on car. Has not been inspected yet by anyone.
Engine failure-yes its available for inspection While driving home from work on the interstate following flow of traffic, check engine light came on, car started smoking, and shut down almost causing a accident because it was hard to attempt to pull over due to it smoking and shutting down while driving at 55 mph. The problem has been reproduced by Kia Dealership, this is a known issue with Kia's, however, Kia is not working with me on trying to resolve the engine issue It's been inspected by the manufacturer, open recalls on Kia Fortes the engine needs replacement The check engine light came on a few weeks prior, took to get a oil change & full inspection because I had to keep putting oil & coolant in it. However, was informed by mechanic Kia's were known to have oil issues with the oil pump something with foreign particles getting into the pump causing engine failure which was a open recall. In informed the mechanic I had to keep putting oil into it along with coolant, mechanic couldn't find any leaks in radiator, hoses, nor any oil messes on & around engine. I reached out to Kia to discuss that the engine light came on, but the mechanic was unable to find any issue, at that time Kia customer service stated my specific Kia didn't have any open recalls other than the trunk latch. Then 2 weeks later while driving home from work on the interstate, the engine light came on and car started smoking and shut down almost without warning, almost causing a crash on the interstate that could have ended in a tragic situation. Kia continues to give me the run around with a replacement engine on a Kia Forte LX 2.0 MPI engine.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at slow speeds, the vehicle stalled, with the battery and oil level warning lights flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not yet diagnosed. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V260000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, and informed the contact that VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was 100,007.
I purchased a used Kia forte at a dealership 43,000 miles, at 50,000 the car started having issues out in shop multiple times for oil consumption and battery issues. Then my engine stalled out and my car is sitting at a repair shop for over 6 mths now with a bad engine, the original owner did not get the software update so Kia won’t cover my engine replacement/reimbursement. The dealership did not inform me of the product campaign/recall when I purchased the vehicle. I’ve lost 2 jobs now and my apartment, I’m only [XXX] and now no car either. Kia, the dealership and the mechanic all failed me. My life is hard enough as a young female with no help now this, what a mess, what can I even do now. Everything [XXX] for me now and I have lost everything. Idk what to do anymore. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am writing to you today regarding a persistent issue I'm experiencing with my 2017 Kia Forte. On several occasions, while driving at various speeds and coming to a stop, the vehicle has stalled. Each time, I was able to restart the vehicle after the stall. I took the car to an independent mechanic, who discovered debris from the skirt in the oil and informed me that the engine would need to be replaced. Additionally 2 days upon purchase the coils were replaced and about 5 times after that I am concerned that this issue may be related to an unknown recalls for both the coil and the engine, as I've seen similar reports. The current mileage on the vehicle is 134,071. I have already notified the manufacturer about this failure but they stated they couldn't do anything even through this started 2 days after my purchase I would appreciate any assistance you can provide in resolving this matter.
At 86575 miles after routine check ups at the dealership and routine maintenance being done regularly my check engine light came on I tried to put gas in my car and it sprayed all over me and the car and the gas tank I can’t put gas in my car and the dealership is expecting me to cover this costs and I’ve seen many other documented incidents with the same complaints
I take my car to kia dealership for my oil changes.they put the $45.00 oil,not sure if conventional or semi.apprx.4mos ago they told me kia no longer use the $45.00 oil so needed to upgrade to full synthetic oil.so i did,approx 2mos after,engine light came on flasing.with the oil light flashing aswell.i needed to add 4quarts.from that day foward the car does not have power.no more than 60mph.ps.added another 2 quarts adout 3weeks ago
The engine failed similar to all the other recalls I see on other kia models.
The engine light came on and vehicle started stalling. It was cutting in and out as if it was going to die, so I had to simultaneously break and give it gas. It was taken to the mechanic and an ignition coil was replaced. A month later on the highway, the car began the same process but with no engine light coming on. It was again taken to the mechanic and kept for two weeks with nothing showing on the diagnostic machine. A week after taking it home, the light was on again. Same scenario, of not finding anything wrong with it. The issue began at 100,000 miles. The car is almost paid off and I don't feel comfortable driving it. I have small children and don't feel safe driving around. I have contacted Kia about a possible recall which was denied. It is available for inspection upon request. I'm so disappointed that Kia won't address the issue because I have seen so many reviews saying the same thing. The vehicle is seven years old and has had several recalls already. I will NOT purchase another Kia because of the lack of responsibility and refusal to fix the situation. I believe it's the oil lubrication pump because the reviews stating the same issues are spot on what is happening. The cost of replacing the pump is almost what the car is worth.
Headlights started to flicker off and on after using the blinkers. Just randomly. The alarm won't arm or disarm unless I put the key into the ignition, the alarm (and horn) is set off, I have to take the key out and disarm the alarm it with the remote. The car still starts, all the alarm does is make noise. The dashboard displays FUSE and the clock is always displayed at 1:00 when I start my car. They couldn't diagnose my car when I Took the car in for a recall software update, after the update hours later the headlights and dashboard lights turned off while I was on the freeway-no blinkers used when this happened. It happened several times after that. The dealer said they would need to keep my car and though it is under the extended warranty I pay for, there wouldn't be a rental car until it was diagnosed and if it is covered then they would reimburse me or my car rental. I had to wait several weeks until I could get an appointment, and my own car rental. Now the dealer said they couldn't find anything wrong. They kept the car because they had not addressed the inside fuse display on dashboard, clock, or alarm issue.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the mechanic retrieved DTC codes: P0017 and P0014. Additionally, metal shavings were found inside the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 103,000.
My 2017 Kia Forte was stalling during driving with no warning. Engine light would come on periodically and then go off again. It stalled numerous times on busy roads and at busy intersections. I'm blessed I was never rear ended. It finally died after parking it one day and wouldn't start again. It is at the Kia dealership where they tell me... for lack of mechanical terms, it has jumped time and they need me to pay $2200 to have it fixed. My tech told me, "this may fix your problems but we will not know until that is fixed because we can not further diagnose it until that gets fixed". In my 47 years of life I've never had a mechanic tell me to pay that much but we aren't sure if this will fix it. Kia knows these engines are junk and are trying to get out of replacing/fixing what is wrong for so many! This is so wrong! These car/engines are dangerous and a ticking time bomb!
Engine is siezed
My 2017 Kia forte with less than 100,000 miles on it started stalling and consuming excess amounts of oil. I was still paying on it. I made sure to keep oil in my car and always did my oil changes. No receipts for those because my father changed my oil for me. One day it stalled on the highway out of nowhere. It stopped stalling and nobody could figure out why it had done that even when taken into the shop. One day I went out to start my car and it wouldn’t start. My husband had it towed to the dealership and it was a blown engine. I was still paying on this car. I had only had it for 2 years. Now, this make, model, and year are included in a recall for catastrophic engine failure and stalling, yet, when I look it up online my VIN isn’t included… in fact my manufacturing date is only a week out from what they would include. This has been traumatizing to me considering I cared for my mother for ten years and she had just passed unexpectedly after a surgery, and I wasn’t working because of this… now my husband has to now take me to work, if I can find a job that works around his schedule… and I have to pay 7,000 which is what is left of what I owe on my loan. I am unhappy to say the least.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact state that while her niece was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact’s niece was able to restart the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the crank shaft sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, after the vehicle was retrieved, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the oil pan failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V260000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
My car was stolen on 4-17. They tore up the steering column . KIA knows what's going on with the TICK TICK challenge and is doing nothing about it. They quoted me $800 for labor only!!! This is unacceptable. I had to replace my window, my insurance won't cover, I had to purchase a club. I feel violated. I don't know if my car was used in the commission of a crime or will be stolen again. Why isn't KIA recalling or fixing these vehicles. I qualify for the starter immobilizer kit, but they should fix their problem first. I am livid!!!! Its all over the media in 17 states on the rise of these thefts. When is someone going to make them accountable, when someone has to die first.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, but no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the engine oil level was low. The contact stated that the oil was topped off; however, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V260000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and referred the contact to the local dealer. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Charmac Outlaw Trailer hauled by a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V838000 (Suspension). The contact stated that while towing the trailer at an unknown speed, the splines on the axle fractured and the two wheels separated from the axle. Additionally, the contact stated that the trailer was towed to the residence. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure but was advised to contact the axle manufacturer. The trailer had not been repaired. The contact stated that the axle manufacturer denied fault of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
I have a 2017 kia forte that I believe was made in Mexico (12/16) in December of 2016. I have an airbag fault illuminated. I used a scan tool to read the fault. Its 10 faults including DTC B1620, the airbag SRSCM is not communicating. I made an appointment at local KIA dealer for recall. I downloaded the SC226 RECALL. The recall affects a production range for 2017-2018 MY Forte from March 2, 2017 to July 27, 2018. My kia was manufactured 3 months before and has the same defect. I used the NHTSA website to search the VIN and returned the same results. I want to register a complaint that there are more affected vehicles than covered by this recall. I am sure that if the NHTSA were to collect data on vehicles being repaired for this identical defect would find that a greater number of vehicles were affected and many may be operating unsafely without repair.
Load engine "ticking/knocking" noise at 83,200 miles. Vehicle engine maintenance is up to date and serviced by Kia. Noise diagnosed as coming from valve train and/or pistons. Was informed engine replacement is necessary.
Hi there, I got my 2017 Kia Forte brand new. Over the past 6 years, I’ve had to replace the ENGINE IGNITION COILS half a dozen times. Kia refuses to recall this vehicle for this problem, which is very common among other drivers. Just go online and search “2017 Kia Ignition Coil problem” and you will find thousands of people reporting on the same issue with a multitude of the same symptoms: rough idling, shaking vehicle, RPM jumps, check engine light on, etc. The irony is, when I first took my vehicle to a Kia dealership for service, they were fully aware of the issue and alleged recall (their words, not mine). In fact, THE MECHANIC is the one who informed me about the recall 5+ years ago when my first coil misfired. He said the part was recalled, and they would fix free of charge. This was the first time I heard about the recall. NO ONE from Kia had contacted me. No call, email, text, snail mail. Nothing. When an engine ignition coil fails, you run the risk of having your vehicle caught on fire and explode. How on Earth is Kia getting away with keeping this information secret from its customers?? The 2017 Kia Forte has 6 engine ignition coils. I’ve since replaced nearly all of mine - and note, Kia dealerships REFUSE to replace them all at once as they need proof they’re officially “bad” before replacing. Thousands of other customers have also reported going back to the shop over, and over, and over again to get these coils fixed. Kia needs to be held accountable for the safety of these vehicles. Kia needs to recall these cars, and refund customers who have already fixed their cars. In 2020, NHTSA announced civil penalties for Kia for NOT recalling vehicles in a timely manner. We need to keep Kia in check, and hold them accountable for the unacceptable and incredibly dangerous position they continue to put their customers in.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle inadvertently stalled while slowing down. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the camshaft position sensor needed to be replaced. The contact stated that while changing the oil, the independent mechanic became aware of metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.
Had total loss of oil causing engine to fail on February 7th 2023! This after just receiving oil change in January! Car locked up while driving barely making it safely off the road! Had trouble with it going into the new year! Oil was constantly a problem! Just paid off car in October! This engine failure was severe and life threatening considering where I was at the time and all the traffic that was surround! I’ve had friends with Kia’s suffer same engine loss as well! Can’t just be a coincidence!
When I arrived at my destination after driving through rain my paint peeled back on my hood.
I've had it looked at by a Kia dealership and they said I let it run out of oil and burned up my engine. My ASC warranty won't cover it. I had no idea. I've got proof from Valvoline where I always get my oil changes and proves I did it regularly. I had no oil leak signs on the pavement. Your recall #SC210 which I just found out about talks about exactly what happened to me. I really don't think it was my fault and it should be covered. I had no indication that something was wrong till this happened. I've had no problems since I bought the car in November 2021till now.
My car was parked in the car port. The rear back light on the driver side caught on fire. The police and fire department were called. I was not at home at the time, my neighbors used a plastic container to put out by time the fire department got there. The firs department stated that is was faulty wiring. I am waiting for the report from police, fire department, and insurance representative. The car was parked and there was no waring lamp. Fire department had to disarm my car alarm. I will be calling the dealer after this.
Driving at night and low beam headlights both went out at the same time. The only way to drive safely was to use high beams. Opened hood and passenger's side light came back on, very dimly, and then went out again as soon as the left turn signal was initiated. Even the high beam lights flicker when the left turn signal is used. This is completely unsafe because there is no way to see without blinding everyone else on the road with high beams. Headlight bulbs were replaced less than 6 months ago.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026