2018 Kia FORTE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Kia FORTE has 188 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (32% of all complaints), specifically: i have had my brand new kia forte for 8 months starting in april. i currently have 16,581 miles on the car. about a month ago my eco light came on by itself and there was no way to turn it off so i had to take it to kia where they unscrewed my battery and it went off. now i am having problems with m. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 17 crash reports 11 injuries

188

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

61 complaints

32%

• I HAVE HAD MY BRAND NEW KIA FORTE FOR 8 MONTHS STARTING IN APRIL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 16,581 MILES ON THE CAR. ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY ECO LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF SO I HAD TO TAKE IT TO KIA WHERE THEY UNSCREWED MY BATTERY AND IT WENT OFF. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH M
• WHEN ACCELERATING THERE IS NO POWER AND IT IS GOING TO CAUSE THE ACCIDENT I WAS ON THE FREEWAY I WENT TO SWITCH LANES I HIT THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE JUST STOOD THERE AND RP M'S GOING UP
• THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO MY ORIGINAL COMPLAINT ON THIS ISSUE #11186351... AS INDICATED IN THAT ORIGINAL COMPLAINT I TOOK MY FORTE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT SERVICED (OIL & FILTER CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION) AND HAD THEM CHECK OUT THE ISSUE I WAS EXPERIENCING; THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING (N

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“I HAVE HAD MY BRAND NEW KIA FORTE FOR 8 MONTHS STARTING IN APRIL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 16,581 MILES ON THE CAR. ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY ECO LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF SO I HAD TO TAKE IT TO KIA WHERE THEY UNSCREWED MY BATTERY AND IT WENT OFF. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH M”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

30 complaints

16%

• I HAVE HAD MY BRAND NEW KIA FORTE FOR 8 MONTHS STARTING IN APRIL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 16,581 MILES ON THE CAR. ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY ECO LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF SO I HAD TO TAKE IT TO KIA WHERE THEY UNSCREWED MY BATTERY AND IT WENT OFF. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH M
• I WAS ENTERING AN ONRAMP AT ABOUT 15MPH; A CAR YIELDED IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT MY BRAKES AND YET SLID INTO THE REAR OF THE FRONT CAR. I DID NOT STOP, EVEN WITH BRAKES APPLIED, AND SLID IN TO THE FRONT ACRE. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY KIA WAS TOTALED AND UNDRIVABLE.
• APRIL 2018, I PURCHASED THE KIA FORTE FROM BULLDOG KIA-ATHENS GA. TWO WEEKS LATER THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. THE KIA WAS DRIVEN TO THE BULLDOG CONSTANTLY. AIR PRESSURE CHECKED EACH TIME. APTIL 10, 2019 THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON, PASSENGER FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT AND DAMAGED RIM WHILE IN MOTION.TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

16 complaints

• "TAKATA RECALL " I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE INITIAL IMPACT WAS THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I RAN A STOP SIGN AT APROX 35MPH AND TEE BONED A TRUCK. AFTER THE IMPACT I SPUN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE WHERE THE SIDE CURTAIN DID DEPLOY.
• TAKATA RECALL. I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND CRASH HEAD ON INTO ANOTHER CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BUT THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.
• IN LOVED ACCIDENT JUNE17TH 2019 WAS REAR ENDED AND DRIVEN INTO REAR END OF 129000 LBS TRACTOR TRAILER. CAR WAS DEMOLISHED, FRONT END AND REAR SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. WAS EXTRACTED FROM CAR.AIR BAGS DUD NOT DELPLOY. SUSTAINED FRACTURED SKULL AND CONCUSSION

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 8 crashes

“"TAKATA RECALL " I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE INITIAL IMPACT WAS THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I RAN A STOP SIGN AT APROX 35MPH AND TEE BONED A TRUCK. AFTER THE IMPACT I SPUN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE WHERE THE SIDE CURTAIN DID DEPLOY.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

16 complaints

• TRUNK IS CONSTANTLY POPPING OPEN, ALTHOUGH NO ONE IS HITTING THE BUTTON ON THE KEYS NOR PULLING THE LEVER. I CAN BE IN THE HOUSE WITH MY KEYS ON THE COUNTER AND IT WILL POP OPEN. ACTUALLY HAD STUFF STOLEN BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHETHER IT IS STOPPED, WHEN I'M DRIVING, ANYWHERE. I DON'T HA
• IVE HAD MY CAR SINCE 38 MILES. THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR OWNING IT. IT HAS BEEN WELL KEPT AND IT STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS ABOUT A MONTH AGO THAT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. IT SHAKES REALLY BAD AT 30MPH AND STAYS IN 6TH GEAR. IT ALSO HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS PICKING UP SPEED AND SHIFTING IN GENERAL. SOMETIMES IT JUST S
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT AN INERSECTION, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HESITATED FOR APPROXIMATELY SIXTY SECONDS AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA AUTOSPORT OF PENSACOLA (6637 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“TRUNK IS CONSTANTLY POPPING OPEN, ALTHOUGH NO ONE IS HITTING THE BUTTON ON THE KEYS NOR PULLING THE LEVER. I CAN BE IN THE HOUSE WITH MY KEYS ON THE COUNTER AND IT WILL POP OPEN. ACTUALLY HAD STUFF STOLEN BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHETHER IT IS STOPPED, WHEN I'M DRIVING, ANYWHERE. I DON'T HA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

11 complaints

• I PICKED UP THIS 2018 KIA FORTE VEHICLE ON 4/4/2018 WHICH HAD APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES ON THE ODOMETER SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS ISSUE IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS STILL NEW OR BECAUSE I JUST TRADED IN A 2016 FORD FIESTA & JUST NOT USED TO THIS VEHICLE.. WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT THE GAS PEDAL STICKS A LIT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA FORTE. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE PEDAL FAILED TO RELEASE AND BECAME STUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,462.
• THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED 2 TIMES THIS WEEK & ON 2 SEPARATE DAYS WHILE I WAS DRIVING & SINCE I ONLY DRIVE THIS CAR ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK THIS HAS ME CONCERNED.. THE CAR STARTED OK AND DROVE FOR A COUPLE OF MILES JUST FINE WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR FELT LIKE I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“I PICKED UP THIS 2018 KIA FORTE VEHICLE ON 4/4/2018 WHICH HAD APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES ON THE ODOMETER SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS ISSUE IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS STILL NEW OR BECAUSE I JUST TRADED IN A 2016 FORD FIESTA & JUST NOT USED TO THIS VEHICLE.. WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS THAT THE GAS PEDAL STICKS A LIT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 188 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I HAVE HAD MY BRAND NEW KIA FORTE FOR 8 MONTHS STARTING IN APRIL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 16,581 MILES ON THE CAR. ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY ECO LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF SO I HAD TO TAKE IT TO KIA WHERE THEY UNSCREWED MY BATTERY AND IT WENT OFF. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH M
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I HAVE HAD MY BRAND NEW KIA FORTE FOR 8 MONTHS STARTING IN APRIL. I CURRENTLY HAVE 16,581 MILES ON THE CAR. ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY ECO LIGHT CAME ON BY ITSELF AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO TURN IT OFF SO I HAD TO TAKE IT TO KIA WHERE THEY UNSCREWED MY BATTERY AND IT WENT OFF. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH M
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: "TAKATA RECALL " I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. THE INITIAL IMPACT WAS THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I RAN A STOP SIGN AT APROX 35MPH AND TEE BONED A TRUCK. AFTER THE IMPACT I SPUN INTO A TELEPHONE POLE WHERE THE SIDE CURTAIN DID DEPLOY.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TRUNK IS CONSTANTLY POPPING OPEN, ALTHOUGH NO ONE IS HITTING THE BUTTON ON THE KEYS NOR PULLING THE LEVER. I CAN BE IN THE HOUSE WITH MY KEYS ON THE COUNTER AND IT WILL POP OPEN. ACTUALLY HAD STUFF STOLEN BECAUSE OF THIS. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHETHER IT IS STOPPED, WHEN I'M DRIVING, ANYWHERE. I DON'T HA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)