2019 Kia FORTE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2019 Kia FORTE has 213 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 2.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: the car stopped in the middle of the highway. the car would would move forward or go backward. transmission problem. and only had the car for less than 2 months.. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 11 crash reports 5 injuries

213

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

2.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

47 complaints

22%

• THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR WOULD WOULD MOVE FORWARD OR GO BACKWARD. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. AND ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 MONTHS.
• THE CVT TRANSMISSION FAILED. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED. I OWNED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 3 MONTHS.
• DROVE IT A TOTAL OF 2150 MILES AND TRANSMISSION BLEW. BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH RENTAL UNDER WARRANTY AGREEMENT. DEALERSHIP I TOOK IT TO WOULD NOT GIVE ME A SERVICE LOANER OR PUT ME INTO A RENTAL CAR UNDER KIA. HAD TO COME OUT OF POCKET FOR A RENTAL CAR. SPOKE TO MANY PEOPLE AT KIA. FINALLY GOT A HOLD

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

“THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR WOULD WOULD MOVE FORWARD OR GO BACKWARD. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. AND ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 MONTHS.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

38 complaints

18%

• WITH LESS THAN 8K MILES ON OUR FORTE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN THE OIL LIGHT WENT ON. WE MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE AND WITHIN SECONDS ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. WE COASTED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO FIND OIL SPILLING FROM THE CAR. WHEN WE P
• PROBLEM 1, LONG CRANK HARD START. HAVE TO CYCLE THE IGNITION KEY SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ENGINE STARTED. NO PCM CODES. HAD TO KIA DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES. CANNOT DUPLICATE ISSUE. PROBLEM 2, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES BLANK, RADIO GOES BLANK AND ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.
• AIR CONDITIONER CABIN THERMISTOR DON'T WORK. THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSORS DON'T WORKS. THIS CAR START TO FAIL IN JUST NINE MONTHS AFTER BUY IT BRAND NEW. DON'T WORK IN ANY TIME. *TR

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

“WITH LESS THAN 8K MILES ON OUR FORTE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN THE OIL LIGHT WENT ON. WE MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE AND WITHIN SECONDS ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. WE COASTED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO FIND OIL SPILLING FROM THE CAR. WHEN WE P”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

29 complaints

14%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE 'CAMERA OBSTRUCTED' WARNING SYMBOL STARTED TO FLASH. ALSO, THE BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLLISION AV
• WHILE DRIVING THE CRASH RESPONSE SYSTEMS TURNS ON & SHOWS ERROR CODES WHICH HAS CAUSED VEHICLE TO STOP BY IT SELF. ALSO THE DRIVER ASSIST HAS PULLED MY WHEEL OUT OF MY HAND & JERKED HAD TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES.... THE LEFT STRUT MOUNT BEARING IS ALSO DEFE
• FCW DISABLES WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD.TOOK TO KIA DEALER AND WAS TOLD WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM WITH NO FIX. KIA IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WONT FIX IT. HERE IS A LINK TO WHAT IS HAPPENING: HTTPS://WWW.KIFORTE.COM/FCA_FRONT_VIEW_CAMERA_SENSOR-228.HTML

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE 'CAMERA OBSTRUCTED' WARNING SYMBOL STARTED TO FLASH. ALSO, THE BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLLISION AV”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

22 complaints

10%

• WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE EVEN THO THE RPMS WOULD, AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON.
• FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM DISABLED CAMERA OBSCURED. THIS WARNING COMES AND GOES AT IRREGULAR INTERVALS. NOTHING IS OBSCURING THE CAMERA AND LANE KEEP ASSIST CONTINUES TO FUNCTION NORMALLY.
• THE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM KEEPS SAYING IT'S DISABLED DUE TO SOMETHING BEING IN THE WAY OF IT, I'VE CHECKED OVER THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AND CAN'T FIND ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF ANY OF THE SENSORS.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 4 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE EVEN THO THE RPMS WOULD, AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

21 complaints

10%

• HIT A PARKING SPACE BUMPER WITH FRONT BUMPER, PASSENGER SIDE, LOWER EDGE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, DASH MSGS SAID I HAD STEERING PROBLEMS, ABS, COLLISION AVOIDANCE FAILURE AND TO SEE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. CALLED KIA ROADSIDE SERVICE AND REPORTED DASH MSGS AND THEY SAID NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE AND TOWED IT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SOY BASED WIRING ATTRACTED RODENTS, WHICH CHEWED THE WIRES AND CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO SHORT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOU FUSZ KIA (1025 N LINDBERGH BLVD, ST LOUISE, MO 63132, (3124) 595-4900) WHERE IT WAS DETERMIN
• PROBLEM 1, LONG CRANK HARD START. HAVE TO CYCLE THE IGNITION KEY SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ENGINE STARTED. NO PCM CODES. HAD TO KIA DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES. CANNOT DUPLICATE ISSUE. PROBLEM 2, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES BLANK, RADIO GOES BLANK AND ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“HIT A PARKING SPACE BUMPER WITH FRONT BUMPER, PASSENGER SIDE, LOWER EDGE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER, DASH MSGS SAID I HAD STEERING PROBLEMS, ABS, COLLISION AVOIDANCE FAILURE AND TO SEE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. CALLED KIA ROADSIDE SERVICE AND REPORTED DASH MSGS AND THEY SAID NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE AND TOWED IT ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 213 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR WOULD WOULD MOVE FORWARD OR GO BACKWARD. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. AND ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 2 MONTHS.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: WITH LESS THAN 8K MILES ON OUR FORTE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WHEN THE OIL LIGHT WENT ON. WE MOVED TO THE RIGHT LANE AND WITHIN SECONDS ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL. WE COASTED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO FIND OIL SPILLING FROM THE CAR. WHEN WE P
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE 'CAMERA OBSTRUCTED' WARNING SYMBOL STARTED TO FLASH. ALSO, THE BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLLISION AV
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE EVEN THO THE RPMS WOULD, AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)