2019 Kia Forte Complaints

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — Filed 08/04/2026

I took my 2019 Kia Forte LXS to a certified Kia dealership to have the mandatory anti-theft security upgrade performed (Campaign CS2312), which involves installing an ignition cylinder protector plate inside the steering column. Immediately after picking up the vehicle, multiple severe safety and electrical defects appeared. The engine is running very rough, sputters, and loses power especially going up hills, making it dangerous to drive. Additionally, the brake light main is now malfunctioning and fail to illuminate. - creating an immediate crash hazard. The radio and dashboard electronics are also cutting out intermittently. mileage is also not being calculated right. These dangerous engine and electrical safety defects were directly caused by the dealership's botched installation of the manufacturer's security campaign."

POWER TRAIN — Filed 10/13/2026

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at 70-75 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the check engine warning light illuminated, causing the contact and her daughter to be stranded on the highway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the spark plugs and ignition coils; however, the failure persisted. After allowing the vehicle to cool down, the contact restarted the vehicle and drove to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to Jiffy Lube, where the transmission fluid was changed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where DTC P0730 was retrieved, indicating an Incorrect Gear Ratio, and the dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: MC-11029037 and Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign SC199; however, the vehicle was not covered under either program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

ENGINE — Filed 08/20/2026

recommended engine replacement at 111,000 miles

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE — Filed 06/04/2026

Power loss, engine failure. Will not start

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 10/01/2024

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that after driving to the local store and turning off the vehicle, after returning to the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a timing chain failure caused by low engine oil. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle had experienced excessive oil consumption and engine oil was constantly added to the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 124,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 05/29/2026

While driving, the Forward Collision Warning system activated unexpectedly without any apparent hazard or obstruction in front of my vehicle. Immediately after the warning appeared, the vehicle suddenly lost speed and became very slow to accelerate. I was unable to safely increase my speed while traveling on a busy roadway, creating a dangerous situation and nearly resulting in a collision with surrounding traffic. Due to the sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate normally, I activated my hazard lights and was forced to pull onto the shoulder of the road for my safety and the safety of other drivers. There were no visible obstacles, vehicles, or road conditions that appeared to justify the activation of the Forward Collision Warning system. This unexpected activation and resulting loss of vehicle performance created a significant safety risk. I am submitting this complaint because a malfunction of the Forward Collision Warning system or related vehicle systems could potentially lead to a serious accident or injury. I have experienced recurring brake issues despite recently having the brakes replaced. The problem continues to occur, raising concerns that there may be an underlying electrical or electronic malfunction affecting vehicle performance. I was recently pulled over shortly after the brake replacement due to concerns regarding the vehicle's braking system. Because the issue persists after repairs, I am concerned about the safety of the vehicle and the potential risk of a crash or loss of control.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 04/27/2026

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 70 MPH, the contact had exited when the oil and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle rolled over to the side of the road. The contact exited the vehicle and, upon inspection, noticed that an excessive amount of oil had leaked onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the drain plug had failed and the engine was damaged. The independent mechanic replaced the drain plug. However, the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since. The contact had not experienced a failure in the past. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

POWER TRAIN — Filed 03/15/2024

The transmission had a recall 2 years ago and they gave me a new one (KIA). I am having issues with my transmission again

ENGINE — Filed 03/13/2026

My car has cut off on me going down the road and it cut back on I have had where the car is slow at acceleration and trying to stall out on me and causing a car to almost hit me in the bumper cause of it the car only has 112,580 miles and have not been able to drive the car since march 13,2026 due to this issue and not feeling safe to drive it

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 04/06/2026

As I was driving on the turnpike the car engine literally just shut down on me! It could have caused a serious accident. This is the 3rd time when driving the car just stopped on its own on me! Gas tank full, oil good and battery good, but the engine is not! It gave me NO WARNING either. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. I could have been hit all 3 times! Family came to help and tried to jump it and it wouldn't start so I had to get it towed. Dates happened March 28, 31st and April 6, all 2026. Also the key fog lock is defective! It works when it wants too.

ENGINE — Filed 01/14/2026

Car caught on fire while driving down the highway. Had engine replaced with a remanufactured engine in January of 2026 and car engine seized again 30 days later.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 03/07/2026

February 1st 2026, I done my oil change. My car was running fine. No check engine light was on or anything, my forward collision warning started disabling itself when I always kept it on. When I try to accelerate my vehicle it would take a while to accelerate. March 7th 2026, while I was driving, my car quit while it was still running. It also quit the same day again just in park. March 8th 2026, I went to take my vehicle to get a diagnostics and when leaving my home. My car stalled out and quit while in drive. After taking my vehicle to the mechanic, the mechanic reported to me my car had no oil in my car and my motor was fried. I have had the vehicle less than a year and it’s giving me all of these issues

ENGINE — Filed 10/02/2025

October 2, 2025 @ approximately 7:30a. I was heading east on I-10 on my way to work when I seen white smoke coming from under my car. I pulled over, noticed it was on fire. There was a man passing by who seen me & was nice enough to stop & put the fire out. The firefighter then stated my oil pan came a loose and caught fire when it hit the ground. Which caused a lot of damage including me need a new engine. The firefighter stated the pan is useless & is a safety hazard.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 01/24/2025

In a car accident I got into, my car’s airbags did not deploy like they should have and therefore I got greater injuries than I should have. I believe I hit the steering wheel and I did hurt my chest. Both my elbows were sore as well and as well as both my knees had big bruises on them. My right knee to this day still has a bruise/mark on it, which still does not feel the same since then. Very soon after my claims adjuster actually found out there was a recall on a huge amount of Kia’s because of their airbags not deploying and some type of electrical wiring not working properly or something that has to do with that. However, my year car (2019) was not included in this recall. But as you can see, it should have been. My car got totaled as a result from this accident and I did end up going to the hospital afterwards to get checked out. About two weeks or so before, my car just passed its yearly car inspection. And no, there were no messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to this all.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 09/11/2023

So I've been going back and forth with Kia for a year now my car completely lost all capability of driving and reversing after taking it to the dealer at Perris kia they claimed it was my wiring harness and that I needed to pay $7,200 because I'm the second owner of the vehicle and it's not covered under their 60,000 mile warranty as I have 70,000 on my vehicle that was after 3 months of them having my car and I was not given a rental during this time and when I didn't have the 7200 fixed they threatened to put a lien on my car if I didn't tow it that day out of there so I went and got it and after further research that's the motor blower connector actually melted and messed up the wiring harness which I found on your website that Kia did acknowledge the fact that it is a defective part and how to fix it now I am trying to get my car fixed and they are not cooperating with me and saying that I'm out of warranty but it's not a warranty issue it's a defective part.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 07/02/2023

Alternator overheated and caught on fire.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 03/18/2023

My car was stolen from a busy street in front of an elementary school while I was in a restaurant eating dinner 100 ft away. The thief was able to break the window and apparently use an iPhone cable and disassemble the ignition to start the car and drive away. It was recovered later that night several miles away. The suspect will likely not be found. I have serious concerns about the ease with which they gained access to the car and their confidence they could do get away with it. The driver was also reckless causing damage to the side. I have not been contacted by Kia that there is anything wrong the car. I think this poses a risk to car owners and other people who use roads because of how easy it is to gain access, and how w recklessly they can be driven. I have strong concerns about the safety mechanism for preventing the car from being started without the key, that has lagged behind other similar cars and made this Kia Forte an easy target for theft. My only confirmation that my specific year could be a target for theft came last night when it was stolen- the company has said nothing to me.

AIR BAGS — Filed 01/04/2023

Air bags did not deploy during car accident. I sustained severe injuries to the face. Puncture wound to jaw, forehead laceration to skull, spinal cord damage, and fractured ribs. Unknown if problem has been reproduced or confirmed by dealership. Car was totaled not sure if it’s available for inspection. Vehicle is being investigated by insurance and police did complete a report. Check forward avoidance assist system.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 11/10/2021

The contact owned a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at night in foggy weather conditions at 55 mph, the contact rear-ended a parked vehicle while trying to avoid hitting a deer. The gear shift was still in DRIVE but the vehicle was completely stopped from the impact. The driver air bag deployed upon impact and the seat belt did not restrain the contact in her seat during impact. The contact was transported to the hospital for injuries sustained to her head from hitting the windshield and her hips from hitting the steering wheel, which prevented her from flying out of the windshield when the seat belt failed. The contact also sustained additional injuries to her shoulder, neck, and back. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed totaled by the insurance company. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was involved in another collision in September 2019, when another vehicle crashed into the contact's rear driver's side door. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer referred the contact to filing a complaint with NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 05/11/2021

WE HAVE CONTACTED THE KIA DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT BRAKE ISSUES. THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. WELL TODAY IT HAPPENED. WHEN MY HUSBAND HIT THE BRAKES THE CAR PULLED TO ONE SIDE, ALMOST FLIPPED AND HIT A GUARD RAIL.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 04/06/2021

I HAVE LOST POWER PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, CAR HAS LOST ALL FUNCTION WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, 1 TIME WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT THE CAR LOCKED THE WHEELS AND SLAMMED IT ONTO A CURB. EVERY TIME THE SCREEN DISPLAY IN THE CAR GLITCHES. I HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKING APPLIED FOR NO REASON. HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE CAR SHUT OFF (AT NIGHT) KIA HAS HAD THIS CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAS NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. I FILED A REPORT WITH KIA CAUSE I WANT MY MONEY BACK AND THIS CAR SHOULD NOT BE SOLD TO AN INDIVIDUAL UNTIL THEY FIGURE IT OUT AND FIX IT. LAST WEEK THE MIRRORS QUIT WORKING AS WELL BUT THEY SAID IT NEEDED A MASTER SWITCH. ALREADY HAD SOME KIND OF COMPUTER RECALL AND TOOK IT IN TO BE REPLACED. CAR STILL SCARES ME TO DRIVE IT. I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM KIA AND WAS TOLD IT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THE LEMON LAW AS THEY SEEM TO HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO FIX IT MUCH LESS GET IT TO DUPLICATE FOR A DIAGNOSIS. BUT THE STALLING, GLITCHING AND LOOSING POWER IS ALMOST ALWAYS AT TAKE OFF. ONE TIME I JUST KNEW I WAS GOING TO END UP IN THE HOSPITAL OR MORGUE AS IT WAS A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY AT RUSH HOUR. 3 TIMES WAS ON TAKE OFF AND WHEN I WAS MAKING A TURN. SOMETIMES THE SCREEN/RADIO WON'T EVEN WORK OR CONNECT TO ANY DEVICES EITHER. KIA TOLD ME TO RECORD IT HAPPENING, THEY MUST BE CRAZY IT HAPPENS SO FAST ALL I CAN CONCENTRATE ON NOT GETTING INJURED OR KILLED OR INJURING OR KILLING ANYONE ALSO WHEN WE FIRST TOOK THE CAR HOME I NOTICED A BANGING UNDER THE CAR LIKE SOMETHING HITTING UNDER THE FLOOR BOARD TOOK IT TO KIA A FEW TIMES FOR THAT AS WELL AND SINCE THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE IT THEY SAID I PROBABLY HAVE A SOMETHING UNDER THE SEATS DOING IT. BUT I TOLD THEM THAT MADE NO SENSE CAUSE COULD FEEL IT UNDER MY FEET WHILE DRIVING IT.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,AIR BAGS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 01/21/2020

THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, LIGHTING WAS LIMITED, THE SENSORS DID NOT WORK

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,AIR BAGS — Filed 10/20/2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND THE CONTACT DID NOT SEE AN ANIMAL IN THE ROAD. TO AVOID THE ANIMAL, THE CONTACT VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000. *DT*JB

AIR BAGS — Filed 05/11/2019

THE DIVER OF HE VEHICLE HAD FRONT IMPACT DAMAGE AT 40 MPH AND HIT THE SIDE OF ANOTHER CAR. THE ENTIRE FRONT END INCLUDING THE STEEL FRAME WAS BENT IN BUT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,SEATS — Filed 11/12/2018

ON NOVEMBER 12,2018 I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 65 MPH WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER THAT SEEMED TO BE DOING FULL SPEED, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I NEVER HEARD ANY SCREECHING BRAKES BEHIND ME. THE IMPACT TOTALED MY CAR, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE TO THE TRUNK. THE IMPACT MADE MY CAR SPIN AROUND AND AT SOME POINT MY FRONT BUMPER HIT SOMETHING, BUT NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED WHATSOEVER. MY SEAT BELT WAS STILL LOCKED IN PLACE, BUT SOMEHOW MY SEAT RECLINED BACK JUST ENOUGH FOR ME TO BE DISLODGED FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT AND END UP IN THE BACK SEAT, RESULTING IN A BROKEN VERTEBRAE IN MY NECK. WHY DID NOT ONE AIRBAG GO OFF AND WHY DID MY SEAT BELT NOT HOLD ME IN PLACE?