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Today’s consumer wants an affordable compact car with all the amenities, which is what many people thought they had found in the 2019 Kia Forte. After all, the automaker boasts that it is “Your road. Your rules.” The trouble is that most owners don’t think that’s accurate, especially when dealing with a defective powertrain, faulty electrical system and other complaints.
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NHTSA Complaints for the 2019 Kia Forte
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Power Train | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Electrical System | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | |
| Steering | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | |
| Air Bags | |
| Exterior Lighting |
Problems with the Transmission
Even when a vehicle features a lower price tag, it should still come with a reliable powertrain. That’s not the case with the 2019 Kia Forte. In fact, it seems that the automaker might have skipped some steps when producing these models.
One NHTSA complaint says, “I have a 2019 Kia Forte that just a few weeks after I purchase it left me stranded because it wouldn’t crank. Now my transmission is out and I had a horrifying experience trying to drive home after my grandma passed away. My family lives 2-1/2 hours away. Then the service department verbally assaulted me while I was trying to receive help. I was on the interstate when the transmission started going out. I was nearly hit several times as the car would slow down and not shift gears.”
It seems this transmission has several malfunctions. Service Bulletin #TSBTRA080 talks about how the IVT assembly requires replacement in some vehicles because it is throwing codes it shouldn’t. In this case, it’s clear to see who makes the rules and it isn’t the Kia engineers.
Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte Transmission Problems:
BRAND NEW 2019 FORTE WITH LESS THAN 2,000 MILES ON IT. DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH AND THE ENGINE STARTS TO REV AND JOLT. GET TO THE RIGHT LANE AND IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT ALL WITH MY FOOT ON THE GAS. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO FIND I NEEDED A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION.
WHILE HAVING MY CAR FOR TWO MONTHS MY, 2019 KIA FORTE TRANSMISSION WENT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT KEPT STALLING. IT WAS REVING ALL THE WAY UP TO 7/8 RPMS WITH ME GENTLY TAPPING ON THE GAS. I HAD MY GRANDMOTHER WITH ME AND RIGHT WHEN WE GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY MY CAR JUST STOPPING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY MAIN ROAD. I WAITED A MOMENT AND TOOK MY KEYS OUT OF THE EGNISION. AFTER 3 MINUTES MY CAR TURNED BACK ON AND I WAS SLOWLY ABLE TO GET IT TO THE GAS STATION WITH IT STILL REVING. I HAD MY CAR TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT THE CAR AND THEY ENDED UP FIXING IT. THEY SAID IT WAS A DEFECT. I’M STILL VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THEY PUT THE SAME ONE BACK IN. IT’S A CVT TRANSMISSION. I DON’T FEEL SAFE AFTER EXPERIENCING THAT ISSUE. IT COULD OF CAUSED A BAD ACCIDENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I THINK THE TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD HAVE A REGULAR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PUT BACK INTO THEM. JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THIS ISSUE I HAD AND LET YOU KNOW HOW CONCERNED I AM ABOUT IT.
CAR IS A COUPLE OF MONTHS OLD WITH 2001 MILES SHOWING ON THE ODOMETER. THE RPMS WOULD SURGE WHILE DRIVING, EVEN AT CONSTANT SPEED THEY WOULD JUMP 500 RPM OR SO THEN DROP BACK DOWN. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND THE SAID THAT IS NORMAL FOR A CVT. A WEEK LATER IT WAS STILL DOING THAT THEN IT WOULD FELL LIKE IT WAS STUMBLING WHILE STARTING UP FROM A STOP. THE NEXT DAY IT HAD NO POWER, ACCELERATOR ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND IT WOULD BARELY MOVE, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY HEADED FOR THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I GOT THERE I HAD TO WAIT A BIT AND THE SERVICE TECH CAME OUT AND TOLD ME THAT WHEN THEY CALLED THE CODES INTO KIA THAT WERE IN THE COMPUTER THEY SAID TO PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION IN IT. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD HAVE THE TRANSMISSION OVERNIGHTED WHICH I LATER FOUND OUT WAS A LIE, AND THAT TECH IS NO LONGER AT THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE A RENTAL VEHICLE IN ITS PLACE. I HAVE STARTED A CLAIM WITH KIA.
CAR WAS MAKING WEIRD NOISES AND JUMPY ACCELERATION, TOOK IT IN AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION, IT’S BEEN TWO WEEKS AND THE TRANSMISSION IS STILL NOT IN AT THE DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT. I WAS TOLD IT’S ON BACKORDER AND NOBODY KNOWS WHEN I WILL BE ABLE TO REPLACE IT. MY CAR IS NOW BARLEY ACCELERATING UNLESS I FLOOR IT. CALLED KIA AND THE DEALER AND NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE
Problems with the Electrical System
If the engine of a vehicle is like the heart, then it’s the electrical system that acts as the nervous system. It sends signals throughout the entire car to make sure everything is running smoothly. That is, of course, unless there is a problem.
One such problem was documented with the NHTSA and states, “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 [dealer] where it was determined that the vehicle was not covered by the factory or extended warranties. The contact stated that the technician replaced the downstream oxygen and transmission output sensors, which was a one time repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 2,200.”
What could be worse than rats eating through the new car wiring? Not much. Except, take a look at Service Bulletin #TSBELE183 that talks about the Integrated Body Control Unit and how it produces improper trunk operation. It also seems to drain the battery, unless the repair is performed. Between tasty electrical wires and trunks that don’t work correctly, this car doesn’t seem to care about the owner’s rules at all.
Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte Electrical Problems:
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 IN TO SALT LAKE CITY DEALER. DEALER REFUSED WARRANTY SVC BECAUSE OF BUMPER DAMAGE AND ADVISED WIRING HARNESS OUT, $4200 REPAIR OR $468. PATCH REPAIR. IS THIS VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE WITH WIRING HARNESS ABLE TO BE KNOCKED OUT FROM HITTING A PARKING SPACE BUMPER WITH SLIGHT LOWER EDGE DAMAGE, THAT COULD ALSO BE CAUSED BY ROCK BOUNCING UP FROM HIGHWAY OR ANY OTHER ROAD MATERIAL THAT IS ENCOUNTERED EVERY DAY. MILEAGE WAS 11496 AT TIME OF TOWING IN
Problems with the Vehicle Speed Control
With cruise control, it’s possible to maintain any speed the driver wants, unless the system is faulty. That’s exactly what we see happening with the 2019 Forte.
Just look at another NHTSA review. “The cruise control won’t hold me on the speed I set the cruise on. If I set it on 55, I look down, I’m up to 70 miles.”
Apparently, Kia believes that owners need to get to their destination faster than what they think. There aren’t any service bulletins discussing this problem, mainly because the corporate team doesn’t want anyone to know there is a problem. Still, if this car was operating on the driver’s rules, one would think it would take into consideration the speed they would want to travel.
Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte Cruise Control Problems:
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.
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.
Problems with the Headlights
When driving down the road at night, it is imperative that the lighting works as it should. Otherwise, danger is inevitable. That’s exactly what we see with this Kia.
One NHTSA complaint states, “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.”
It turns out there is a severe problem with the exterior lighting on the Forte. In fact, a recall has been issued. NHTSA Campaign Number 18V771000 states that the low beam aiming is incorrect on over 1,000 vehicles. If the headlights don’t get aimed correctly, the driver might have reduced visibility as shown in the above statement. But, it isn’t just the aiming that the manufacturer is fixing. The repair calls for all-new headlights. That suggests that something larger is going on and the company doesn’t want anyone to know. It might be the owners road, but they aren’t able to see it at night.
Problems with the Air Bags
Air bags are intended to keep the driver and occupants safe inside the vehicle, when everything is operational. Yet, in the Forte, this is just one more system that doesn’t seem to be constructed correctly.
One more NHTSA complaint says, “The driver of the 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.”
While it is unclear if any injuries were reported as a result of this accident, it’s clear to see how dangerous this fault truly is. Just like the statement about the headlights, the air bag failed to deploy when it was needed the most. Does this sound like a well-constructed car or something that was merely slammed together and sent to people’s homes? Unsuspecting owners are driving these vehicles unaware of the present dangers. Most people that have driven one know that this car doesn’t truly care about the road or the rules.
Here are some actual complaints logged with the NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte Airbags Problems:
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?
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Complaint Data
| Category | Electrical System:ignition:anti-theft:immobilizer/proximity:key/sender |
| Date | Mar 19, 2023 |
| State | IL |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Electrical System:ignition:anti-theft:immobilizer/proximity:key/sender |
| Date | Feb 17, 2023 |
| State | DE |
| Description | Newer kia models have such poorly designed security features and body that they have been targets for car thefts. In one year of having this car it has been broken into on two separate occasions and hot wired. Viral social media videos display how to steal kia's with ease. From breaking windows, picking locks, and taking the ignition out. Several insurance companies have now dropped kia owners or raised their fees because of their easy accessibility and high chance of theft. Kia seems to have acknowledged this but I have yet to see a recall, warning, or any action taking for their faulty designs. |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Jan 23, 2023 |
| State | TX |
| Description | It has been a reoccurring problem where the car will suddenly shut off in the middle of driving. I have already taken it to kia 4 times and the problem has not been fixed. There is a creaking noise and when I specifically turn left, it will trigger the oil light and it will flash. Recently, it has not been starting. It has definitely put my life and other at risk but I have no choice but to drive it because of work and school. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Jan 20, 2023 |
| State | NY |
| Description | My kia forte engine suddenly seized at 112,548 miles. This was verified by a personal mechanic as well at a kia dealership service department. There were no notifications or warning lamps alerting of any potential problems with this engine or any other car part at all. This car was bought brand new and serviced oil changes were made on time only using full synthetic oil. Luckily for me this happen while I was on my driveway and not on the road. |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | Jan 19, 2023 |
| State | MS |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings, Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection |
| Date | Nov 29, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Forward collision obstruction light keeps popping on while driving very randomly steering sometimes doesn't work and brakes sometimes don't work all very random sometimes car is completely fine sometimes it's not… it's very scary I haven't taken it in to be inspected yet. Headlight fail light keeps turning on and off as well |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Oct 09, 2022 |
| State | NC |
| Description | Hesitates to start. Spudders when in drive “dâ€. Must drive in “s†sport to stop the spuddering. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 27, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The car I currently have was recalled in 2020 one year before I brought the car . For power train:axle assembly:axle shaft . I could have been in a really bad car accident september 18 . My car completely shut off while I was making a right turn right in the middle of the street won't start just dead . I had to push my car to the nearest store so I can get it towed ! . The dealership sold me this car probably not knowing it was recalled that's a safety issue |
| Category | Electrical System, Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:bulbs |
| Date | Jul 21, 2022 |
| State | CA |
| Description | The contact owns a 2019 kia forte. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the message "check brake lights" displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. However, upon inspecting the brake lights, her father noticed that the brake lights were operating as designed. The contact stated after her mother had parked the vehicle, her father inspected the brake lights for a second time and noticed that the brake lights had failed and the brake light bulbs had melted. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,100. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | May 31, 2022 |
| State | WI |
| Description | Car was stolen 04/18/2022 took thief's less then 2 minutes to take vehicle |
| Category | Engine, Power Train, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Apr 03, 2022 |
| State | KY |
| Description | The transmission failed while on the interstate/freeway while trying to merge into traffic. The vehicle lost power and would not accelerate even though the engine was revving up in rpms. The vehicle is available. The transmission was replaced with a "refurbished transmission" through warranty by kia. Two days later the car began jerking and the check engine light came on. The vehicle was returned to the dealership. The car was then returned to me, the owner, only to have the check engine light come back on, so the car was returned a third time for "transmission" related issues. The vehicle in question has been at the dealership for over two months as the dealership tells me that they are going "back and forth with kia techline" to figure out the issue. The initial transmission failure was confirmed by the kia technicians and reproduced prior to the "refurbished" transmission being put in. The vehicle and component have been inspected by the kia technicians who say they cannot solve the issue and are currently working with kia techline to solve the issue. The only prior symptoms were briefs moments of hesitation in acceleration from the vehicle when on the interstate/freeway. This series of events began at the beginning of december 2021 and the vehicle is still in the shop as of april 3, 2022. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Mar 22, 2022 |
| State | OK |
| Description | The transmission has had multiple catastrophic transmissions failures while driving. The transmission does not engage and the car cannot accelerate, which has created severe safety issues, especially on the freeway. We were almost hit by two semi-trucks this last time because the transmission would not engage and would only rev high while traveling on the turnpike in an 80 mph zone and the car decelerated quickly due to lack of engagement and the rpm gauge just would redline with no movement to the wheels. This has happened several time before but this was the one that scared us the most... Each event was scary. The first transmission failure happened at around 20k miles and if the transmission is replaced this time it would be the third replacement transmission within only 10k miles since the care only has 30k miles on it. I have talked with the dealership and kia consumer assistance multiple time with no resolutions. They are obviously aware of the issues with this transmission and just keep making promises that never happen and just keep us in a consistent state of a "runaround." |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Feb 28, 2022 |
| State | WA |
| Description | The collision light comes on and a drop down on the dash says the collision is not working. Upon occasion the breaks with go off randomly. When the breaks all of a sudden slam it makes a horrible noise that scares me and I automatically want to slam on my breaks when that happens. I have a fear of someone rear ending me. I don't know if the break lights come on when that happens. Smith kia in bellingham wa. Has looked at the car numerous times. They could never duplicate the problem so nothing ever got fixed for a long time. Then one day it was reproduced by them and they said they got a reading on it and fixed the problem. But it didn't fix the problem it still is doing it. They kept my car again a few times but this time cannot duplicate it so they gave me my car back. I even sent them lots of pictures every time it happened with the mileage in the picture. The manufacturer has never looked at my car. No insurance, police or other has looked at my car. The warning lights would just come on randomly at any given time. The same with my breaks randomly going off. There was a drop down stating a lot of words but I could never read it because it popped back up so fast but when the breaks went off there was no dash lights saying anything only the drop down. There was never any warning ahead of time. It just happened with both occasions, no warnings!! |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Feb 22, 2022 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Driving along the highway and transmission failure occurred, causing engine rpm to jump sky high and rapid deceleration without warning or brake lights. Luckily we were not hit by any other cars and were able to pull get off the highway onto the service road. Check engine light came on and the car wouldn't move. Turned the car off and back on after a few minutes and the transmission wouldn't move forward without massive rpm and no faster than 12mph or so. This is the second time this has happened. I didn't report the first time because figured it was a one-off occurrence. The first time we had 26,000 miles on the car, this time, the new transmission went out after only 8,000 miles. All services have been performed by the kia dealer directly. Car is back at kia dealer for the transmission replacement again. No confidence in keeping the car given they replaced it with the same transmission that had problems twice! |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 27, 2022 |
| State | CT |
| Description | #1 I assume the fuel system or electric system are what failed #2the car shuts off while driving,when trying to restart{if it restarts} no power & shuts off again #3 I have contacted the dealer& kia main branch in california 3 times by phone & email but have heard nothing, I have been trying to find out if there is a recall but the dealership said have it towed here & it will cost 100$ to see if its been recalled{ my answer was you could tell me by the v I n # I cant affored a tow the 100$ to tell me if there is a recall{there answer was thats not my problem}#4 there were problems with the head lights kept blowing out{I replaced them2x out of pocket#5 the only warning I had was loss of power before dying. |
| Category | Structure:body |
| Date | Jan 26, 2022 |
| State | IL |
| Description | I bought a white 2019 kia forte almost brand new around july of 2019 my bumpers paint began peeling in a tiny spot I thought was a chip from a rock but rapidly began peeling all over. February of 2020 was when I thought it started getting pretty bad chips and chunks were missing all over the bumper and it wasn't even a year yet maybe 10,000 miles by then. I took it to kia they said I had to take it to buick gmc dealership l where I bought it yet they told me I had to take it to kia it was a lot of back and forth and I was busy with school and work it just wasn't a priority at the time. It is now jan 2022 a little over 45,000 miles it is still under bumper to bumper warranty. I took it into kia on jan 18 2022 for other recalls and sensor problems but when bringing up the paint problem nothing they said nothing can be done and it was not covered. The paint has looked as it has been delaminating and paint chipping has drastically spread. Please look at the photos attached for reference. After looking into it I have found out it is a common problem with white paint and would appreciate it if I hear back so kia can fix this issue. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Dec 22, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | My car was vehicle was driving on the highway over 200 miles away from home when I was driving about 65 mph the speed limit. When trying to accelerate on the highway my vehicle would jump from 2,000 rpms - 4,000 rpm not going faster. As I hit the gas my speed decreased and I pulled over the side of the road. When I tried to turn on/off my car the check engine light randomly appeared and I was stuck on the side of the road unable to accelerate. My car could have been rear ended on the highway with speed limit of 65 mph and I could have died if I didn't think quickly and pull to the side of the road. The dealer that the car towed to confirmed my car's transmission needed to be replaced. The only prior warning was my car's acceleration was decreased after recall sc199 was completed by the dealership. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Nov 19, 2021 |
| State | GA |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Oct 19, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | The contact leased a 2019 kia forte. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall. The contact was uncertain if any warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer on multiple occasions and was initially informed that repairs were needed to the transmission. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under warranty. Despite the repair, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the contact was informed that sludge was found in the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000. Consumer stated transmission problem affected the engine.*jb |
| Category | Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire |
| Date | Sep 30, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I rented a kia forte from avis. I got a flat tire that was not repairable. I called aaa. There was no spare tire. I learned that kia and many other manufacturers now do not provide a spare tire. This is exceptionally dangerous because you could get trapped in a remote location, in a desert, wilderness or very cold area and die. I propose that nhtsa require all rental cars to have spare tires (the kia had a space for one), and further that new cars disclose prominently that there is no spare tire. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 18, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I got this car from the dealer at auction , so I am the second owner , power train warranty voided for 2nd owner , at my 90k miles , my transmission shaft has been broken due problem with the same year 2019 recall , dealer refused to fix it because I am out of warranty . I bought another transmission and still have the same problem , the car is unuseable at all . |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Jul 26, 2021 |
| State | WA |
| Description | On june 18, 2021 our vehicle was taken to the west hills kia located in bremerton, wa for routine maintenance. During this visit, we reported a sound coming from the steering wheel and indicated that the sound was loud and wanted it inspected. The technician reported this as follows: mr 10diag: diagnose customer concern customer states when turning the steering wheel, it sounds like something is being wound up. The technician, michael moore (102) verified the noise confirming that it was coming from the output shaft bearing area of the steering column housing. The technician also indicated that this issue required a tech line case with kia for approval. I have called west hills kia's service department on: june 25th, 2021, june 30th, 2021, july 7th, 2021, july 22nd, 2021 and again today, july 26th, 2021 to check on the status of this approval to no avail. On june 30th, 2021 and july 22nd, 2021, I left 2 voice messages for their service department manager, jay also without a return call. I have called kia consumer directly on july 5th, 2021, july 6th, 2021 and july 7th, 2021. Each time, the wait times have been greater than 30 minutes and after holding, I have been hung up on. Today, on my drive home, the steering wheel locked up and would not let me turn the steering wheel. Considering that the vehicle is still under warranty and an issue like this could cause an accident or even irreparable damage, we do not feel safe driving this vehicle. We would like this matter resolved asap. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Jul 15, 2021 |
| State | OH |
| Description | My kia is experiencing the same problem that kia has issued a recall on for every year but 2019 kias. My 2019 kia is experiencing the same problem from the recall of "an inconsistent heat-treating process for the piston oil rings can damage the engine and lead to a loss of power, thereby increasing the risk of a crash." my 2019 kia experienced all of this and no help from the dealership as they didn't want to figure out the problem and wanted me to spend thousands of dollars on a problem kia has recalled many of there makes/models now. My safety was at high danger due to the car stalling during driving. The diagnose was a bad timing chain and after my mechanic I trust more then the dealership and have proof of the problems/diagnosis is now my kia has two pistons that are actually shot and caused problems with my oil life in the car. The mechanic believes it could be caused by the same problem/recall stated above on other makes/models. I have know suffered without a car for a few months and my family has suffered tremendously from just needing to get my car fixed but I still continue to pay my monthly payments on my 2019 kia. Now the shop I have it at says there's 2 bad pistons and I need an entire new engine. There was no warnings or check engine light that came on and I just hope there will be an investigation at least on the 2019 models as well and or an answer to why they did 2015 models-2021 but skipped the 2019 kia fortes & this investigation of this complaint started after my car was already made and waiting to be sold by a dealer but my car is now experiencing the exact same problems listed above that other kias have. I can provide and proper paper work from the mechanic if necessary/upon request. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Jul 12, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | The collison forward warning and check engine light has been going on and off my car since last year. I have had to go to the shop several times with no answers why this is happening! Every time I bring it in it goes off again and they said nothing is wrong with the car to bring it in when the lights come back on. They come and go so its hard to keep bring it back and they said without the light on they can't run a diagnostic test. Yesterday I was going down my street at 30 mph the forward collision warning came on and my car immediately stopped on its own like I hit something then the check engine light came on! It scared me half to death! I turned off my car and then turned it back on. The check engine light is still on now. I am done with this car! |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jun 25, 2021 |
| State | NC |
| Description | The contact owns a 2019 kia forte. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning while depressing the accelerator. The contact then received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v459000 (power train) which was linked to the failure. Upon taking the vehicle to a dealer, the mechanic was initially unable to repair the recall due to the part not being available. The vehicle remained in the possession of the dealer for nearly a month and immediately upon return of the vehicle, the failure persisted. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the dealer where and was informed that no fault was found with the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had worsened, and the vehicle failed to start up after multiple attempts. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage approximately 52,000. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | May 18, 2021 |
| State | VA |
| Description | In may 2020, transmission started bouncing up and down on the highway. Then the transmission started skipping. When I came to a stop and tried to start again, there was almost no power going to the transmission. It created an extremely dangerous situation while trying to drive through an intersection with oncoming cars. The dealership replaced the transmission. In may 2021 356 days after the the second transmission was installed, it happened again and created another extremely dangerous situation when I tried to pull out into traffic and had no power. Kia is again going to replace the transmission but is going to use the same one that was installed originally and the replacement one. I think there should be an investigation into the transmission kia is using. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | May 18, 2021 |
| State | LA |
| Description | My car is a 2019. Pretty much brand new car. I got a voluntary emissions recall notice in the mail in december 2020. The notice said something about a computer software update but I wasn't have any problems with my car at that time and I've been working non stop on the front lines since the covid pandemic started. Well little did I know that while driving home from work one evening in april my whole car would break down! According to the dealership/service dept it needs a whole new transmission! Now I am stuck paying for a rental out of pocket or hitch hiking to work. The service dept has had my car for 3 weeks now. 🙁 I believe the recall notice should say mandatory or worded saying "your car will break down on you"! |
| Category | Service Brakes |
| Date | May 11, 2021 |
| State | KY |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Electrical System, Structure:body, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Apr 09, 2021 |
| State | TN |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Feb 12, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Forward collision assist disables while driving. It happens randomly at different times of the day, at varying speeds and varying road types. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Feb 05, 2021 |
| State | IN |
| Description | Passenger side low beam headlight keeps going out,works for a then goes out |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Feb 04, 2021 |
| State | FL |
| Description | It usually just randomly happens when I'm driving, the light comes on and to turn it off I either have to restart my car or just wait until it goes away . Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't |
| Category | Electrical System, Power Train, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Feb 02, 2021 |
| State | AL |
| Description | I've been having issues with the fcw (forward collision warning) not working properly over a year. At first I thought it would correct itself, but the problem became more prevalent, and with research, others have said they've had this same problem as well. There have also been numerous times when I've been merging onto an interstate and the car would not go over 60-65 mph no matter how hard I pushed the gas. Yesterday was when the real issues began. I was driving on a city street when my entire system blacked out. I could see anything on the screen, and this was surprising to me because I had just taken my car to a local kia and they said they had updated the system. About 20-30 minutes later I visit a local store to pick up a few items. The car had to be off only 2 or 3 minutes, when I return and started to start the car it sputtered and would 'turn over.' I attempted a few more times and it finally did so. My car only had about 26,000 miles, there is no way I should be experience problems as such, and I get it serviced regularly. Lastly, I was on my way home and I stopped at a family members house to pick up some things and I parked about 10-15 feet from the house and I leave the car idling in park. Before I even walk away from the car, I stood at my car door talking for about a minute or 2. I'm in the house for about 15-20 minutes them all of a sudden there is a loud thud outside. My car has managed to fall out of gear and roll into my family members porch. It sustained some damage to the drivers side bumper and fender. With more research I discovered that this has been a problem with this particular make and model as well. This car is basically a lemon. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 23, 2021 |
| State | CA |
| Description | I was on my way to work and my car started shaking and going really slow until it got to the 3rd gear and it would drive a little faster. I took my car to the dealership where I purchased it they took it to kia dec. 26,2020 and it's still there they said my gas contaminated and charged 620. 00 then when I give them the ok to fix that problem 1day later they tell me it's been a recall on my transmission I've only had this car for 5months |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Jan 21, 2021 |
| State | NY |
| Description | On 8/26/20 in the dealership with steering issues. Advised faulty clockspring. 9/3/20 replaced clockspring. However, advised there was an internal failure. 10/19/20 back to dealer. Entire steering column needed to be replaced. Steering column replaced, however, studs or bolts were stripped and needed to be replaced. On 1/21/21 car back in the shop with same steering issue. Local dealer is unable to repair and they have contacted kia. Kia states this is a problem on this model and they are working on a "remedy". I am concerned this is a safety issue. This is a 2019 kia forte and I should not be worried about driving a new vehicle. No resolution as of today!!! |
| Category | Power Train, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jan 16, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | On a random trip of ours, my vehicle had started jolting a bit furiously at some moments, revving intensely at the most inappropriate times, having incredible trouble idling or driving in general once at a stop sign/light. At times, the car will not move as I have my foot pressed on the gas, and maybe after 10 seconds of doing so, the vehicle will jolt immensely, almost injuring me in the process. I first thought I had water in my gas tank, but after assessing that situation and no fix, I then replaced the spark plugs as I figured they may have went out, mainly because at 30,000 miles they are needed to be replaced for my vehicle. But after that also did not work, I then looked to see if my vehicle had the same problems, where I found out a lot! Other people had the exact problem, and it made so much more sense! The cvt(transmission) use radically switching gears as I am driving, causing many unnecessary problems for me! My vehicle is only at 31,500 miles, and shouldn't be having these kind of problems. I highly believe we need to recall the cvt transmission of the 2019 kia forte, for they have not been broken in correctly. I still proceed to take small trips with my vehicle to see if there is a fix, but it stays the same. When driving around 60 mph, the car will stop speeding up, and rather would stay revving out of control. Twice I have come to a problem with being stopped at a random location, and it would rev almost to redline, but no movement at all. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings |
| Date | Jan 14, 2021 |
| State | TX |
| Description | 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 |
| Category | Wheels |
| Date | Dec 22, 2020 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | While driving on highway, dashboard alerted to front end collision warnings but I was not in a collision then moments later the front driver side tire blew causing body damage to the bumper and guards, totally shredding the tire. The car has only 18,500 miles and tires were properly inflated. Normal driving use. Tires are made by kumho and the car is a kia forte. I have seen other complaints of these specific brand tires blowing out around 20,000 miles even though they are guaranteed for 70,000 miles. Unfortunately blow outs, bubbles, etc are all not covered under tire warranty or under car warranty. Very disappointing and very dangerous. |
| Category | Fuel/propulsion System |
| Date | Nov 05, 2020 |
| State | VA |
| Description | There is/was a flimsy plastic "shield" covering the undercarriage of this car beneath the passenger compartment. Calling it a shield is a stretch considering how flimsy it is. I don't know what it is called and apparently no one at kia usa or their dealerships does either. I have tried multiple dealerships parts departments and corporate for months now and none of them seem to be able to find the part or tell me what it is called. Three times now the leading edge has come loose and dragged the road. It scrapes and eventually breaks off if I don't cut it off first. There is very little left of it now. My concern is that this is a serious safety issue. The second time it started scraping I think it scooped something up off the road and caused damage to the fuel line, because when I got out of the car to look at what happened I smelled gasoline. There was a pinhole in the fuel line and it was spraying out under pressure. This flimsy plastic piece is the only thing between the fuel line and any road hazards that might damage the fuel line. If I hadn't gotten out to check on it, my car might well have caught fire! It's not very far from the exhaust, fortunately it wasn't spraying on that! The lines are recessed in a channel, but this obviously wasn't enough protection. A metal plate over the channel would provide some actual protection. As it stands now, I am driving around with a significant length of the fuel line exposed to road hazards because they can't tell me what the part is called to order it for me. I do not recall the exact date, so I picked one since it wouldn't let me continue without. I believe the month is correct, but am not even 100% sure about that. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Oct 23, 2020 |
| State | MA |
| Description | I was driving north on ma 495 north near haverhill ma when all of a sudden my car was over-revving and no power was getting to the wheels. I had to pull over on a busy highway. I was lucky I made it to a rest stop. I talked to the tech at kia and they are aware of this problem being a "common thing" and I need a new transmission. Thankfully it is under warranty still. I feel kia's complete disregard for customer safety in this matter is appalling. Loss of power like that can cause a major crash and potential loss of life. If they are aware of the problem they should do a recall on the vehicles and replace every transmission. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Oct 22, 2020 |
| State | NC |
| Description | The ivt trans went bad with out warring I was doing 70 mph on I 77 in nc with cruse on . Then the engine tacked up to 7000 rpm a fue times then I shifted to sport mode the rpms stoped jumping around till I got to hickory nc . When driving to dealer ship the car would not hardly pull its self/ no warring lights or any type of warring of lost of power. Other then high rpm on the engine. The car is at dealership now to get a new trans . It only has 17500 mile on it this ivt is trash and dangerous. It will kill some one that dont know autos |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 18, 2020 |
| State | FL |
| Description | Have only had my car for 1 year and I have to have a new steering shaft put in. I was hearing a grinding noise in the steering column. Had it checked and that is what they found. Thank god it was covered under our warrantee. |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Sep 14, 2020 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | About 4 weeks ago my steering wheel starting make a grinding noise I took it to my kia dealer where they replace the clock spring. After that was replace my steering wheel is still making the noise. |
| Category | Power Train, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Sep 03, 2020 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Tl* the contact owns a 2019 kia forte. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the rpms would rev up to approximately 4,000 rpms or more. The contact stated that they would intentionally slow the vehicle to reduce the rpms. The contact stated that while idle at a red light, the vehicle accelerated forward unintentionally. The contact pulled over into a nearby parking lot where the vehicle stalled however, the tires continued to spin without moving the vehicle forward. The vehicle was towed to gene messer kia (6006 19th st, lubbock, tx 79407, (806) 776-5600) who diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the repair, the contact stated that with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle lunged forward. The contact returned the vehicle to the same dealer. The vehicle had not received a second diagnostic test or repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 24,000. |
| Category | Engine, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Aug 11, 2020 |
| State | OH |
| Description | Everytime I am on the highway, then either come to a complete stop or try to turn to go up a hill. It won't kick in to gear. Thd rpms go way up and it almost stops running. Its been happening like for a week now. Its getting worse. My headlights also seem like they are pointed to low to the ground. Please help I use my car for work. Thank you |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Aug 05, 2020 |
| State | SC |
| Description | It's making a rattling noise, I don't have a clue where it's coming from |
| Category | Steering |
| Date | Aug 04, 2020 |
| State | WA |
| Description | When driving, steering wheel "growls" when making turns while in motion. Dealership put me in a loaner due to entire steering column needs replacing and car is unsafe to drive. I've only had the car for 13 months when this happened. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jul 31, 2020 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Ivt transmission failure. Car has about 27k miles, purchased at 22k used. After driving off the highway from 70mph to a near stop at the feeder road stop sign, the car would barely move, seems like the gear ratio did not adjust back down. Then noticed severe jerks when transmission tries to change the gear rations, and rpm would shoot up erratically. Took it to the nearest kia dealer, had to wait about 10 days for an appointment. They confirmed a transmission failure and replaced transmission in about 5 days.. Not sure how long this will last. Definitely a scary and safety issue and needs a closer look at the design |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Jun 06, 2020 |
| State | GA |
| Description | 1: the car randomly sends a collision warning message when theres nothing in front of it, several times on the interstate and several times on surface streets when nothing was in front of it. One time it automatically slammed on brakes slowing the car to a crawl when nothing was in front of it. On a surface street. The dealership blamed the issue on a microscopic chip missing in the windshield at the extreme 7 o'clock position of the camera. We were told they wouldn't do anything about the issue until the windshield was replaced at owner's expense, which would cost over 0. 00 just for the windshield. 2: the car also randomly switches driving modes on its own. Took the car back to the dealership about this issue. Was told by the service rep that the car automatically changed on its own according to input from the gas pedal from the driver. The lead tech informed us that we were somehow activating the switch by touching it somehow while its being driven cause theres no way it switched on its own. The car is an inherent safety hazard as these issues randomly pop up with no notice. *tr |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jun 04, 2020 |
| State | MN |
| Description | I purchased a 2019 kia forte in december of 2018. Starting around 7,200 miles, I noticed the engine rpms would fluctuate especially under light acceleration. Fluctuations were between 200-500 rpms. The vehicle went in for service with about 7,450 miles and I was told the transmission needed to be replaced. The replacement was completed quickly by the dealer. T seems like there is a high failure rate early on with these kia ivt transmissions. These should be recalled. I imagine in another year and a half I will be back into the dealer for another replacement transmission. Very disappointing as this is not a vehicle you can rely on for long trips. *tr |
| Category | Engine And Engine Cooling |
| Date | May 18, 2020 |
| State | PR |
| Description | 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 |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | May 07, 2020 |
| State | OR |
| Description | I purchased this car in december for 2018. In october of 2019, it started having issues with the rpms bouncing. The dealership said the transmission needed to be replaced. I had to wait for 3 months to get my car back as we waited on a transmission. I noticed the rpm bouncing was happening again. On 5/7/2020, I was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced again. I voiced my concerns about replacing the transmission with the same model that had issues. I requested that the service department find out what model the replacement transmission is so we do not have this happen again. *tr |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Apr 11, 2020 |
| State | IL |
| Description | I had taken the car to the dealership because I felt it struggling to accelerate and overall being "jerky" driving 30-40mph on a city street with minimal hills. Dealership found nothing wrong as no codes were showing any errors. No more than 2-3 weeks later, transmission died while driving 70mph on a highway with only 8,800 miles on the vehicle. I could not accelerate the car without the rpm hitting the red line even though I was barely pressing on the gas. I'm lucky I didn't get rammed by the truck that was coming behind me as I quickly engaged my emergency warning lights and pulled over when a safe opportunity arose. I bought this car brand new (no prior owners). I did some research, and unfortunately this does not seem to be the first complaint of transmission failure in this model. |
| Category | Air Bags, Exterior Lighting, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Feb 06, 2020 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | The air bag did not deploy, lighting was limited, the sensors did not work |
| Category | Electrical System, Engine, Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Feb 03, 2020 |
| State | NY |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking, Steering, Suspension |
| Date | Jan 28, 2020 |
| State | MO |
| Description | 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 defective on the vehicle |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 13, 2020 |
| State | TX |
| Description | Had car for just one month. I purchased a fleet car with 20k miles. This problem occurred at 24k miles. I was driving on highway at 65 mph, and the car started revving very high 6-7k when accelerating, where it's usually 2-3k. The car finally gave out (shaking and sputtering) and couldn't accelerate any longer. Had to pull over on the shoulder. I tried turning the car off and on, and checked under the hood. I drove the vehicle to my parents house close by at low speed trying to keep the engine from red-lining. I knew it was the transmission right away because of the symptoms. I am very disappointed because the vehicle is a new model, and it could have been a very dangerous situation. The car will get fixed because it's under warranty, but it really gives me reservation about driving it going forward. Such a critical failure is very dangerous, and will stay on the back of my mind always. I called kia and they towed it to the nearest dealership. I am getting a rental from them. |
| Category | Forward Collision Avoidance |
| Date | Jan 06, 2020 |
| State | SC |
| Description | 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 avoidance system warning indicator remained flashing. Additionally, while the collision avoidance system was engaged, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle was towed to jt's kia of columbia (230 killian commons parkway, columbia, sc 29203) where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced; however, it was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was still in the dealer's custody. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 02, 2020 |
| State | MD |
| Description | On a trip the car began jerking and losing acceleration with the engine running at high revs (5-6k) on the highway. Eventually the check engine light came on and the car was not able to maintain speed or accelerate. The car was towed to kia dealership in reading, pa, 150 miles from my house. After 3 days of evaluation, I was informed the car will need a new transmission. The expected time to complete the repair is 6 weeks. The car has 10k miles on it and did not have any issues prior to this incident. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Dec 03, 2019 |
| State | CA |
| Description | Tl* the contact owns a 2019 kia forte. While the vehicle was at an intersection, the contact released the brake pedal to depress the accelerator pedal and the rpms increased to 4; however, the vehicle failed to move. The contact placed the vehicle in park, turned the vehicle off, restarted the vehicle, and it resumed normal operation. The vehicle was taken to all star kia of san bernardino (735 show case dr n, san bernardino, ca 92408, (888) 480-0418) where it was diagnosed that the intelligent variable transmission assembly needed to be updated. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred multiple times intermittently. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Dec 02, 2019 |
| State | NC |
| Description | On 11/27, my wife was driving our 2019 kia forte s with about 5,000 miles on it and said it was doing something really strange. She would push on the gas pedal like normal, but the rpms would soar and the engine would rev up but the car would barely move. We drove around the neighborhood when she got back and I noticed the same thing. We called the dealership in the area that night to bring it in on friday, 11/29. There were no issues on the way to the dealership that morning which is about 20 minutes away. We let them know we have a long trip back the next day and wanted to be sure there wasn't a big issue. The dealership said that since there wasn't an engine light on, they couldn't find any codes to troubleshoot the issue and we were sent on our way. An hour into our trip on 11/30, we were on the highway going about 70 mph and the car started having the same issue. It would rev up dramatically when touching the gas pedal and we soon lost the ability to accelerate. No engine light came on. We were able to pull over to the side of the road and got it towed to a different dealership. They couldn't look at it then so we got a rental car to get back home. I got in touch with them the following monday and they said they will need to replace the transmission and that they will cover the rental car expense as well. I'm hopeful the new transmission will fix this issue and it's not something that will reoccur after another 5,000 miles. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Dec 02, 2019 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | I was driving my 2019 kia forte at 75 mph, then lowered my speed, then accelerated again. A loud screech/grinding sound happened, then the car stalled. I was able to coast to the roadside, and re-start the car. I was not able to drive the car over 15 mph. Car was towed to the dealership the next day. They drove the car, but found nothing wrong with it. I insisted that there is a transmission problem. I suggested they inspect the transmission fluid. I don't know if they will. |
| Category | Power Train, Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Dec 02, 2019 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | I bought my car brand new in april 2019. I had it's 15,000 mile check up about 2 weeks ago and they said everything was fine. Right around that time I noticed that when I accelerated, my car would jump. The rpm would bounce between 1-2 rpms and when I brought it into the dealership they said everything was fine and even test drove it. I was sure something was wrong and we went out on another test drive and sure enough it happened again. I was told the next day that the transmission was bad and that it didn't trigger the check engine light. It is currently sitting at the dealership waiting a new transmission. |
| Category | Air Bags, Exterior Lighting |
| Date | Oct 28, 2019 |
| State | GA |
| Description | 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 |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Oct 23, 2019 |
| State | MO |
| Description | 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 determined that the vehicle was not covered by the factory or extended warranties. The contact stated that the technician replaced the downstream oxygen and transmission output sensors, which was a one time repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 2,200. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Oct 05, 2019 |
| State | OH |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Engine |
| Date | Oct 02, 2019 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | 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 pulled the oil stick it was bone dry and smoking. We were towed to our dealership and told this is the 3rd or 4th engine they have seen with this issue and they are replacing our entire engine. This is the second time our brand new forte has died on the highway at 70 mph and it has less than 8,000 miles on it! |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Oct 02, 2019 |
| State | AL |
| Description | I have a 2019 kia forte that just a few weeks after I purchased it left me stranded because it wouldn't crank. Now my transmission is out and I had a horrifying experience trying to drive home after my grandma passed away. My family lives 2 1/2 hours away. Then the service department verbally assaulted me while I was trying to receive help. I was on the interstate when the transmission started going out. I was nearly hit several times as the car would slow down and not shift gears. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 30, 2019 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | Brand new 2019 forte with less than 2,000 miles on it. Driving down the highway at 70 mph and the engine starts to rev and jolt. Get to the right lane and it will not accelerate at all with my foot on the gas. Had to get the car towed to the nearest dealership to find I needed a brand new transmission. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Sep 20, 2019 |
| State | SC |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Electrical System |
| Date | Sep 19, 2019 |
| State | WY |
| Description | 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 in to salt lake city dealer. Dealer refused warranty svc because of bumper damage and advised wiring harness out, 00 repair or 8. Patch repair. Is this vehicle safe to drive with wiring harness able to be knocked out from hitting a parking space bumper with slight lower edge damage, that could also be caused by rock bouncing up from highway or any other road material that is encountered every day. Mileage was 11496 at time of towing in to jerry seiner, kia dealer case 13347285 |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Sep 07, 2019 |
| State | MO |
| Description | On 9/6/19, on my way back from a trip to dallas, my 2019 kia forte (launch edition) started to randomly rev up on the highway. At first, I didn't think much of it, but then it started to lose acceleration. I tried to use the manual shifting, but no help. I pulled over and turned the car off in hopes of "resetting" it and it seemed to work, but when I pulled out onto the highway again it suddenly started to rev to 6-7 k and went nowhere. Ultimately, it would not go into gear and I had to have the car towed to a kia dealership 5 hours away from home. Kia consumer affairs was not very much help! My forte is only 3 months old with 3,100 miles on it. I purchased new in june. Be careful with this car! |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | May 30, 2019 |
| State | NY |
| Description | While having my car for two months my, 2019 kia forte transmission went. I was driving on the highway and it kept stalling. It was reving all the way up to 7/8 rpms with me gently tapping on the gas. I had my grandmother with me and right when we got off the highway my car just stopping right in the middle of a busy main road. I waited a moment and took my keys out of the egnision. After 3 minutes my car turned back on and I was slowly able to get it to the gas station with it still reving. I had my car taken to the dealership where I got the car and they ended up fixing it. They said it was a defect. I'm still very concerned with this transmission because they put the same one back in. It's a cvt transmission. I don't feel safe after experiencing that issue. It could of caused a bad accident. This is a serious problem and I think the transmissions should have a regular automatic transmission put back into them. Just wanted to make you aware of this issue I had and let you know how concerned I am about it. Thanks |
| Category | Air Bags |
| Date | May 11, 2019 |
| State | CA |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Apr 22, 2019 |
| State | NY |
| Description | Car is a couple of months old with 2001 miles showing on the odometer. The rpms would surge while driving, even at constant speed they would jump 500 rpm or so then drop back down. I took it into the dealer and the said that is normal for a cvt. A week later it was still doing that then it would fell like it was stumbling while starting up from a stop. The next day it had no power, accelerator almost to the floor and it would barely move, then the check engine light came on. I immediately headed for the dealership. When I got there I had to wait a bit and the service tech came out and told me that when they called the codes into kia that were in the computer they said to put a new transmission in it. He told me he would have the transmission overnighted which I later found out was a lie, and that tech is no longer at the dealership. I have a rental vehicle in its place. I have started a claim with kia. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Apr 17, 2019 |
| State | LA |
| Description | Car was making weird noises and jumpy acceleration, took it in and they are replacing the transmission, it's been two weeks and the transmission is still not in at the dealer for replacement. I was told it's on backorder and nobody knows when I will be able to replace it. My car is now barley accelerating unless I floor it. Called kia and the dealer and nobody seems to care |
| Category | Power Train, Steering |
| Date | Apr 13, 2019 |
| State | GA |
| Description | Car was making a grinding noise and had to take it into the dealership to get it checked. This was around 3000 miles. Took it in confirmed the grinding noise but did not note down what it was on receipt. A month later dealership took car back and gave me a rental and had specialist look at the transmission said nothing wrong with it but still has some lost of power from time to time and grinding noises.. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Apr 03, 2019 |
| State | NJ |
| Description | I was driving my car on a major highway and it stopped accelerating when I exited the highway. I had it towed to my dealership and was informed the next day that it needed a new transmission. I had the vehicle for 2. 5 months and 2811 miles. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Apr 02, 2019 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The car seemed to be losing power, called for roadside assistance, and the kia dealership where the car was towed to said the transmission needs replaced. The car has 3000 miles on it & we have only had it 2. 5 months. The dealer service person said this is the 3rd 2019 kia forte they've had to replace the transmission in! We were driving on an interstate highway. |
| Category | Unknown Or Other |
| Date | Mar 09, 2019 |
| State | TX |
| Description | While driving on the highway the vehicle would not accelerate even tho the rpms would, and the malfunction indicator light came on. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Feb 16, 2019 |
| State | PA |
| Description | 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 of someone who isn't giving me a run around. But kia isn't reimburseing dealerships rental car fees. So it's hard to get a service loaner. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Feb 03, 2019 |
| State | IL |
| Description | The cvt transmission failed. Car had to be towed. I owned the car for less than 3 months. |
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jan 29, 2019 |
| State | NY |
| Description | I am writing to inform you of an incident which occurred on friday january 25, 2019 at approximately 2:40 pm while my son was operating his 2019 kia forte. The weather that day was sunny and clear and the road was dry and level. 1. My son was traveling north in the right lane of the seaford oyster bay expressway (ny-135) at normal highway speed. 2. As he approached exit 13e he began to decelerate engaged his right turn signal and entered the exit lane for exit 13e. 3. As he attempted to bear to the right and exit the highway the vehicles lane keeping assist system was pulling him to the left back towards the highway. 4. As he fought to turn the wheel to right to stay on the exit he entered the hashed section of roadway between the exit and the highway. As he applied the brakes in an attempt to stop, the vehicle's accelerator pinned itself to the floor all by itself causing the rear of the vehicle to fishtail to the left and he headed directly towards the guardrail on the right side of the exit. He then cut the wheel to correct the vehicle and the rear then fishtailed to the right. As this occurred he attempted to free the accelerator pedal with his foot without success. He then firmly applied the brakes which activated the anti-lock braking system and the accelerator pedal released from the floor. He was able to regain control of the vehicle and pulled off to the shoulder to collect himself and inspect the vehicle. Thankfully he was not injured or involved in any collisions. |
| Category | Power Train |
| Date | Jan 15, 2019 |
| State | NH |
| Description | 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. |
| Category | Vehicle Speed Control |
| Date | Jan 12, 2019 |
| State | VA |
| Description | The cruise control won't hold me on the speed I set the cruise on. If I set it on 55 I look down I'm up to 70 miles. |
| Category | Air Bags, Seats, Structure:body |
| Date | Nov 26, 2018 |
| State | MO |
| Description | 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? |
| Category | Wheels |
| Date | Nov 07, 2018 |
| State | NY |
| Description | I bought this car 2 months ago and they never told me it doesnt come with a donut or spare tire ...... This is unsafe |
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About the Author:
Brian Jones spent more than 20 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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I have a 2019 kia forte. The rpms were going erratic and my car died twice within 5 mins. My front collision light will come on randomly while I’m driving. There’s nothing blocking it, I’ve checked multiple times. The radio starts to sound like a CD that’s skipping and then shuts off. I had it towed to a shop and their diagnostic test said its a dealership specific transmission code. It’s now sitting in a kia dealership now and they don’t have an appt until December 15th. The woman I originally spoke to at the dealership said their diagnostic test is $150. Another employee called me the next day and asked for more info then tells me its going to be a $300 diagnostic test because they have to dig deeper into the car with the specific issues that its having. My car has less than 45k miles on it. Ridiculous.
My 2019 Kia Forte has 59000 miles on it. The transmission light is on and the car has issues with accelerating
2019 Kia Forte LXS 53,000miles. In November 2020 I noticed my car reving high while using cruise control no matter what drive mode (normal, sport, or smart) Contacted Kia took my car in they said they couldn’t get it to replicate what I was talking about. A month later I need a oil change car is still reving high while cruise control is in use. Get an oil change they say again they couldn’t get it to Rev high. I go driving with the service manager he says it doesn’t seem right I’d have to make another appointment to bring it back in. It could be a couple hours could be a couple days or even a week depending on the tech line. Because of Covid they weren’t giving out rentals. I go on vacation and drop my car off for 4 days came back to pick it up and find out that my invoice sat on the Tech service managers desk for all of those days and not one person touched my car. The service guy apologized to me and told me I would have to make an appointment again. April 2021 need an oil change and request that they look into the issue. They had my car for a 2 days claim that they couldn’t get it to do replicate what I was explaining. At this point I give up. Whatever I’ll just keep making payments on a car that I can’t use cruise control on. November 2021 my lease is up and I decide to buy out my car instead of leasing again I tell the guy about the reving issue he gets a hold of service they call me set me up with a rental they take my car everything seems wonderful. They call me the next day tell me that Kia techline has approved a brand new transmission to be put in but is on back order so it wouldn’t be ready till late November. They finished the car 3days earlier then they told me they would even have the transmission. Great! Get there return the rental, get my car the next day I go to use cruise control it revs up to 3000rpms right away when I set the cruise. I call Kia in the morning make another appointment they put me in another rental and Kia has now had my car for 49days and in at least the last 32 days my car has not moved one inch, not been started or driven a mile. I have talked to every service person, techs, GMs, supervisors. I am at a loss on what to do.
My 2019 Kia Forte with 45000 miles is running flawlessly and I get on it like it has vtec everyday on my 100mile commute. I did my research before I bought the car and found that the automatic was big gamble. that wasn’t a big deal to me because I never bought a automatic in my life because that’s all I ever heard that needed a rebuild or replacement and seams to be a trend with all auto makers and there boner for mpg/cvt what’s the point of saving money on gas if you need a new transmission every 5000 miles
I have a 2019 Kia Forte at 37,000 miles and noticed odd revving when I was driving yesterday and just assumed it was the road being bad. Just went out at night to DD for someone and the revving was getting worse on cruise control so I turned that off. As I turned onto my exit the cars rpms shot up at even the slightest touch of the gas pedal but wouldn’t even accelerate correctly to it and barely made it to my house. Thank god I ship out to basic in 4 days so I don’t have to deal with this problem anymore. I loved my 2017 Forte and had no problems with it, and two years with this one has been fine until now. Seeing this happen at this low of a mileage is a joke.
2019 Kia Forte , radio/ front collision will freeze up or shut down all together. Every time I have the dealership look at it they say that they can find anything wrong with it. I’ve had it not shut off twice now and run the battery down
I have a 2019 kia forte at 40,000 miles the transmission went out an dealership don’t want to stand behind it. So whats up kia
My 2019 Kia Forte was in the parking lot idling for 5to 10 min -it suddenly it starts to back up.It was dark outside….when I realized it was My car I thought someone was stealing it. .it literally turned itself in reverse. .and I couldn’t catch it in time ,it came to a stop after going up an embankment and scraping against a pole
I have a 2019 Kia Forte LXS that I bought on July 9, 2020 and I totalled it on August 13, 2020 with 22800 miles on it. I was driving 55 mph when the traffic in front of me stopped suddenly and when I tried to stop my car just kept going it was like I wasnt even hitting the brakes. I finally stopped after hitting the vehicle in front of me at 55 mph. All my airbags deployed except for the driver side, side airbag. The motor shoved the dash and everything back in on my legs and hands, broke the steering column. I was blamed to be at fault cause I was the car that rear ended the other but I tried stopping and I was 3 or more car lengths away when I started braking. My forward collision was going off but I couldn’t get the car kept going.
I have a 2019 Kia Forte and I’m have problems as well, I was leave a red light and started to move then the car wouldn’t go fast even by me giving it more gas, then it kick in. And my front collation alerts keeps going off when I’m driving. Then my radio went dark. Taking it to dealer this start around 25,000 miles for me
I have a a2019 kia forte and i have had mine in the shop numerious time. My radio keeps freezing or it will not come on at all. I have had my forward collision light come on and lose all power to the car. I have turned on the heat and smelled burning wires even people in the car have noticed it as well.
I bought my 2019 Kia Forte in Dec 2018. I am just under 7,500 miles. I noticed in February 2020 around 7,000 miles that the car was starting to change RPMs abruptly under light acceleration. It gradually got worse but it was still drivable. I am just lucky that I don’t take this car on long trips otherwise it would have likely left me stranded. I am now in for my second oil change and being told that the transmission needs to be replaced. When is Kia going to recall these garbage IVT transmissions they manufactured?
I bought a 2019 Kia Forte on June 16th 2019 less than one month after the sudden passing of my boyfriend.
Today February 22nd 2020 at 13,200 miles I was on I-5 the 11th largest interstate in the United States, my car broke down and was stuck in 5th gear.
It was shaking and was having troubles accelerating. I was in the far left carpool lane when this was happening and had to merge all the way the the shoulder on the right side to safely see what was going on.
I turned my vehicle off and back on and checked for any noticeable issues that I could as a 21 year old female on the side of the busiest interstate in Washington State. Everything appeared okay however I was still 20 miles from home.
When I started my vehicle again I was shocked it would barely accelerate and anytime I surpassed 2nd gear it was grinding and shaking. I was able to get the car home in one piece. I don’t understand Kia’s claim for safety. I have extreme PTSD due to my previous accidents and my boyfriends death and I never would have purchased this car if I knew all the issues going on with it.
We have a 2019 kia forte low mileage. Transmission went out! I noticed many more in same boat for exact problem. My car has been at kia almost 1 month with part on back order