2017 Kia FORTE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
301 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
40,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 135 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 144 of 301 complaints (47.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 47 | 15.6% |
| Braking behavior | 25 | 8.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 25 | 8.3% |
| Steering behavior | 13 | 4.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 1.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 144 |
| Unknown Or Other | 49 |
| Electrical System | 44 |
| Exterior Lighting | 39 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 29 |
| Air Bags | 18 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 |
| Power Train | 12 |
Engine: 144; Unknown Or Other: 49; Electrical System: 44; Exterior Lighting: 39; Fuel/Propulsion System: 29; Air Bags: 18; Vehicle Speed Control: 17; Power Train: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 43 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 34 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 18 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 18 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 16 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 43; 25,000 to 49,999: 34; 50,000 to 74,999: 18; 75,000 to 99,999: 18; 100,000 to 149,999: 16; 150,000 and above: 6
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (43). 166 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 21 |
| 2019 | 40 |
| 2020 | 31 |
| 2021 | 40 |
| 2022 | 40 |
| 2023 | 40 |
| 2024 | 30 |
| 2025 | 43 |
| 2026 | 9 |
2017: 7; 2018: 21; 2019: 40; 2020: 31; 2021: 40; 2022: 40; 2023: 40; 2024: 30; 2025: 43; 2026: 9
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 47 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 25 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11124665 · 2018-09-05 (September 5, 2018)
ON MARCH 1, VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 10 MIN ON A COLD DAY AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR A FEW HOURS AND 'ENGINE OVEHEATED' CAME UP ON THE DISPLAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE FOLLOWING DAY TO CABLE DAHMER KIA WHERE THEY SAID THE CAUSE WAS AN ELECTRICAL GLITCH AND THAT THE CAR WAS FINE. ON AUGUST 3RD, I CONTACTED CABLE DAHMER KIA BECAUSE THE CAR WAS IDLING EXTREMELY LOW/STALLING. DEALER STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A LOANER CAR BUT THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW WHEN ONE BECAUSE AVAILABLE. WAS DRIVING ON AUGUST 7TH WHEN CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF WHILE GOING 4…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11124665 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11288309 · 2019-12-11 (December 11, 2019)
I WAS DRIVING MY KIA FORTE 2016 IN A REGULAR STREET WHEN IT STARTED JERKING BEFORE IT STALLED. LUCKILY I PULLED UP QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID BEING STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAITED FEW MINUTES THEN I STARTED IT AGAIN AND I DROVE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE, BUT I STARTED LOOKING INTO IT ONLINE WHEN I REALIZED OTHER KIA MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE.
Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 11288309 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10994176 · 2017-06-09 (June 9, 2017)
MY 2017 KIA FORTE S HAS FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM (FCWS) AND AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM. THE FCWS DOES NOT WORK IN THAT IT DOES NOT WARN ME OF IMPENDING COLLISION HAZZARDS. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE AEBS WORKS AS THE FCWS TRIGGERS THAT SYSTEM. KIA TECHS HAVE NOT SHOWN ME THAT IT WORKS; I.E. WARNING AUDIBLE NOR WARNING IMAGE ON LCD DISPLAY. I HAVE TRIED RUNNING UP ON A CAR IN FRONT OF ME UNTIL ABOUT 10 FEET BACK AT 50-60 MPH WITH NO WARNING THEN I MANUALLY APPLIED THE BRAKES.
Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10994176 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11061481 · 2018-01-09 (January 9, 2018)
THE AUTONOMOUS EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB) AND FORWARD COLLISION WARNING (FCW) SYSTEMS ON MY VEHICLE NEVER ACTIVATE WHEN TRAFFIC SITUATIONS ARE OBVIOUS FOR THE AEB AND FCW TO ACTIVATE. EVEN HOME-SPUN SYSTEM TESTS DON'T SHOW THE SYSTEMS TO BE OPERATIONAL. THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND REPAIR CENTER CANNOT VALIDATE THE SYSTEM'S INTEGRITY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT ACCOMPLISH DEFINITIVE TESTS TO VERIFY THE SYSTEM. THEY SAY "WE DON'T KNOW." THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE RESOLVED. THIS ISSUE IS ONGOING.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11061481 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11081467 · 2018-03-27 (March 27, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER KOONS KIA OF WOODBRIDGE (14208 JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY, WOODBRIDGE, VA 22191) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A FUSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE HEAD LIGHTS AND REAR LIGHTS FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD COVER THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE VEHICLE …
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11081467 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11123010 · 2018-08-28 (August 28, 2018)
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, SMELLED SOMETHING "OFF", WITHIN SECONDS ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES. ENTIRE VEHICLE GUTTED. KIA LITERALLY JUST INSTALLED A NEW ENGINE, STARTER, BATTERY, AND INTAKE 2 DAYS PRIOR DUE TO ENGINE LOCKING UP - WITH 22000 MILES.
Owner-reported narrative. 22,506 miles reported. Look up ODI 11123010 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10985865 · 2017-05-15 (May 15, 2017)
VOLUME BUTTONS ON STEERING WHEEL VOLUME UP TURNS VOLUME DOWN, MUTE BUTTON TURNS VOLUME UP.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10985865 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11032408 · 2018-03-27 (March 27, 2018)
2017 KIA FORTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRACKING NOISES ON STEERING WHEEL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11032408 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11187357 · 2019-03-17 (March 17, 2019)
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, WITHOUT ANY OBVIOUS CAUSE, ACCELERATION IS DELAYED FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THEN THE ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY REV HIGH WITHOUT SHIFTING UP. THE PROBLEM BEGAN ABOUT ONE YEAR OR 5000 MILES INTO OWNERSHIP OF THE NEW VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11187357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11315991 · 2020-03-04 (March 4, 2020)
HAD THIS CAR FROM THE END OF 2017. AFTER ONE YEAR THERE WAS A RECALL DONE ON IT FOR THE SPARK PLUGS AND COIL. NOT EVEN 7 MONTHS AFTER GET IT DONE THE NEXT SET THEY ADD IN THE CAR ALMOST BOTTOM OUT ON ME WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR AND SOMEONE ALMOST RAN IN THE BACK OF ME. THEY FIX IT TOOK A WEEK TO GET MY CAR BACK. AND NOW I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS GOING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION I ASK THE DEALERSHIP IS IT TIME FOR SERVICE AND THEY SAID NO. I AM A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT THAT. I SAY ON TOP OF ALL MY SERVICE TO THE VEHICLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11315991 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11170652 · 2019-01-17 (January 17, 2019)
HELLO: FORTE HAS INTERMITTENT STRONG GAS SMELL THRU VENTS. IS AT DEALER FOR SECOND TIME. TO ME HTTPS://WWW.NHTSA.GOV/RECALLS#VEHICLE PLEASE CONTACT US AND DEALER AS TO NEXT STEP FOR OUR SAFETY. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM
Owner-reported narrative. 22,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11170652 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11322902 · 2020-04-30 (April 30, 2020)
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE DEC. 2017 WITH 318 MILES. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPUTTER WHEN TRYING TO START. FIRST TIME, TOWED IN WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. WENT HOME, NEXT MORNING THE VEHICLE SPUTTERED TO START. AFTER 3RD TRY & LOUD SOUNDING, I POPPED THE HOOD & THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS SHAKING IN ITS CRADLE. TOWED IN AGAIN, DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED COILS MISFIRE & REPLACED. VEHICLE DUPLICATED THE SAME PROBLEM A WEEK LATER. I REPLACED THE BATTERY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. THIRD TIME, DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED FUEL PUMP BUT ENDED UP REPLACING THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11322902 at NHTSA ↗