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U.S. public vehicle records

2017 Kia FORTE: complaints, problems and recalls

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.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 144 of 301 complaints (47.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation4715.6%
Braking behavior258.3%
Electrical and battery issues258.3%
Steering behavior134.3%
Transmission and shifting72.3%
Fuel system concerns51.7%

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.

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
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine144
Unknown Or Other49
Electrical System44
Exterior Lighting39
Fuel/Propulsion System29
Air Bags18
Vehicle Speed Control17
Power Train12

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.

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
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00043
25,000 to 49,99934
50,000 to 74,99918
75,000 to 99,99918
100,000 to 149,99916
150,000 and above6

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.

2017
7
2018
21
2019
40
2020
31
2021
40
2022
40
2023
40
2024
30
2025
43
2026
9
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20177
201821
201940
202031
202140
202240
202340
202430
202543
20269

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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10969201 · 2017-03-29 (March 29, 2017)

I HAVE HAD MY 2017 KIA FORTE FOR 3 MONTHS AND IN THE VEEY BEGINNING IT DROVE FINE. RECENTLY THE CAR HAS BECOME VERY SLUGGISH AND BECAME INCREASINGLY HARD TO ACCELERATE. I NOTICED IT BUT BRUSHED IT OFF. THIS PAST WEEKEND I LET SOMEONE DRIVE MY CAR AND THEY COMPLAINED ABOUT HOW HARD IT WAS TO ACCELERATE. THAT'S WHEN I KNEW THAT IT WASN'T JUST ME. TODAY, AS I WAS ABOUT TO MAKE AN UNPROTECTED LEFT TURN THE CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE LIKE IT SHOULD FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND I WAS CAUGHT IN THE INTERSECTION LONGER THAN I NEEDED TO BE. NEEDLESS TO SAY…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10969201 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 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 11004092 · 2017-07-10 (July 10, 2017)

THE VEHICLE IS THE S MODEL, NEW FOR 2017, I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 2,000 MILES SINCE LEASING IT IN SEPTEMBER 2016. THE CAR HAS POOR ACCELERATION, ESPECIALLY GOING UP HILLS AND MERGING INTO TRAFFIC (MOVING, CITY). IT HESITATES AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS (FROM A DEAD STOP). THE VEHICLE TENDS TO SWAY SIDE TO SIDE FROM TIME TO TIME (MOVING, CITY), THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY AND HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY TWO DIFFERENT KIA DEALERS. A TECHNICIAN HAS RODE ALONG WITH ME; FELT MY CONCERNS, BUT CANNOT DUPLICATE IT. I WAS TOLD IN MARCH 2017 THAT …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,975 miles reported. Look up ODI 11004092 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11004256 · 2017-07-11 (July 11, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKED RIGHT AND LEFT RANDOMLY. THE FAILURE PERSISTED WHILE DRIVING ON CURVY ROADS. THE DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 12402933. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,200.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11004256 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11016226 · 2017-08-18 (August 18, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DUE TO THE GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD, SHE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD CLEARLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EVERYTHING FROM THE DASHBOARD REFLECTED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GRIECO KIA OF DELRAY BEACH, 2255 S FEDERAL HWY, DELRAY BEACH, FL, 33483) WHO STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED THE CONTACT A COVER FOR THE DASHBOARD, BUT THE COVER DID NOT FIT AND ALSO COVERED THE AIR BAGS. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11016226 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 11057064 · 2017-12-28 (December 28, 2017)

I WAS PARKING MY CAR YESTERDAY AT 7/11 AND THE CAR ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN AND CRASHED INTO A CEMENT PILLAR. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAVE SEEN A BLOG WHERE DOZENS OF FORTE OWNERS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE, SOMETIMES MORE THAN ONCE. I WAS INJURED AND THE CAR NEEDS $9000 IN REPAIRS, ALSO I AM SURE MY INSURANCE WILL INCREASE.

Owner-reported narrative. 6,150 miles reported. Look up ODI 11057064 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

21V260000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Oil/Lubrication:Pump

Reported: 2021-04-13 (April 13, 2021)

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.

Consequence: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
21V622000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:Latch

Reported: 2021-08-09 (August 9, 2021)

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."

Consequence: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V031000 · Air Bags

Reported: 2022-01-25 (January 25, 2022)

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

NHTSA campaign record ↗