10 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
Reported 2024-04-01 · Campaign 24V244000 · Model years: 2023
The right front lower control arm is a suspension part that helps hold the front wheel in position. On these Fortes, that arm may have a bad weld and can fail. Kia says a failure can cause a sudden loss of steering control, which can lead to a crash. Kia is telling owners not to drive until the repair is done. A dealer will replace the right front lower control arm at no charge. Letters were mailed April 17, 2024.
⚠ NHTSA advises: do not drive this vehicle until repaired.
Reported 2023-09-22 · Campaign 23V649000 · Model years: 2023
A suspension part on the right front of the car — the lower control arm, which helps hold the wheel in place — may have a bad weld. A bad weld can let the part break. If it breaks while you are driving, you can suddenly lose control of the steering. Kia says not to drive the car until it is fixed. A dealer will put in a new control arm free of charge.
⚠ NHTSA advises: do not drive this vehicle until repaired.
Reported 2022-12-08 · Campaign 22V906000 · Model years: 2023
A part in the front left suspension called the steering knuckle — it connects the wheel to the steering — may have been made wrong and can crack. If it cracks, you can lose the ability to steer the car. Kia says this came from a mistake during manufacturing. A dealer will look at the part on your car and put in a new one if it is cracked or faulty. The inspection and any replacement cost you nothing.
Reported 2022-05-05 · Campaign 22V304000 · Model years: 2021, 2022
A bolt that holds the steering column to the steering gear may not have been tightened properly. If it comes loose, the steering column can come apart from the gear that turns the front wheels, and you could suddenly lose the ability to steer. A dealer will tighten that bolt at no cost. Kia mailed letters to owners on May 27, 2022, and calls this repair SC235.
Reported 2022-01-25 · Campaign 22V031000 · Model years: 2018
The airbag control unit is the small computer that decides when to set off your airbags. On these cars, the unit's cover can rub against a memory chip on the circuit board inside and damage the electrical circuit. If that circuit is damaged, the airbags can shut off and will not inflate in a crash. A dealer will inspect the unit and either update its software or replace it, whichever is needed. Owner letters went out in March 2022.
Reported 2021-08-09 · Campaign 21V622000 · Model years: 2018
Every car sold in the U.S. must have a handle inside the trunk so anyone shut in there can get out. On these Kias, the trunk latch can get damaged, and when that happens the inside release will not open the trunk. That matters most if a child climbs into the trunk while playing, or if someone is ever shut inside. The car drives normally otherwise. A dealer will replace the whole trunk latch assembly for free.
Reported 2021-04-13 · Campaign 21V260000 · Model years: 2018
Certain 2017-2018 Kia Forte cars with the 2.0L Nu MPI engine may have bits of foreign material stuck inside the oil pump. That debris can make the oil pump fail, which can damage the engine. A damaged engine can shut off while you are driving. Kia dealers will replace the oil pan free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.
Reported 2021-03-11 · Campaign 21V164000 · Model years: 2021
The sensor in the front passenger seat that decides whether someone is sitting there may fail to recognize a child restraint seat, so these vehicles do not meet the federal rule for occupant crash protection. If the system does not detect the child seat, the front passenger airbag can stay switched on and inflate during a crash. A front airbag going off right next to a child sitting in a child seat can seriously injure that child. Dealers will replace the sensor unit.
Reported 2020-08-05 · Campaign 20V459000 · Model years: 2019
On certain 2019 Kia Fortes, the left front driveshaft, the bar that sends engine power out to the front wheel, may have missed the heat-treating step that makes the metal strong. A shaft that was not treated can snap. If it breaks while you are driving, the car suddenly stops pulling and you cannot accelerate, which is dangerous in traffic or when merging. Dealers look for a stamped code proving the shaft was treated, and replace it if the code is missing.
Reported 2018-10-31 · Campaign 18V771000 · Model years: 2019
Kia is recalling certain 2019 Forte cars that came with LED headlights. The low beams were not aimed correctly when the headlights were built, so they may not light up the road the way they should. That means you may not see as much as you should at night, which makes a crash more likely. The cars also do not meet the federal safety rule for headlights. Dealers will check the aim and replace the headlights if needed.