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Kia Forte Front Axle Shaft May Break
high How serious is it? About this label
A sudden loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.
Key facts
| NHTSA campaign number | 20V459000 |
|---|---|
| Reported to NHTSA | Aug 5, 2020 |
| Manufacturer | Kia Motors America |
| Part affected | Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft |
| Vehicles covered | 1 model/year combination, model years 2019 |
| Do-not-drive advisory | No |
| Park-outside advisory | No |
| Repair | Free at any franchised dealer |
What's wrong, in plain English
On certain 2019 Kia Forte vehicles, the left front axle driveshaft may not have received the heat treatment it was supposed to get during manufacturing. Because this heat treatment may be missing, the driveshaft can break while the vehicle is being driven. If the driveshaft breaks, the vehicle can suddenly lose its drive power, and this sudden loss of power increases the risk of a crash.
What you should do
2. Contact a Kia dealer or call Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
3. The repair (inspecting and, if needed, replacing the driveshaft) is free.
Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?
Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 20V459000. More in how recalls work.
Affected vehicles (1)
Who to contact
Kia — official Kia recall lookup
Customer service: 1-800-333-4542
The bigger picture
- Kia Power Train Recalls Cover Power Loss, Rollaway and Fire · all 8 Kia recalls in this area
Other Kia Forte recalls
- Apr 1, 2024Kia Forte Front Control Arm Weld Failurecritical
- Sep 22, 2023Kia Forte Front Control Arm Weld May Failcritical
- Dec 8, 2022Kia Forte Front Steering Knuckle May Crackhigh
- May 5, 2022Kia Forte and Rio Steering Column Bolt Loosehigh
- Jan 25, 2022Kia Air Bags May Fail to Deploy in Crashhigh
- Aug 9, 2021Kia Forte and Rio trunk may not open from insidemedium
Official notice
- Component
- POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
- Summary
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Forte vehicles. The left front axle driveshaft may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to break.
- Safety risk
- A broken driveshaft can result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle driveshaft for a heat treatment verification code, and replace it if the code is missing, free of charge. The recall began September 2, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC195.
Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.