2017 Kia Forte: problems, recalls and reliability
3 recalls and 300 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (45% of complaints); the 2016 and 2018 model years look more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 1 new complaint in the last 90 days · latest recall Jan 2022
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 300 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns a 2017 KIA Forte. The contact stated while operating the vehicle at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was misfiring, severely shaking and was losing motive power suddenly while operating on multiple constantly for about 3 weeks, and state she noticed a check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to a independent mechanic where it was diagnosed to be a timing chain failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,922.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2026
“Failure of the engine oil pump pertaining to the exact situation covered in NHTSA campaign 21V-260, but vehicle is not covered. The campaign covered vehicles manufactured from June 5, 2017 to July 24, 2017. Vehicle was manufactured in Mexico, is equipped with the 2.0 Nu MPI engine. The loss of motive power in the vehicle has increased the risk of crash and driver injury.”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2026
“I am emailing i have an issue with a my vehicle i took it in to the dealership and got the recalls performed and they still have not updated in the system i am trying to rent out my car on turo and am not able to do i also contacted the dealership and they said its all electronic what can i do to clear this up or speed it up am sorry am trying to get forward any sort of way you guys can help”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jan 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“Had to replace a P0014 Exhaust camshaft position timing VCT solenoid - over advanced (Bank1) last year on October 1,2024. Now 2025 December 8,2025 need a nothing camshaft position timing VCT solenoid and also says I need replace my engine. I think something is not right about the engine or something on the engine. Not sure but something is definitely wrong. Never had this kind of problem before , but no cars i've ever had.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Dec 2025
“My vehicle caught fire while driving also before fire vehicle started popping and stuttering rattling sound. I was on highway.”Owner report · Engine · Nov 2025
“The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving with the phone plugged in on speaker, there was smoke coming from the adapter cord. The contact stated that the charger cord was melting. The adapter was unplugged by the driver. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,224.”Owner report · Electrical System · Nov 2025
“Was traveling on interstate inside lane in heavy traffic and all of a sudden lost power,no throttle response, no warning lights,no priors,wasn't able to move to shoulder.. very close to being rear ended..all of a sudden power returned.. happened 8-12 times trying to get home.. no warning lights .. after got home hooked up my diagnostic scanner and ECU had code P050400 and BCM had no codes but in pids list under stop lamp fuse pid read broken. Checked fuses non were bad.tested brake switch and tested ok and adjusted correctly. Wiring and connectors appeared undamaged...”Owner report · Service Brakes · Nov 2025
“Overconsumption of oil, led to engine damage and stalling. Car struggles to start and there is an engine knock. Mechanic advised that the car is not drivable as it will stall while driving as it has done previously and there was a noticeable burning smell when the car was running. Car is under 100,000 miles”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2025
“Engine light came on around 81k miles and I've replaced several components and it fixed then light would come back on. I kept up on oil changes frequently. I had the spark plugs, o2 sensors replaced twice. It would idle low and or stall. The engine started knocking at 135k I still owe 9k on loan and it's the 2.0L NU MPI M/T ENGINE. PLEASE RECALL IT ALREADY SO MANY OWNERS ARE BEING SCREWED ON THIS VEHICLE.”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2025
“I am the original owner of this car and get all my oil changes and regular maintenance on time. The car has 123k miles. I was getting into the freeway evening of 10/3 and my car stopped accelerating was making a loud noise so I pulled off to the side of the road. Per the Kia dealership service department my engine completely failed. This is a known issue with this year and model but Kia is not helping me in any way with the replacement of my engine. Please help.”Owner report · Engine · Oct 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 23 of these complaints and injuries in 21 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 3 campaigns
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2017 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Forte by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Kia Forte reliable?
NHTSA has 300 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 2017 Kia Forte. The most complained-about area is engine (45% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2017 Kia Forte problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 40,789 miles or less.
Does the 2017 Kia Forte have open recalls?
3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.