2019 Kia Forte: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 146 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
146
Complaints
2
Recalls
11
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
5
Injuries
74.0
Severity index
Severity index 74.0 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 123 2019 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2019 Kia Forte ranks 35 of 123 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 72% of its model-year peers. See the full 2019 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 47 | 32.2% |
| ENGINE | 35 | 24.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 22 | 15.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 22 | 15.1% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 17 | 11.6% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 15 | 10.3% |
| STEERING | 8 | 5.5% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 7 | 4.8% |
The single most-reported system is POWER TRAIN, cited in 47 of 146 complaints (32.2%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 27 |
| 2020 | 22 |
| 2021 | 21 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 16 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V771000 | 31/10/2018 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Kia Forte vehicles equipped with LED headlights. The headlights may not have been manufactured with the correct low beam aiming. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand |
| 20V459000 | 05/08/2020 | POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.