2023 Kia Forte: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 56 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 3 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
56
Complaints
3
Recalls
10
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
5
Injuries
257.1
Severity index
Severity index 257.1 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 80 2023 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2023 Kia Forte ranks 2 of 80 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 98% of its model-year peers. See the full 2023 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| STEERING | 13 | 23.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 9 | 16.1% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 9 | 16.1% |
| ENGINE | 8 | 14.3% |
| POWER TRAIN | 7 | 12.5% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 | 10.7% |
| LANE DEPARTURE | 6 | 10.7% |
| SUSPENSION | 6 | 10.7% |
The single most-reported system is STEERING, cited in 13 of 56 complaints (23.2%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 18 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 15 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 8 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 47.0x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22V906000 | 08/12/2022 | STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Forte vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front left steering knuckle may crack, which can result in a loss of steering control. |
| 23V649000 | 22/09/2023 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Forte vehicles. The right front lower control arm may have been improperly welded, which can cause it to fail. |
| 24V244000 | 01/04/2024 | SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM | Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Forte vehicles. The right front lower control arm may have been improperly welded, which can cause it to fail. |
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.