2018 Kia Forte Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the engine — stalling, losing power, knocking, or seizing, frequently with no warning light beforehand and often accompanied by low or missing oil. A smaller but consistent group of complaints covers the trunk opening on its own or not latching, air bags that did not deploy in a crash, and hesitation or delayed response when pressing the accelerator.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine stalling, knocking or seizing with low oil

   • 31 complaints (23%)
   • median 89,650 mi at 5.3 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off while driving or at a stop, sometimes after a knocking or tapping sound, and sometimes failing to restart. Several owners say no warning light came on before the failure, and that oil was found very low or absent afterward, with no visible leaks or oil spots. According to the complaints, dealers and independent shops have diagnosed engine failure, metal shavings or a seized engine and recommended replacement; some owners report the repair was not covered under warranty, often citing maintenance records or second-owner status as the reason given. Spread across the range, with several reports between roughly 50,000 and 100,000 miles and a number well past that.

   Recall 21V2600005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and condition at every fuel stop for a while, and ask for oil change records. Ask whether the oil pump recall (21V260000) and the related engine software campaign were completed on the vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Got my car at 60 miles. That was a lil over two years ago and now my car is at 68000. The engine is stalling and it's not accelerating properly. When I have to break or even break pulling into a parking spot the car cuts off. No lights are popping up and I've never had this issue before. I see a lot of other people on here who are also having these problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #11360165, filed 2020-09, 68,000 miles

   “53,000 no warning was driving along a highway car started to knock. Then all of the sudden car shuts off and I pull over. Come to find out engine through a rod in the block and was not cover under warranty because they said I didn't have enough proof oil was never change even though I gave them all my receipts.”

   NHTSA complaint #11377876, filed 2020-12, 53,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   Air bags did not deploy in a collision

   • 10 complaints (7%)
   • median 12,498 mi at 1.7 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2024

   Owners describe front-end and rear impacts where the air bags did not inflate, including cases where the vehicle was totaled or occupants were injured. Several complaints note that the vehicle was later found to be covered by an air bag control unit recall. Complaints also describe unrepaired air bag work being deferred while the vehicle sat at a dealer. Reported across a wide mileage spread, from a few thousand miles to well over 100,000.

   Recall 22V0310001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask the dealer to confirm by VIN that recall 22V031000 (air bag control unit) has been completed, and get the recall status in writing before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was entering an onramp at about 15mph; a car yielded in front of me. I hit my brakes and yet slid into the rear of the front car. I did not stop, even with brakes applied, and slid in to the front acre. No airbags deployed and my Kia was totaled and undrivable.”

   NHTSA complaint #11197280, filed 2019-04, 6,800 miles

   “Takata recall I was in an accident. The initial impact was the front of the car and the drivers side airbag did not deploy. I ran a stop sign at aprox 35mph and tee boned a truck. After the impact I spun into a telephone pole where the side curtain did deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #11103871, filed 2018-06, 2,900 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Hesitation or no response when accelerating

   • 10 complaints (7%)
   • median 26,511 mi at 1.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe pressing the accelerator and getting little or no response, with the engine revving but the car slow to move, sometimes after a stop or while merging. A few mention the pedal itself feeling sticky. According to the complaints, dealers have sometimes found no fault code or could not duplicate the problem, and one report says an instrument cluster update was performed with the issue returning. Reported at low mileage in several cases, often under about 10,000 miles, and at moderate mileage in others.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test drive from a stop and from a rolling start, and ask whether any diagnostic codes or cluster/throttle-related service work have been recorded.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “This problem happened 2 times this week & on 2 separate days while I was driving & since I only drive this car once or twice a week this has me concerned.. The car started ok and drove for a couple of miles just fine when suddenly the car felt like I was trying to drive while the car was in neutral & even with my foot was on the gas pedal the car wasn't going anywhere.. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11186351, filed 2019-03, 5,660 miles

   “When accelerating there is no power and it is going to cause the accident I was on the freeway I went to switch lanes I hit the gas and the car would not move just stood there and rp m's going up”

   NHTSA complaint #11191632, filed 2019-03, 22,000 miles
4. 4
   Body and structure

   Trunk opens by itself or will not latch/open

   • 7 complaints (5%)
   • median 33,500 mi at 3.9 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2024

   Complaints describe the trunk lid popping open on its own while parked or while driving, with the key fob nowhere near the button. Others report the trunk failing to latch securely when closed, or not opening at all from the inside, and note that a dealer or a recall notice did not cover their particular car. Most reports are at low to moderate mileage, often under about 40,000 miles.

   Recall 21V622000

   What to check: Confirm the trunk recall (21V622000) was performed, then open and close the trunk several times and check it stays shut and that the inside release works.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Trunk is constantly popping open, although no one is hitting the button on the keys nor pulling the lever. I can be in the house with my keys on the counter and it will pop open. Actually had stuff stolen because of this. This will happen whether it is stopped, when I'm driving, anywhere. I don't have to hit a bump or anything. Radio is crackly and cuts out and beeps but only when playing bluetooth. When I use an aux or just fm it works perfect.”

   NHTSA complaint #11222215, filed 2019-06, 40 miles

   “My trunk will not open at all, I have had this issue since July and received a letter about recalls on certain Kia fortes yet mine was not included in the recall.”

   NHTSA complaint #11437671, filed 2021-10

Buying note. Ask for a full service history and evidence that the open recalls and engine-related service campaigns have been done, and check the oil level yourself. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a compression or oil-consumption check is worth the cost on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.