2019 KIA FORTE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
4/5
Safety Rating
197
Owner Complaints
2
Recalls
24
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2019 KIA FORTE
The 2019 KIA FORTE has received a total of 197 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 2 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS. 24 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Power Train (44 complaints), Engine (29 complaints), and Unknown Or Other (21 complaints).
Recalls for the 2019 KIA FORTE
NHTSA has recorded 2 recalls for the 2019 KIA FORTE, potentially affecting up to 2,588 vehicles.
Recall 20V459000 — POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
| 834 vehicles affected
Defect: 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.
Consequence: 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...
View full details →Recall 18V771000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
| 1,754 vehicles affected
Defect: 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 Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: If the headlights are not properly aimed, the driver may have reduced visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlight aiming and replace the headlights, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2019 KIA FORTE
197 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2019 KIA FORTE. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
Engine stalled while driving causing the car to turn off in traffic. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This caused loss of power and steering at 45 miles per hour and could have caused a collision. A licensed and accredited auto mechanic has confirmed that the engine is a total loss. The same day and shortly before the engine stalled, a check engine light appeared. The driver was on his way home and had planned to park the car and have it towed to the mechanic the next day.
When turning on the car the check engine light comes on. Then when accelerating there is a clicking noise and smoke coming from the engine.
When turning on the car the check engine light comes on. Then when accelerating there is a clicking noise and smoke coming from the engine.
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact was notified by her son that the third brake light was burned and was melting. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and suggested that a diagnostic test be performed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the owner that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle for the failure and referred the owner to the local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that during start-up, the vehicle was rattling and vibrating abnormally with a clanking sound while shifting into gear. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the crankcase sensor was faulty, and that there were metal shavings inside the engine oil. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 108,000.
Safety Rating for the 2019 KIA FORTE
The 2019 KIA FORTE received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2019 KIA FORTE
Kia America, Inc. has issued 24 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2019 KIA FORTE. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
TSB_BOD212_R1 — STRUCTURE
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PARTIAL SEAT TRACK REPLACEMENT FOR INOPERATIVE FRONT SEAT - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to inspect and repair an inoperative front seat mechanism on...
SC199_TSB_R3 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: IVT SOFTWARE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT AND/OR IVT REPLACEMENT (SC199) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. (This bulletin was previously referred as 'SA424' or 'ELE 200'.) This bulletin provides...
TSB_ELE231_R2 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT VIEW CAMERA REPLACEMENT FOR DTC C160449 & C160649 - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on the inspection and replacement of the front camera...
SC199_OWNR_BD_2 — POWER TRAIN
SC199 - Owner Letter - Forte: Second notification to Forte vehicle owners advising them of a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the Transmission Control Module (TCM) logic and, if necessary, replace the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) on some 2019-2020 Forte vehicles.
TSB_FUE052 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FUEL TANK INLET CHECK VALVE (ICV) MODIFICATION - This bulletin provides information on the modification of the fuel tank Inlet Check Valve (ICV) on some 2019-2021MY Forte (BDm) vehicles produced from July 9, 2018 through December 2, 2020, which may exhibit fuel spit-back from the Fuel Filler...
TSB_ENG226 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: NU 2.0L MPI SULEV LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA462) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Module (ECM) on some 2019MY Forte (BDm) vehicles equipped with NU 2.0L MPI Atkinson SULEV engines, produced from July 3, 2018 through July 16,...
SC199_OWNR_BD — POWER TRAIN
SC199 - Owner Letter - Forte: Notification to Forte vehicle owners advising them of a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the Transmission Control Module (TCM) logic and, if necessary, replace the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) on some 2019-2020 Forte vehicles.
SC199_OWNR_BD — EQUIPMENT
SC199 - Owner Letter - Forte: Notification to Forte vehicle owners advising them of a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the Transmission Control Module (TCM) logic and, if necessary, replace the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) on some 2019-2020 Forte vehicles.
SC199_DPSM — POWER TRAIN
SC199 - Dealer Parts and Service Manager Notice: Notification to Dealer Parts and Service Managers advising them of a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the Transmission Control Module (TCM) logic and, if necessary, replace the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) on some 2019-2020 Forte; 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles.
SC199_POC — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
SC199_POC - Proof of Completion Card
Showing 10 of 24 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2019 KIA FORTE
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the KIA FORTE
- 2014 KIA FORTE — 630 complaints
- 2015 KIA FORTE — 319 complaints
- 2016 KIA FORTE — 190 complaints
- 2017 KIA FORTE — 419 complaints
- 2018 KIA FORTE — 185 complaints
- 2019 KIA FORTE (current)
- 2020 KIA FORTE — 86 complaints
- 2021 KIA FORTE — 90 complaints
- 2022 KIA FORTE — 35 complaints
- 2023 KIA FORTE — 84 complaints
- 2024 KIA FORTE — 27 complaints
Other KIA Models
- KIA SORENTO — 13,451 total complaints
- KIA OPTIMA — 10,045 total complaints
- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA SPORTAGE — 6,540 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA SEPHIA — 3,080 total complaints
- KIA TELLURIDE — 2,109 total complaints
- KIA RIO — 1,784 total complaints