2019 Kia Forte Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 2 NHTSA recalls and 149 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

50/100

High Reported Activity — 2019 Kia Forte

The 2019 Kia Forte shows high recall and complaint activity in NHTSA data. Review the issues below and have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

Own or buying a 2019 Kia Forte?

Check your specific VIN free for recalls and specs. Full vehicle history report: one-time $4.99, no subscription, no auto-renewal.

NHTSA Recalls

2 recalls on record

149

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crash Reports

4 fire reports

⚠️

NHTSA Recalls — 2019 Kia Forte (2)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Kia dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Exterior Lighting: Headlights

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…

NHTSA #18V771000

🔧 Power Train: Axle Assembly: Axle Shaft

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….

NHTSA #20V459000

💬

Most Common Problems — 2019 Kia Forte

Based on 149 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Power Train

Engine

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Steering

Exterior Lighting

Forward Collision Avoidance

Engine And Engine Cooling

📊

Kia Forte — Complaints by Year

A spike means more owner complaints were filed for that model year. The 2019 model year is highlighted.

→ Recently checked Kia Forte VINs — free recall, safety and specs report for any VIN.

→ Decode a Kia VIN — free Kia VIN decoder guide: where to find the VIN and what each part means.

⚠ Higher-complaint years: 2014, 2017 — These model years have more owner complaints in NHTSA data than the other years compared.

✅ Best model years: 2020, 2021, 2022 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

❓

Frequently Asked Questions — 2019 Kia Forte

Is the 2019 Kia Forte reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2019 Kia Forte has 2 recall campaigns and 149 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated recall or complaint activity — review the details and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2019 Kia Forte have?

The 2019 Kia Forte has 2 NHTSA recalls. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Kia Forte?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2019 Kia Forte are: Power Train, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2019 Kia Forte safe to buy?

The 2019 Kia Forte has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 2 recalls are completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year Kia Forte should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Kia Forte are: 2020, 2021, 2022. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years with higher complaint counts: 2014, 2017.

How we score this: The score starts at 100 and subtracts points for the number of NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints filed for this model year, and for complaints that report crashes or fires. Newer model years get a small bonus because they have had less time to collect reports. These are raw counts and are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, so popular models tend to have more recalls and complaints. Complaints are unverified owner reports. This grade is not a prediction about any individual vehicle and is not an inspection: check a specific car’s VIN for open recalls and get an independent pre-purchase inspection.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.