What 300 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Forte Koup

My car started sounding like a diesel truck. The car didn’t want to changes gears right. It was shutting off randomly. I got on the freeway and it wouldn’t shift out of 3rd gear the way it was suppose to, the car speedometer was reading 60-70 mph but when I switched it to manual it was only in 3rd gear. I almost got rear ended by a diesel truck with a trailer due to it not wanting to shift. I had a mechanic look at it and put it in the code reader. It came up just the cam sensor which were replaced. Went to drive off and it sounded way worse than before. Reput it on the code reader and it said something about the oil pump. Got a second opinion and this mechanic said that it was the bearings in the motor. And now it’s going to be a problem and that’s I’m better off getting a new car.

NHTSA ODI 11564304

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 165,000.

NHTSA ODI 11563639

Starting around 50k mileage, the engine experienced misfire-like issues: rough idling & transitory reduction of power during acceleration and cruising. This was brought to the dealership multiple times, but the check engine light had never come on, nor were there any error codes saved in the OBD system. After 60k mileage, the check engine light did come on temporarily, but would automatically clear, still without any error codes saved in OBD. Around 65k mileage, the vehicle could not accelerate to highway speeds, so I had it towed to the dealer and refused to take it back until they found the issue. They then observed an error saved in OBD showing a misfire on cylinder 3. Replaced all spark plugs + coil packs, which seems to have corrected the problem. After 70k mileage, I observed that the engine burns oil, about 1 quart per 3k miles. This rate has stayed consistent up to the current 100k mileage.

NHTSA ODI 11562886

My engine shutoff/misfired while I was driving. The rest of my vehicle maintained power, dashboard headlights, radio. I took it to an autoshop where the issue was replicated. When my engine shut off the I had three check lights come on eps, oil, and battery. There was no warning prior to the engine shutting off.

NHTSA ODI 11558539

I take my car to kia dealership for my oil changes.they put the $45.00 oil,not sure if conventional or semi.apprx.4mos ago they told me kia no longer use the $45.00 oil so needed to upgrade to full synthetic oil.so i did,approx 2mos after,engine light came on flasing.with the oil light flashing aswell.i needed to add 4quarts.from that day foward the car does not have power.no more than 60mph.ps.added another 2 quarts adout 3weeks ago

NHTSA ODI 11557799

1. The knock sensor failed. As a consequence the vehicle will not run properly. 2. The vehicle has been at Fred Beans KIA of Langhorne for several weeks. I assume that it is available for inspection. 3. The vehicle will not run properly. It will not accelerate when the gas pedal is pressed and the engine often stops running. Very dangerous on highways and heavily traveled roadways. 4. Yes the problem has been confirmed by Ciocca KIA of Trenton, NJ. Frank's Service Center 645 Knowles Ave., South Hampton, PA 18966 and Fred Beans KIA of Langhorne, PA 19047. 5. Yes. See attached report. 6. Yes there was an engine warning light and a message on the screen.

NHTSA ODI 11557032

Car does not turn off. Put car in park, remove key, still running. Change gears, step on brake, park, remove key while still on brake pedal, still running. Had to remove two components from fuse box to turn off car & electrical (dashboard was still on when first component was removed, which stopped engine). Key fob doesn’t work either, have to manually lock/unlock. Car is available for inspection. *trying* to set up an appt with the dealership to get it serviced, but it’s a holiday weekend. This is dangerous, bc it’ll kill battery, and if ppl don’t figure out how to manually turn car off from fuse, the fumes can be dangerous. I was at work & in a parking garage. I had to run inside for a few min & the smell was strong afterwards. No warning signs/codes on car. Has not been inspected yet by anyone.

NHTSA ODI 11542340

It happened on July 29th 2023. Coming home from visiting my son my engine started to make a loud knocking noise. There have been no warnings, no light indicators came on, just nothing. Luckily made it home safely. Car has just a Lil over 97,000 miles on it. The coolant, oil,transmission fluid all are good. Took to a shop on August 2nd and said the motor is blown. With low miles and only 6years old the car should not have a blown motor already. I belive the recall should be extended to All 2017 KIA FORTES.

NHTSA ODI 11537173

My 2017 Kia Forte was stalling during driving with no warning. Engine light would come on periodically and then go off again. It stalled numerous times on busy roads and at busy intersections. I'm blessed I was never rear ended. It finally died after parking it one day and wouldn't start again. It is at the Kia dealership where they tell me... for lack of mechanical terms, it has jumped time and they need me to pay $2200 to have it fixed. My tech told me, "this may fix your problems but we will not know until that is fixed because we can not further diagnose it until that gets fixed". In my 47 years of life I've never had a mechanic tell me to pay that much but we aren't sure if this will fix it. Kia knows these engines are junk and are trying to get out of replacing/fixing what is wrong for so many! This is so wrong! These car/engines are dangerous and a ticking time bomb!

NHTSA ODI 11535204

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the mechanic retrieved DTC codes: P0017 and P0014. Additionally, metal shavings were found inside the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 103,000.

NHTSA ODI 11532992

The engine failed similar to all the other recalls I see on other kia models.

NHTSA ODI 11533061

Engine is siezed

NHTSA ODI 11532157

My 2017 Kia forte with less than 100,000 miles on it started stalling and consuming excess amounts of oil. I was still paying on it. I made sure to keep oil in my car and always did my oil changes. No receipts for those because my father changed my oil for me. One day it stalled on the highway out of nowhere. It stopped stalling and nobody could figure out why it had done that even when taken into the shop. One day I went out to start my car and it wouldn’t start. My husband had it towed to the dealership and it was a blown engine. I was still paying on this car. I had only had it for 2 years. Now, this make, model, and year are included in a recall for catastrophic engine failure and stalling, yet, when I look it up online my VIN isn’t included… in fact my manufacturing date is only a week out from what they would include. This has been traumatizing to me considering I cared for my mother for ten years and she had just passed unexpectedly after a surgery, and I wasn’t working because of this… now my husband has to now take me to work, if I can find a job that works around his schedule… and I have to pay 7,000 which is what is left of what I owe on my loan. I am unhappy to say the least.

NHTSA ODI 11529660

Repeated engine failure. 10/1/2022 "internal problem required engine teardown found exhaust cvvt dowel pin had sheared off inside of exhaust camshaft causing excessive play. Replaced exhaust cvvt exhaust camshaft valve cover gasket rtv exhaust cvvt bolt timing chain tensioner timing chain and ocv. Replaced gaskets as needed." Paid $2877.01 to repair. Then on 5/15/2023, loud knocking in engine (sounds like a loose bolt knocking around). Took to dealer and got this quote. "•Exhaust system (Loose Parts, Visible Damage, Leaks) OBD 2 PERMANENT CODE FOR P0420- RECOMMEND CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT $10,106.27 •REPLACE ENGINE - NON ISG $4,232.81" Only has 127k miles and cannot pay this much... $14+k for a car that is worth $4k? Crazy! I question the work that was done in Oct 2022 and also question why it had to be done in the first place. Something is very wrong with this engine. It is available for inspections upon request. My daughter's safety was compromised as she commuted with a car that has a serious engine defects. Problem was diagnosed at dealership. It has been inspected by the Kia dealership. Engine light warning was on which is why my daughter took it to them in Oct. 2022. Came on again in May 2023 and she took it to dealership again as soon as she saw it which was when the knocking began. Link to outrageous quote on May 16, 2024. https://triage-america.superservice.com/home/en-us/customer-authorisation/#/A3zAAy&n2azet;VVM=&sms

NHTSA ODI 11522476

Engine burns oil quickly. No leaks reported after each oil change. I have to add a quart of oil every week and sometimes I have to add 2 quarts. Mechanic states he has had multiple Kia Forte's have complete engine failure because engine will burn all of the oil until there is no oil at all.

NHTSA ODI 11513370

My vehicle has under 70,000 miles. A few weeks ago it keep stopping. This is what the Kia dealer is telling me : INTERNAL ROD BEARING FAILURE METAL IN OIL CAR IS KNOCKING AND WONT STAY RUNNING DUE TO OIL CONTROL VALVES BEING AFFECTED BY METAL IN OIL. I feel as a customer this is a bad engine and now I am being asked to pay about $5700 to replace an engine. I bought this car about almost two years ago; and I was assured by a car fax and Kia dealership this car was fine. I would like for Kia to look into this and reimburse me and other customers.

NHTSA ODI 11512292

Load engine "ticking/knocking" noise at 83,200 miles. Vehicle engine maintenance is up to date and serviced by Kia. Noise diagnosed as coming from valve train and/or pistons. Was informed engine replacement is necessary.

NHTSA ODI 11509920

Hi there, I got my 2017 Kia Forte brand new. Over the past 6 years, I’ve had to replace the ENGINE IGNITION COILS half a dozen times. Kia refuses to recall this vehicle for this problem, which is very common among other drivers. Just go online and search “2017 Kia Ignition Coil problem” and you will find thousands of people reporting on the same issue with a multitude of the same symptoms: rough idling, shaking vehicle, RPM jumps, check engine light on, etc. The irony is, when I first took my vehicle to a Kia dealership for service, they were fully aware of the issue and alleged recall (their words, not mine). In fact, THE MECHANIC is the one who informed me about the recall 5+ years ago when my first coil misfired. He said the part was recalled, and they would fix free of charge. This was the first time I heard about the recall. NO ONE from Kia had contacted me. No call, email, text, snail mail. Nothing. When an engine ignition coil fails, you run the risk of having your vehicle caught on fire and explode. How on Earth is Kia getting away with keeping this information secret from its customers?? The 2017 Kia Forte has 6 engine ignition coils. I’ve since replaced nearly all of mine - and note, Kia dealerships REFUSE to replace them all at once as they need proof they’re officially “bad” before replacing. Thousands of other customers have also reported going back to the shop over, and over, and over again to get these coils fixed. Kia needs to be held accountable for the safety of these vehicles. Kia needs to recall these cars, and refund customers who have already fixed their cars. In 2020, NHTSA announced civil penalties for Kia for NOT recalling vehicles in a timely manner. We need to keep Kia in check, and hold them accountable for the unacceptable and incredibly dangerous position they continue to put their customers in.

NHTSA ODI 11507468

Had total loss of oil causing engine to fail on February 7th 2023! This after just receiving oil change in January! Car locked up while driving barely making it safely off the road! Had trouble with it going into the new year! Oil was constantly a problem! Just paid off car in October! This engine failure was severe and life threatening considering where I was at the time and all the traffic that was surround! I’ve had friends with Kia’s suffer same engine loss as well! Can’t just be a coincidence!

NHTSA ODI 11507185

I've had it looked at by a Kia dealership and they said I let it run out of oil and burned up my engine. My ASC warranty won't cover it. I had no idea. I've got proof from Valvoline where I always get my oil changes and proves I did it regularly. I had no oil leak signs on the pavement. Your recall #SC210 which I just found out about talks about exactly what happened to me. I really don't think it was my fault and it should be covered. I had no indication that something was wrong till this happened. I've had no problems since I bought the car in November 2021till now.

NHTSA ODI 11506137

I was driving home one night. Nothing out of the norm. Suddenly I felt a slight tug in my car and something like a “rattling” sound. I thought it was my tire so I pulled over and checked but the noise was coming from the engine. I popped the hood and found it was the engine knocking. I towed the car to the nearest KIA dealer and found out it was a “Long Block” issue.

NHTSA ODI 11502407

Currently at 80k miles and roughly at 50k miles started hearing metal clanking when accelerating and smelling burning metal and hints of electric fire when driving, I've been adding oil / changing the oil every week because it's barely any oil on the dipstick and noticed that there are shiny metal flakes in the oil and filter every time, I have an hour commute to and from work and this motor is a ticking time bomb and I have to put 4.3 quarts every week. The motor is burning oil and when I first start it it barley stays running and shakes tremendously also sometimes it has revved up to 3k rpms but after about 30 seconds to a minute it drops under 1k rpm and idles rough, I've had it checked for leaks and there are none. I took it to the kia dealership and they said that it was not a recall and they couldn't help.I went as well for the trunk latch and Forward Collision recall. Latch was broken and they didn't fix it I had to order one offline, only thing that was done was the coolant flush service and the fuel system and forward collision, also was told that one of the motor mounts was bad and paid for it but never received it. I'm spending boo koodles on oil and filters I could have purchased a used vehicle for what I've spent on that. Please help me out with this. I've been considering just taking it back to the bank and ruin my credit because I'm scared that it will catch on fire or leave me stranded or even getting in an accident. I'm terrified to continue driving it but unfortunately it's my only transportation but everyday I take a risk. I just don't understand these motors I've changed the oil every 3k miles since I got it. For it to only have 80k miles there shouldn't be metal flakes in the oil and filter every time I change it. The only other issue is sometimes while on the highway it just acts like it's loosing power and it cuts out accelerating here and there not sure if the motor is close to locking up. I don't have photos at the moment but have videos.

NHTSA ODI 11500643

The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle started making an abnormally loud noise. The driver pulled off the roadway and safely stopped. The contact stated that her daughter had not noticed any warning lights being illuminated. The contact stated that her daughter saw a puddle of oil underneath the vehicle. The contact's daughter had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that the vehicle had thrown a connecting rod and that engine oil was sprayed on the engine support and frame. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11498542

Son purchased his first car and like the 17 forte. Bought it for around 12k and drove it for 8k miles and he had the engine start knocking. No indication lights nothing. Checked the oil thinking it could be that but it wasn’t low on oil. Had it towed to our mechanic he said the motor was blown. Kia would not do anything after it sat in the dealership ship for 21 days. Just received an estimate of $7800 to replace a motor with a used motor with 42k on it!! Are you kidding me! These motors are horrible and there service is the same. Stand behind your product if you ever want to be successful. He could have been stranded in the middle of nowhere with a car having less then 100k miles on it. Needs to be recalled.

NHTSA ODI 11496720

Cylinder 2 is misfiring and causing the engine to get out of rhythm. The car begins shaking and the engine struggles to keep running. The car feels like it will stop running at any given point of when it happens. The check engine light only appears when at a complete stop or when my foot is on the gas. When I take my foot off the gas and the car cruises, the check engine light goes away, making it extremely difficult to catch/code.

NHTSA ODI 11496738