What 300 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Forte Koup

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle, but no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the engine oil level was low. The contact stated that the oil was topped off; however, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V260000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and referred the contact to the local dealer. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11526576

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while making a right turn, the oil warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the vehicle was experiencing a failure like NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V260000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) and advised to contact the dealer. The dealer was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 91,150.

NHTSA ODI 11524536

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

My car was stolen on 4-17. They tore up the steering column . KIA knows what's going on with the TICK TICK challenge and is doing nothing about it. They quoted me $800 for labor only!!! This is unacceptable. I had to replace my window, my insurance won't cover, I had to purchase a club. I feel violated. I don't know if my car was used in the commission of a crime or will be stolen again. Why isn't KIA recalling or fixing these vehicles. I qualify for the starter immobilizer kit, but they should fix their problem first. I am livid!!!! Its all over the media in 17 states on the rise of these thefts. When is someone going to make them accountable, when someone has to die first.

NHTSA ODI 11518700

The contact owns a 2015 Charmac Outlaw Trailer hauled by a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V838000 (Suspension). The contact stated that while towing the trailer at an unknown speed, the splines on the axle fractured and the two wheels separated from the axle. Additionally, the contact stated that the trailer was towed to the residence. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure but was advised to contact the axle manufacturer. The trailer had not been repaired. The contact stated that the axle manufacturer denied fault of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11515440

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

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle inadvertently stalled while slowing down. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the camshaft position sensor needed to be replaced. The contact stated that while changing the oil, the independent mechanic became aware of metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 230,000.

NHTSA ODI 11511780

I have a 2017 kia forte that I believe was made in Mexico (12/16) in December of 2016. I have an airbag fault illuminated. I used a scan tool to read the fault. Its 10 faults including DTC B1620, the airbag SRSCM is not communicating. I made an appointment at local KIA dealer for recall. I downloaded the SC226 RECALL. The recall affects a production range for 2017-2018 MY Forte from March 2, 2017 to July 27, 2018. My kia was manufactured 3 months before and has the same defect. I used the NHTSA website to search the VIN and returned the same results. I want to register a complaint that there are more affected vehicles than covered by this recall. I am sure that if the NHTSA were to collect data on vehicles being repaired for this identical defect would find that a greater number of vehicles were affected and many may be operating unsafely without repair.

NHTSA ODI 11511511

When I arrived at my destination after driving through rain my paint peeled back on my hood.

NHTSA ODI 11510784

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

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where unknown sensors were replaced. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. Additionally, the ABS warning light and the check engine warning light were illuminated. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11508874

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

My car was parked in the car port. The rear back light on the driver side caught on fire. The police and fire department were called. I was not at home at the time, my neighbors used a plastic container to put out by time the fire department got there. The firs department stated that is was faulty wiring. I am waiting for the report from police, fire department, and insurance representative. The car was parked and there was no waring lamp. Fire department had to disarm my car alarm. I will be calling the dealer after this.

NHTSA ODI 11505112

Driving at night and low beam headlights both went out at the same time. The only way to drive safely was to use high beams. Opened hood and passenger's side light came back on, very dimly, and then went out again as soon as the left turn signal was initiated. Even the high beam lights flicker when the left turn signal is used. This is completely unsafe because there is no way to see without blinding everyone else on the road with high beams. Headlight bulbs were replaced less than 6 months ago.

NHTSA ODI 11504650

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

Unknown. My 2017 Kia Forte LX turns off while I’m driving. The entire car dies but the electric works. I have to put in park and sit a minute before my car will start again.

NHTSA ODI 11500962

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 owns a 2017 Kia Forte. The contact stated the vehicle failed to immediately start up as needed. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to start the vehicle after several attempts. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that coolant was leaking into the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The independent mechanic associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V260000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11500340

The trunk seal is not functioning properly. Water gets into lighting and causes mold in truck.

NHTSA ODI 11498793

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