What 146 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte Koup

ABOUT 4 WEEKS AGO MY STEERING WHEEL STARTING MAKE A GRINDING NOISE I TOOK IT TO MY KIA DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACE THE CLOCK SPRING. AFTER THAT WAS REPLACE MY STEERING WHEEL IS STILL MAKING THE NOISE.

NHTSA ODI 11354836

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE RPMS WOULD REV UP TO APPROXIMATELY 4,000 RPMS OR MORE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WOULD INTENTIONALLY SLOW THE VEHICLE TO REDUCE THE RPMS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IDLE AT A RED LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD UNINTENTIONALLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT WHERE THE VEHICLE STALLED HOWEVER, THE TIRES CONTINUED TO SPIN WITHOUT MOVING THE VEHICLE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GENE MESSER KIA (6006 19TH ST, LUBBOCK, TX 79407, (806) 776-5600) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD. THE CONTACT RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE SAME DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT RECEIVED A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.

NHTSA ODI 11352979

EVERYTIME I AM ON THE HIGHWAY, THEN EITHER COME TO A COMPLETE STOP OR TRY TO TURN TO GO UP A HILL. IT WON'T KICK IN TO GEAR. THD RPMS GO WAY UP AND IT ALMOST STOPS RUNNING. ITS BEEN HAPPENING LIKE FOR A WEEK NOW. ITS GETTING WORSE. MY HEADLIGHTS ALSO SEEM LIKE THEY ARE POINTED TO LOW TO THE GROUND. PLEASE HELP I USE MY CAR FOR WORK. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI 11348606

IT'S MAKING A RATTLING NOISE, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM

NHTSA ODI 11343480

WHEN DRIVING, STEERING WHEEL "GROWLS" WHEN MAKING TURNS WHILE IN MOTION. DEALERSHIP PUT ME IN A LOANER DUE TO ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS REPLACING AND CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 13 MONTHS WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 11343338

IVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CAR HAS ABOUT 27K MILES, PURCHASED AT 22K USED. AFTER DRIVING OFF THE HIGHWAY FROM 70MPH TO A NEAR STOP AT THE FEEDER ROAD STOP SIGN, THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE, SEEMS LIKE THE GEAR RATIO DID NOT ADJUST BACK DOWN. THEN NOTICED SEVERE JERKS WHEN TRANSMISSION TRIES TO CHANGE THE GEAR RATIONS, AND RPM WOULD SHOOT UP ERRATICALLY. TOOK IT TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER, HAD TO WAIT ABOUT 10 DAYS FOR AN APPOINTMENT. THEY CONFIRMED A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION IN ABOUT 5 DAYS.. NOT SURE HOW LONG THIS WILL LAST. DEFINITELY A SCARY AND SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DESIGN

NHTSA ODI 11342510

1: THE CAR RANDOMLY SENDS A COLLISION WARNING MESSAGE WHEN THERES NOTHING IN FRONT OF IT, SEVERAL TIMES ON THE INTERSTATE AND SEVERAL TIMES ON SURFACE STREETS WHEN NOTHING WAS IN FRONT OF IT. ONE TIME IT AUTOMATICALLY SLAMMED ON BRAKES SLOWING THE CAR TO A CRAWL WHEN NOTHING WAS IN FRONT OF IT. ON A SURFACE STREET. THE DEALERSHIP BLAMED THE ISSUE ON A MICROSCOPIC CHIP MISSING IN THE WINDSHIELD AT THE EXTREME 7 O'CLOCK POSITION OF THE CAMERA. WE WERE TOLD THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUE UNTIL THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE, WHICH WOULD COST OVER $800.00 JUST FOR THE WINDSHIELD. 2: THE CAR ALSO RANDOMLY SWITCHES DRIVING MODES ON ITS OWN. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE. WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE REP THAT THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED ON ITS OWN ACCORDING TO INPUT FROM THE GAS PEDAL FROM THE DRIVER. THE LEAD TECH INFORMED US THAT WE WERE SOMEHOW ACTIVATING THE SWITCH BY TOUCHING IT SOMEHOW WHILE ITS BEING DRIVEN CAUSE THERES NO WAY IT SWITCHED ON ITS OWN. THE CAR IS AN INHERENT SAFETY HAZARD AS THESE ISSUES RANDOMLY POP UP WITH NO NOTICE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11327532

I PURCHASED A 2019 KIA FORTE IN DECEMBER OF 2018. STARTING AROUND 7,200 MILES, I NOTICED THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD FLUCTUATE ESPECIALLY UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION. FLUCTUATIONS WERE BETWEEN 200-500 RPMS. THE VEHICLE WENT IN FOR SERVICE WITH ABOUT 7,450 MILES AND I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT WAS COMPLETED QUICKLY BY THE DEALER. T SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A HIGH FAILURE RATE EARLY ON WITH THESE KIA IVT TRANSMISSIONS. THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED. I IMAGINE IN ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF I WILL BE BACK INTO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. VERY DISAPPOINTING AS THIS IS NOT A VEHICLE YOU CAN RELY ON FOR LONG TRIPS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11327338

AIR CONDITIONER CABIN THERMISTOR DON'T WORK. THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSORS DON'T WORKS. THIS CAR START TO FAIL IN JUST NINE MONTHS AFTER BUY IT BRAND NEW. DON'T WORK IN ANY TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11324950

I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN DECEMBER FOR 2018. IN OCTOBER OF 2019, IT STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE RPMS BOUNCING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD TO WAIT FOR 3 MONTHS TO GET MY CAR BACK AS WE WAITED ON A TRANSMISSION. I NOTICED THE RPM BOUNCING WAS HAPPENING AGAIN. ON 5/7/2020, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I VOICED MY CONCERNS ABOUT REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WITH THE SAME MODEL THAT HAD ISSUES. I REQUESTED THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FIND OUT WHAT MODEL THE REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION IS SO WE DO NOT HAVE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11323682

I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I FELT IT STRUGGLING TO ACCELERATE AND OVERALL BEING "JERKY" DRIVING 30-40MPH ON A CITY STREET WITH MINIMAL HILLS. DEALERSHIP FOUND NOTHING WRONG AS NO CODES WERE SHOWING ANY ERRORS. NO MORE THAN 2-3 WEEKS LATER, TRANSMISSION DIED WHILE DRIVING 70MPH ON A HIGHWAY WITH ONLY 8,800 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE THE CAR WITHOUT THE RPM HITTING THE RED LINE EVEN THOUGH I WAS BARELY PRESSING ON THE GAS. I'M LUCKY I DIDN'T GET RAMMED BY THE TRUCK THAT WAS COMING BEHIND ME AS I QUICKLY ENGAGED MY EMERGENCY WARNING LIGHTS AND PULLED OVER WHEN A SAFE OPPORTUNITY AROSE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW (NO PRIOR OWNERS). I DID SOME RESEARCH, AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE FIRST COMPLAINT OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN THIS MODEL.

NHTSA ODI 11320814

THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, LIGHTING WAS LIMITED, THE SENSORS DID NOT WORK

NHTSA ODI 11307414

PROBLEM 1, LONG CRANK HARD START. HAVE TO CYCLE THE IGNITION KEY SEVERAL TIMES TO GET ENGINE STARTED. NO PCM CODES. HAD TO KIA DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES. CANNOT DUPLICATE ISSUE. PROBLEM 2, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES BLANK, RADIO GOES BLANK AND ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ODI 11306811

WHILE DRIVING THE CRASH RESPONSE SYSTEMS TURNS ON & SHOWS ERROR CODES WHICH HAS CAUSED VEHICLE TO STOP BY IT SELF. ALSO THE DRIVER ASSIST HAS PULLED MY WHEEL OUT OF MY HAND & JERKED HAD TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY SEVERAL TIMES.... THE LEFT STRUT MOUNT BEARING IS ALSO DEFECTIVE ON THE VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI 11302528

HAD CAR FOR JUST ONE MONTH. I PURCHASED A FLEET CAR WITH 20K MILES. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED AT 24K MILES. I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, AND THE CAR STARTED REVVING VERY HIGH 6-7K WHEN ACCELERATING, WHERE IT'S USUALLY 2-3K. THE CAR FINALLY GAVE OUT (SHAKING AND SPUTTERING) AND COULDN'T ACCELERATE ANY LONGER. HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER. I TRIED TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON, AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD. I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO MY PARENTS HOUSE CLOSE BY AT LOW SPEED TRYING TO KEEP THE ENGINE FROM RED-LINING. I KNEW IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE OF THE SYMPTOMS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS A NEW MODEL, AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE CAR WILL GET FIXED BECAUSE IT'S UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT REALLY GIVES ME RESERVATION ABOUT DRIVING IT GOING FORWARD. SUCH A CRITICAL FAILURE IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND WILL STAY ON THE BACK OF MY MIND ALWAYS. I CALLED KIA AND THEY TOWED IT TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. I AM GETTING A RENTAL FROM THEM.

NHTSA ODI 11299025

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE 'CAMERA OBSTRUCTED' WARNING SYMBOL STARTED TO FLASH. ALSO, THE BRAKES ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED FLASHING. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM WAS ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO JT'S KIA OF COLUMBIA (230 KILLIAN COMMONS PARKWAY, COLUMBIA, SC 29203) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, IT WAS ON BACKORDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE DEALER'S CUSTODY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11297478

ON A TRIP THE CAR BEGAN JERKING AND LOSING ACCELERATION WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AT HIGH REVS (5-6K) ON THE HIGHWAY. EVENTUALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED OR ACCELERATE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP IN READING, PA, 150 MILES FROM MY HOUSE. AFTER 3 DAYS OF EVALUATION, I WAS INFORMED THE CAR WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE EXPECTED TIME TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR IS 6 WEEKS. THE CAR HAS 10K MILES ON IT AND DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11296658

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALL STAR KIA OF SAN BERNARDINO (735 SHOW CASE DR N, SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408, (888) 480-0418) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTELLIGENT VARIABLE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.

NHTSA ODI 11286723

I WAS DRIVING MY 2019 KIA FORTE AT 75 MPH, THEN LOWERED MY SPEED, THEN ACCELERATED AGAIN. A LOUD SCREECH/GRINDING SOUND HAPPENED, THEN THE CAR STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE ROADSIDE, AND RE-START THE CAR. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER 15 MPH. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THEY DROVE THE CAR, BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I INSISTED THAT THERE IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I SUGGESTED THEY INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL.

NHTSA ODI 11286422

ON 11/27, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2019 KIA FORTE S WITH ABOUT 5,000 MILES ON IT AND SAID IT WAS DOING SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE. SHE WOULD PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL LIKE NORMAL, BUT THE RPMS WOULD SOAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP BUT THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE. WE DROVE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN SHE GOT BACK AND I NOTICED THE SAME THING. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AREA THAT NIGHT TO BRING IT IN ON FRIDAY, 11/29. THERE WERE NO ISSUES ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT MORNING WHICH IS ABOUT 20 MINUTES AWAY. WE LET THEM KNOW WE HAVE A LONG TRIP BACK THE NEXT DAY AND WANTED TO BE SURE THERE WASN'T A BIG ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT SINCE THERE WASN'T AN ENGINE LIGHT ON, THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY CODES TO TROUBLESHOOT THE ISSUE AND WE WERE SENT ON OUR WAY. AN HOUR INTO OUR TRIP ON 11/30, WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 70 MPH AND THE CAR STARTED HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. IT WOULD REV UP DRAMATICALLY WHEN TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL AND WE SOON LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. NO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE WERE ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND GOT IT TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. THEY COULDN'T LOOK AT IT THEN SO WE GOT A RENTAL CAR TO GET BACK HOME. I GOT IN TOUCH WITH THEM THE FOLLOWING MONDAY AND THEY SAID THEY WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THEY WILL COVER THE RENTAL CAR EXPENSE AS WELL. I'M HOPEFUL THE NEW TRANSMISSION WILL FIX THIS ISSUE AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL REOCCUR AFTER ANOTHER 5,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11286431

I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2019. I HAD IT'S 15,000 MILE CHECK UP ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED, MY CAR WOULD JUMP. THE RPM WOULD BOUNCE BETWEEN 1-2 RPMS AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND EVEN TEST DROVE IT. I WAS SURE SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND WE WENT OUT ON ANOTHER TEST DRIVE AND SURE ENOUGH IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THE NEXT DAY THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND THAT IT DIDN'T TRIGGER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT IS CURRENTLY SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING A NEW TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ODI 11286449

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND THE CONTACT DID NOT SEE AN ANIMAL IN THE ROAD. TO AVOID THE ANIMAL, THE CONTACT VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000. *DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11271614

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SOY BASED WIRING ATTRACTED RODENTS, WHICH CHEWED THE WIRES AND CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO SHORT OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOU FUSZ KIA (1025 N LINDBERGH BLVD, ST LOUISE, MO 63132, (3124) 595-4900) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE FACTORY OR EXTENDED WARRANTIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE DOWNSTREAM OXYGEN AND TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SENSORS, WHICH WAS A ONE TIME REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,200.

NHTSA ODI 11270461

THE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING SYSTEM KEEPS SAYING IT'S DISABLED DUE TO SOMETHING BEING IN THE WAY OF IT, I'VE CHECKED OVER THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES AND CAN'T FIND ANYTHING IN THE WAY OF ANY OF THE SENSORS.

NHTSA ODI 11266451

I HAVE A 2019 KIA FORTE THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED IT LEFT ME STRANDED BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T CRANK. NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS OUT AND I HAD A HORRIFYING EXPERIENCE TRYING TO DRIVE HOME AFTER MY GRANDMA PASSED AWAY. MY FAMILY LIVES 2 1/2 HOURS AWAY. THEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT VERBALLY ASSAULTED ME WHILE I WAS TRYING TO RECEIVE HELP. I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED GOING OUT. I WAS NEARLY HIT SEVERAL TIMES AS THE CAR WOULD SLOW DOWN AND NOT SHIFT GEARS.

NHTSA ODI 11265645