Home · 2019 Kia Forte Koup · Complaints

What 146 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte Koup

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (146)Crash / fire / injury (15)Transmission & drivetrain (47)Engine (35)Electrical system (22)Driver assistance (17)Lights (15)Steering (8)Speed control (7)Airbags (6)Lane Departure (5)Body & structure (4)

6 of 146 complaints match · Airbags · clear filters

Feb 18, 2025Electrical systemAirbagsCrash1 injury

In a car accident I got into, my car’s airbags did not deploy like they should have and therefore I got greater injuries than I should have. I believe I hit the steering wheel and I did hurt my chest. Both my elbows were sore as well and as well as both my knees had big bruises on them. My right knee to this day still has a bruise/mark on it, which still does not feel the same since then. Very soon after my claims adjuster actually found out there was a recall on a huge amount of Kia’s because of their airbags not deploying and some type of electrical wiring not working properly or something that has to do with that. However, my year car (2019) was not included in this recall. But as you can see, it should have been. My car got totaled as a result from this accident and I did end up going to the hospital afterwards to get checked out. About two weeks or so before, my car just passed its yearly car inspection. And no, there were no messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to this all.

NHTSA ODI 11643557

Jan 19, 2023AirbagsCrash1 injury

Air bags did not deploy during car accident. I sustained severe injuries to the face. Puncture wound to jaw, forehead laceration to skull, spinal cord damage, and fractured ribs. Unknown if problem has been reproduced or confirmed by dealership. Car was totaled not sure if it’s available for inspection. Vehicle is being investigated by insurance and police did complete a report. Check forward avoidance assist system.

NHTSA ODI 11502550

Feb 6, 2020LightsAirbagsCrash1 injury

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

NHTSA ODI 11307414

Oct 28, 2019LightsAirbagsCrash

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

May 11, 2019AirbagsCrash

THE DIVER OF HE VEHICLE HAD FRONT IMPACT DAMAGE AT 40 MPH AND HIT THE SIDE OF ANOTHER CAR. THE ENTIRE FRONT END INCLUDING THE STEEL FRAME WAS BENT IN BUT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ODI 11206997

Nov 26, 2018AirbagsBody & structureSeatsCrash1 injury

ON NOVEMBER 12,2018 I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 65 MPH WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER THAT SEEMED TO BE DOING FULL SPEED, AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I NEVER HEARD ANY SCREECHING BRAKES BEHIND ME. THE IMPACT TOTALED MY CAR, WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE TO THE TRUNK. THE IMPACT MADE MY CAR SPIN AROUND AND AT SOME POINT MY FRONT BUMPER HIT SOMETHING, BUT NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED WHATSOEVER. MY SEAT BELT WAS STILL LOCKED IN PLACE, BUT SOMEHOW MY SEAT RECLINED BACK JUST ENOUGH FOR ME TO BE DISLODGED FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT AND END UP IN THE BACK SEAT, RESULTING IN A BROKEN VERTEBRAE IN MY NECK. WHY DID NOT ONE AIRBAG GO OFF AND WHY DID MY SEAT BELT NOT HOLD ME IN PLACE?

NHTSA ODI 11154023

Working with the data? Download all 146 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2019 Kia Forte Koup verdict →