What 56 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Forte Koup

I was driving home, on my way while driving I approached a curve on my way around the curve my vehicle continued to accelerate to the right as I was going around the curve. I tried to redirect the vehicle back to the left by trying to turn the steering wheel towards the left but I could not control the direction of the way the vehicle continued on. Still trying to turn the steering wheel back towards the left it kept to the right and ran off the road into a tree. Also once impact occurred i don’t remember if the airbags deployed because my head was laying flat on the steering wheel. Once the emergency services arrived I was accessed and removed from the vehicle and transported to the hospital emergency. There were no warning lights or messages what so ever ahead of the accident. A claim with the insurance was filed and also a complaint with the Kia manufacturer was filed. At this time no one has accessed the damages of the vehicle, State Farm has the vehicle at this time.

NHTSA ODI 11740816

I was driving in a road, when a female deer appeared out of the trees and bushes from the right shoulder of the road. I tried not to hit it but but the deer got in my way. I hit the deer and quickly moved over to the right shoulder. The whole front right of the vehicle was destroyed and the airbags did not open. Sheriff arrived and saw the vehicle, the vehicles debri and the deer which had to be put down. He asked for the vehicles registration and did a report of the accident. The Sheriff then called a local tow company who arrived in a couple of minutes and towed the vehicle to their garage/shop.

NHTSA ODI 11740134

My son, [XXX] , has opened a complaint/Case #XXX with Kia. His 2023 KIA Forte had been idle for at least 24 hours when the engine compartment caught fire. He became aware of this when the Fire Department knocked on his apartment door around 4:00 PM 12/26/25 and said they were evacuating the building because a car was on fire. He went outside and was shocked, to say the least, that it was his car. The Fire Department had taken off the hood to extinguish the fire. He removed his belongings once the fire was out. He contacted his insurance company but since it was a holiday weekend, he did not get a call back until 12/29/25. He then filed a claim with State Farm Insurance which was required to get his car towed to a Kia repair location. On 1/9/25, [XXX] [XXX] t Castrucci Auto Shop in [XXX] [XXX] he car was totaled. I talked with [XXX] who was [XXX] between the auto shop and State Farm, told me that once the repair exceeded the value of the car, he was instructed by State Farm it was totaled and there was no need to continue. On or around 3/4/26, Kia sent engineers to assess the damaged vehicle. Kia determined it was an engine fire and the cause was undetermined due to the condition of the engine department. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11726670

Backing out of a driveway that had a mud hole. Car got turned and stuck in the mud. We were trying to push it out and then it started smoking under the drivers tires and then we heard a pop. Next thing the undercarriage is on fire and we got away. Withing minutes the whole car was engulfed in flames. UNKNOWN MODERATE ONLY CAUSE WE WERE STUCK AND COULD EXIT THE VEHICLE IN A TIMELY MANNER NO NO

NHTSA ODI 11724342

My son was in a car accident in my car January 1 at none of the Air bags went off. Not one there is a police report and I have pictures. Its a 2023 kia forte

NHTSA ODI 11718865

Unknown Concerning the front passenger steering component. Carfax showed prior accident with minor damage to the front passenger bumper. I purchased the car not long ago and and was hit in the same exact spot. When I looked up the VIN for more information online I came across the safety issue with some other 2023 forte. I'm concerned that my vehicle could possibly have the same issue though it's not showing up right now under recall.

NHTSA ODI 11709300

My father was in a fatal vehicle accident in which the car was going very fast and then he crashed into a building. The car then started on fire. The black box was unable to be recovered to check car function. There were no medical findings

NHTSA ODI 11703022

I walked out to my car and I noticed there were scratches and dents that weren’t there that morning. I park in a carport in my apartment, and the only vehicle that could’ve possibly hit mine would be the GMC Yukon who parks in the carport next to me. Their car is completely wrecked on the back, so although there are scratches that match the damage to my car, they could easily say they didn’t do it. However, their back drivers side window is replaced with black tape, and their passenger side mirror is blown off as well. These 2 damages blocked their vision of my vehicle, which explains why they are responsible for the damages. The tags on their vehicle have been expired for 2 years as well.

NHTSA ODI 11609267

Auto Emergency Breaking & Forward Collision Warning: Yes it available for inspection ASAP My safety was risk, while driving on the freeway I was staying in my lane driving and all of a sudden it said Forward Collision: warning when passing a vehicle that was driving in the next lane to the right , then immediately the auto emergency brakes turned on and once it did that I had trouble with steering the vehicle it felt as if it was pulling me to the right lane where the vehicle next to me was driving. Then following moments when stepping on gas peddle it vibrates, puts the other driver at risk if we crashed due to the malfunction.

NHTSA ODI 11575453

The car caught fire on the highway. Per firemen there was a problem with the engine and fuel and it caught fire in under 3 minutes...

NHTSA ODI 11563850

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Airbsgs failed to deploy when I was hit on my driver side by a car going going between 45-50 miles an hour. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My safety was out at risk because my airbags did not deploy and I hit my head on the B pillar and was jolted from my seat and the time of impact. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I am not sure. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No, not yet. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No there was not.

NHTSA ODI 11546713

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed when the vehicle inadvertently merged to the right lane while the lane assist feature was active. The contact stated that lane assist feature failed to alert her that the vehicle had merged. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a guard rail. The air bags deployed. The contact sustained injury to her right arm, cuts and abrasions and an air bag rash on her chest. Medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ODI 11538487

Vehicle was involved in an accident. No air bags were deployed. Vehicle was declared a total loss. Have reached out to KIA manufacturing regarding issue.

NHTSA ODI 11509204

Good morning, I want to report extreme safety concerns about my KIA Forte GT - Line 2023.When I first came home with the car days later the car shut off in the middle of the street while driving just one house up from my house. I attempted to turn it back on and the car would not turn back on and it automatically proceeded to call roadside assistance.I immediately informed the dealership. The car often hesitates, fails to shift and turns completely off. Last Sunday on December 11, 2022 I was about to get on the Roosevelt Boulevard expressway while I was on a street which is a hill that leads me to the expressway going about a reasonable distance. My car proceeded to roll backwards on the hill. I immediately thought to myself this is a huge safety concern. The incident that occurred on December 13,2022 in front of my house was a dealbreaker for me. I was moving my car from my home driveway , I put my car in reverse and moved my steering wheel the opposite to go right with my foot slightly on the gas my car would not move. The transmission light , battery lights and other lights came on. My car then said reverse,neutral then reverse again. I did not change gears to neutral. Still my car would not move. Shortly after I put my foot on the brake because I saw a white car speed behind me very fast. I kept my foot on the brake until the coast was clear and the white car disappeared.After that my car immediately goes backwards at full speed ( Jumps out of gear accelerated then stalled) and hits a parked car which damages the back of my car.I called KIA roadside assistance because I was turned off by the car and I did not feel like it was safe to drive and it needed to be towed. The incident happened in front of my house but it could have happened anywhere and cause even more damage to me and someone else. I talked to [XXX] on the phone a day after my car arrived at the dealership and she immediately stated that KIA can not fix any damages. My car needs to go to a INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11498196