2018 KIA Forte Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Forte years
- About as many complaints as other years 9th of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 136 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 KIA Forte. That ranks 9th out of 16 Forte model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (57 complaints, 42%), typically at around 67,000 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 3 fires, 9 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
.jpg){kind=link}
- 136owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 13complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 KIA Forte problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 57 | 42% | 67,000 | “oil change” (16%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 30 | 22% | 17,788 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 16 | 12% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 16 | 12% | 41,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 | 7% | 9,624 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 6% | 13,965 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 6% | 23,330 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 5% | 7,398 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 4% | 33,937 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 4% | 100,300 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 4% | 6,800 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 3% | 58,117 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 3% | 28 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 2% | 25,858 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 129,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 19,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 KIA Forte recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
There is an issue with the fuel pump where it would stall or shut off while driving or at a stoplight
The contact's son owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, with the oil pressure warning light and several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact…
Have to replace running lights every 4-6 months on both of my headlights. Happened every 4-6 months since I got the car in 2017
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was discovered that the engine oil level was extremely low. The dealer kept…
Recently, while my boyfriend was driving my vehicle, the engine suddenly lost power without warning. He had the accelerator pedal fully depressed, yet the vehicle would barely move. He was fortunate to safely maneuver the vehicle off the road. Upon inspection, he discovered there was no oil present…
Other KIA Forte years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Forte | 26 | 0 |
| 2023 Forte | 65 | 3 |
| 2022 Forte | 28 | 1 |
| 2021 Forte | 69 | 2 |
| 2020 Forte | 78 | 0 |
| 2019 Forte | 149 | 2 |
| 2018 | 136 | 3 |
| 2017 Forte | 305 | 3 |
| 2016 Forte | 136 | 1 |
| 2015 Forte | 260 | 1 |
| 2014 Forte | 444 | 3 |
| 2013 Forte | 195 | 5 |
| 2012 Forte | 292 | 4 |
| 2011 Forte | 154 | 3 |
| 2010 Forte | 221 | 3 |
| 2009 Forte | 1 | 0 |
See all KIA Forte problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
Embed this 2018 KIA Forte badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 KIA Forte?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, air bags problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 57 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 KIA Forte?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 KIA Forte a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Forte model years, the 2018 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.