Kia Forte 2019 — Problemas reportados

While Driving, the vehicle lost power and stopped. Found out the timing chain went out/broken. This car only had 62,000. 2019 Kia Forte

I took my 2019 Kia Forte LXS to a certified Kia dealership to have the mandatory anti-theft security upgrade performed (Campaign CS2312), which involves installing an ignition cylinder protector plate inside the steering column. Immediately after picking up the vehicle, multiple severe safety and electrical defects appeared. The engine is running very rough, sputters, and loses power especially going up hills, making it dangerous to drive. Additionally, the brake light main is now malfunctioning and fail to illuminate. - creating an immediate crash hazard. The radio and dashboard electronics are also cutting out intermittently. mileage is also not being calculated right. These dangerous engine and electrical safety defects were directly caused by the dealership's botched installation of the manufacturer's security campaign."

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at 70-75 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the check engine warning light illuminated, causing the contact and her daughter to be stranded on the highway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the spark plugs and ignition coils; however, the failure persisted. After allowing the vehicle to cool down, the contact restarted the vehicle and drove to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to Jiffy Lube, where the transmission fluid was changed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where DTC P0730 was retrieved, indicating an Incorrect Gear Ratio, and the dealer determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: MC-11029037 and Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign SC199; however, the vehicle was not covered under either program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

recommended engine replacement at 111,000 miles

Power loss, engine failure. Will not start

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that after driving to the local store and turning off the vehicle, after returning to the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was diagnosed with a timing chain failure caused by low engine oil. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle had experienced excessive oil consumption and engine oil was constantly added to the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 124,000.

While driving, the Forward Collision Warning system activated unexpectedly without any apparent hazard or obstruction in front of my vehicle. Immediately after the warning appeared, the vehicle suddenly lost speed and became very slow to accelerate. I was unable to safely increase my speed while traveling on a busy roadway, creating a dangerous situation and nearly resulting in a collision with surrounding traffic. Due to the sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate normally, I activated my hazard lights and was forced to pull onto the shoulder of the road for my safety and the safety of other drivers. There were no visible obstacles, vehicles, or road conditions that appeared to justify the activation of the Forward Collision Warning system. This unexpected activation and resulting loss of vehicle performance created a significant safety risk. I am submitting this complaint because a malfunction of the Forward Collision Warning system or related vehicle systems could potentially lead to a serious accident or injury. I have experienced recurring brake issues despite recently having the brakes replaced. The problem continues to occur, raising concerns that there may be an underlying electrical or electronic malfunction affecting vehicle performance. I was recently pulled over shortly after the brake replacement due to concerns regarding the vehicle's braking system. Because the issue persists after repairs, I am concerned about the safety of the vehicle and the potential risk of a crash or loss of control.

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 70 MPH, the contact had exited when the oil and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle rolled over to the side of the road. The contact exited the vehicle and, upon inspection, noticed that an excessive amount of oil had leaked onto the ground. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the drain plug had failed and the engine was damaged. The independent mechanic replaced the drain plug. However, the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since. The contact had not experienced a failure in the past. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

The transmission had a recall 2 years ago and they gave me a new one (KIA). I am having issues with my transmission again

My car has cut off on me going down the road and it cut back on I have had where the car is slow at acceleration and trying to stall out on me and causing a car to almost hit me in the bumper cause of it the car only has 112,580 miles and have not been able to drive the car since march 13,2026 due to this issue and not feeling safe to drive it

As I was driving on the turnpike the car engine literally just shut down on me! It could have caused a serious accident. This is the 3rd time when driving the car just stopped on its own on me! Gas tank full, oil good and battery good, but the engine is not! It gave me NO WARNING either. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. I could have been hit all 3 times! Family came to help and tried to jump it and it wouldn't start so I had to get it towed. Dates happened March 28, 31st and April 6, all 2026. Also the key fog lock is defective! It works when it wants too.

Car caught on fire while driving down the highway. Had engine replaced with a remanufactured engine in January of 2026 and car engine seized again 30 days later.

February 1st 2026, I done my oil change. My car was running fine. No check engine light was on or anything, my forward collision warning started disabling itself when I always kept it on. When I try to accelerate my vehicle it would take a while to accelerate. March 7th 2026, while I was driving, my car quit while it was still running. It also quit the same day again just in park. March 8th 2026, I went to take my vehicle to get a diagnostics and when leaving my home. My car stalled out and quit while in drive. After taking my vehicle to the mechanic, the mechanic reported to me my car had no oil in my car and my motor was fried. I have had the vehicle less than a year and it’s giving me all of these issues

2019 Kia with approximately 64,000 miles. Engine failed without warning. Prior to failure, vehicle had been experiencing intermittent stalling on multiple prior occasions and had been brought to a mechanic for inspection before the final failure occurred. Vehicle stalled while being driven on a highway at night on [XXX] between mile markers 67-71 in Maryland, creating a dangerous situation for the driver and other motorists. The oil warning light appeared immediately prior to engine failure. Vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who inspected it and confirmed the engine had failed. The mechanic noted that the engine was well maintained, ruling out neglect as a contributing factor. Mechanic stated this is a known issue with Kia engines from this era. Vehicle is available for inspection. Problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. Engine replacement cost is approximately 6,000. Kia's powertrain warranty does not fully transfer to subsequent owners, leaving this vehicle owner without coverage despite low mileage and what appears to be a manufacturing defect. Owner was advised by mechanic that Kia has covered similar failures as goodwill replacements due to the known nature of this defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Transmission was getting stuck in gear and slipping intermittently would cause the car to not accelerate over 20mph especially in the cold unless you switched it to the manual mode and manually shifted up two gears ans then back down two gears. If you looked at the tach while it did this is would bounce between 500 and 1500rpm and then would stutter and bounce between 1500 and 2500rpm until you did the manual gear trick. Eventually it started making a strange noise. I have serviced it on time and complained to Kia before about the issue which they stated they could not repeat so there was nothing they could do at that time and now when I took it back to Kia they stated its an internal trans issue and it now needs to be replaced but there was nothing they could do as it was now out of warranty. The car has less the 95k on it. I've had cars that had well over 400k on them in the past and still ran like new. The trans should not be failing already.

Engine stalled while driving causing the car to turn off in traffic. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This caused loss of power and steering at 45 miles per hour and could have caused a collision. A licensed and accredited auto mechanic has confirmed that the engine is a total loss. The same day and shortly before the engine stalled, a check engine light appeared. The driver was on his way home and had planned to park the car and have it towed to the mechanic the next day.

When turning on the car the check engine light comes on. Then when accelerating there is a clicking noise and smoke coming from the engine.

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact was notified by her son that the third brake light was burned and was melting. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and suggested that a diagnostic test be performed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the owner that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle for the failure and referred the owner to the local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that during start-up, the vehicle was rattling and vibrating abnormally with a clanking sound while shifting into gear. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the crankcase sensor was faulty, and that there were metal shavings inside the engine oil. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 108,000.

the safety of others are put at risk due to system on and off due to shortage and wire triggering. The vehicle listed above collision system wire harness have a shortage and causes the vehicle not to be safe and unable to operate on roadways, highways and streets. there were warning light indicators on the dashboard and need a full-inspection and harness replacement before resale or auction sale.

October 2, 2025 @ approximately 7:30a. I was heading east on I-10 on my way to work when I seen white smoke coming from under my car. I pulled over, noticed it was on fire. There was a man passing by who seen me & was nice enough to stop & put the fire out. The firefighter then stated my oil pan came a loose and caught fire when it hit the ground. Which caused a lot of damage including me need a new engine. The firefighter stated the pan is useless & is a safety hazard.

I am writing to report a recurring and potentially dangerous issue with my Kia Forte. My vehicle has randomly failed to start on multiple occasions, requiring a jump start. More concerning, it has also shut off while I was driving, which is extremely alarming and could have resulted in a serious accident. These incidents have happened several times, and I no longer feel safe driving the vehicle. I suspect this may be related to an electrical issue, as I am also experiencing:     •    Intermittent failure of the backup camera     •    Headlights, brake lights, fog lights, and daytime running lights failing to operate correctly     •    General electrical irregularities throughout the vehicle I have checked for recalls related to Kia Fortes and found that other vehicles of the same make and model have had similar issues. However, there are no active recalls for my VIN, despite experiencing the same or more severe symptoms described in those recalls. This situation is extremely concerning and I believe it warrants further investigation. I am requesting that NHTSA review this issue and consider whether additional recalls or safety investigations may be necessary for other Kia Forte owners experiencing similar electrical and engine issues. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I would appreciate any guidance on next steps or how to ensure my vehicle is properly inspected for these safety concerns.

Motor started ticking....then just stopped running...motor blew up..checked the oil and it had metal flaking in it..

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, there was smoke coming from the front driver’s side headlamp, prompting the contact to have her son disconnect the headlamp wiring harness. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the wiring harness showed signs of burn damage. The headlamp warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V771000 (Exterior Lighting), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 105,000.

My daughter was driving on the highway. She was driving at 65 mph and then the car started to jolt a couple of times. She kept driving and then it started to feel sluggish and lost some power. Would not accelerate over 45 mph. She was almost rear ended several times and people continually swerving in and out around her as she couldn’t maintain the car at a normal pace. It eventually wouldn’t go over 35 mph. Extremely DANGEROUS speed on a highway commute. She was able to finally get off highway. The car stalled. No warning lights ever lit. She was close to home at this point. Drove it home with barely any power. Got it towed to the dealer and transmission was blown and they will not cover it because it’s past warranty of 5 yrs (2nd owner). The car is a 2019 with 53k miles. It should not need a new transmission. Apparently this car is now having many transmission issues. There was a service campaign issued by Kia back in 2018, 2020, and 2022 for this exact problem. Clearly there is an ongoing issue with their transmission. But since it is not a recall, the consumer has no way of know this until after it’s too late. When a transmission just shuts down without any warning, this is a MAJOR safety issue as you no longer are able to properly drive the vehicle. This should be a RECALL. Not an in-house technical bulletin announcement. There’s an abundance of safety concerns associated with this. Let’s not wait for somone to get killed in a car crash because it’s not being corrected by doing a recall on these transmissions that is a continual ongoing issue.

I was driving in Elk River, MN when my car all of a sudden stopped accelerating I then coasted into a street with a dead end to get away from traffic before the car ended up dying though the electronics remained on. I tried restarting the vehicle with no luck. It was clear to me that the engine was no longer working as it wouldn’t turn over. The report from the mechanic is as follows: “Found exhaust cam timing to be extremely off. Removed valve cover and found the camshaft and sprocket pin has sheared, causing the cylinder 2 piston to make contact with the exhaust valves.Failed leak-down test at 90 percent and have a photo of the exhaust valve slightly bent and not seating into the head.” -cornerstone KIA Report.

Severe, early onset clear coat paint damage.

Oil plug came out while driving causing an engine failure. We have seen several report already made for this issue.

On [XXX] my son was driving on the highway when the car suddenly shut off.. thank god he was able to safely get to the side of the road. Had it towed to my local mechanic who stated that the engine is seized up. The car is only 6 yrs old and well maintained. There were no prior problems or signs. Need a new engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Oil pump on vehicle failed, result was severe internal damage to motor, entire engine needed replaced at 120,600 miles.

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Lane Keep Assist system activated briefly, taking control of the vehicle and the vehicle started pulling to the right lane. As a result of the failure, the contact completely lost control of the vehicle and spun out into oncoming traffic narrowly avoiding a crash. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

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.

I’m having the exact same issues as the current recall on 2019 Kia fortes. Which is why I’m not sure why my car isn’t on the recall list. I have gone to the dealership for these exact issues with my car. Headlights not incorrectly going out as soon as they are replaced. going to the dealership several times because of my left tire not knowing what the actual reason is. Looks like it could be the front left. Axle. Also, my CarPlay has been acting up, randomly going out and also displaying the wrong speed in the GPS also glitching while driving not displaying the correct image.

Engine burns oil while buring gas. It burns oil way faster than it should have, which causes low oil and engine damage. As a result the engine stalled out because it ran with little to no oil. There was no dashboard warning light that the oil is low. A mechanic explained that there is a manfacturing defect. These engines are manufactured with small holes between where the oil is being stored and where the gas is being burned. When the gas is burning small amounts of oil also burn as a result. I had to replace the timing belt as well because that is what is being lubricated by the oil, which is too low. The mechanic explained that this is common in many other Kia engines such as the Sorento and Optima.

My brake lights are continuously going out. I replace them and immediately they are out again. There is nothing wrong with the bulb. There is something going with the car. Every time I change the bulb they go out and this has been a few times already

CarPlay digital screen is bubbling on the right side, up the top and now to the left part of the screen. I was told by Kia Service it would take $1200 to repair and to use it til it breaks. I googled this issue and learned a lot of Kia cars from 2019 have the same issue. This bubbling is caused by the car heating up internally, which no car owner has control over. This bubbling results in the screen not working. Which means I will be driving and pressing the screen and nothing happens. Then, I have to agressively press deeply onto the screen until it works and it takes my focus off the road longer than I would like. It also makes the screen glitch out and moves the CarPlay screen around so things aren’t centered. I went to look just now to see if maybe this has since been recalled since I last asked about it in 2022. That’s when I found multiple forums with people complaining about the same problem. This seems to be the only avenue to try and complain about this because this shouldn’t be on owners to pay in full when we aren’t creating the issue. This is a manufacturing issue and not realizing these LED screens can’t handle the hot heat cars will sit in when AC isn’t running. What can be done to compensate people experiencing this issue?

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the rear brake lights failed to illuminate while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that the A/C was blowing hot air. Additionally, the front and rear passenger’s side windows were rolling down independently. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously in a crash, and the frame was overheating. The contact confirmed that the vehicle did not have a Salvage Title. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,900.

So I've been going back and forth with Kia for a year now my car completely lost all capability of driving and reversing after taking it to the dealer at Perris kia they claimed it was my wiring harness and that I needed to pay $7,200 because I'm the second owner of the vehicle and it's not covered under their 60,000 mile warranty as I have 70,000 on my vehicle that was after 3 months of them having my car and I was not given a rental during this time and when I didn't have the 7200 fixed they threatened to put a lien on my car if I didn't tow it that day out of there so I went and got it and after further research that's the motor blower connector actually melted and messed up the wiring harness which I found on your website that Kia did acknowledge the fact that it is a defective part and how to fix it now I am trying to get my car fixed and they are not cooperating with me and saying that I'm out of warranty but it's not a warranty issue it's a defective part.

approximately July 2023, while my car was still under warranty @ 90k miles through KIA, I took it in due to excessive oil burning/leaking, engine "missing". They performed an Oil Consumption Test, which failed the 1st, but "passed" the 2nd phase. I was told to put in Oil Stabilizer in between oil changes. Car continued to burn oil. Warranty has since expired, and car is STILL running shabby. I took it in & another Consumption test was run, with negative results per KIA. I then took it to MY mechanic, who performed an oil dye test to see where the problem is. Results were my engine had "Blow by", and that I would need to replace engine. I then took it BACK to KIA 2 weeks AFTER 2nd consumption test and was told I in fact DO need a new engine, 2 catalytic converters (reason it has been running shabby the past year plus) and a manifold accessory kit. I stated to them that I presented this issue well within the KIA warranty guidelines & informed my vehicle was perfectly fine. But was told that now my vehicle is out of warranty so I am solely responsible for ALL repairs. They stated they requested a Goodwill Exception through KIA but I was denied. I submitted EVERY receipt of repair from other mechanic that was performed since 2020. I simply just want repaired what was failing since my warranty was still in effect. I presented these issues when my car had 90k miles. Vehicle currently has 111,188 miles on it. This has been a devastating, ongoing problem trying to get KIA to do what is well within guidelines of the warranty.

Rapid Delamination and paint peeling of front bumper. There are so many Kia Forte owners experiencing this same issue for it not to be recognized and resolved by now. Please help us. It’s not right.

It’s very hard to see at night and I know there is a recall for 2019 Kia forte with low beam aiming the recall is SC171. Also when I start driving I hear a rattling sound and there is another recall for 2019 Kia fortes. Power train axle assembly. The recall is SC195

Have only 70000 miles on it and Kia refuses to replace the transmission that went out and they have lied to me repeatedly and need to be held accountable!

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle shut off and independently restarted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed of a Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) engine compartment failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced or repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown manufacturer’s recall. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was informed that the repair would be an out-of-pocket expense. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall and the vehicle had to be repaired out-of-pocket. The failure mileage was 8,000.