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2019 Kia Forte Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

216 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.46 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious18V771000

Exterior Lighting:Headlights

If the headlights are not properly aimed, the driver may have reduced visibility, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the headlight aiming and replace the headlights, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 30, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC171.

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Kia Forte vehicles equipped with LED headlights. The headlights may not have been manufactured with the correct low beam aiming. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Serious20V459000

Power Train:Axle Assembly:Axle Shaft

broken driveshaft can result in a sudden loss of drive power, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle driveshaft for a heat treatment verification code, and replace it if the code is missing, free of charge. The recall began September 2, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC195.

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Forte vehicles. The left front axle driveshaft may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to break.

Complaint volume

216 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

22Crashes
4Fires
11Injuries
0Deaths

Across 216 complaints. Severity Index 0.46.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Power Train46 · 21%Engine35 · 16%Unknown Or Other22 · 10%Electrical System20 · 9%Forward Collision Avoidan…14 · 6%Exterior Lighting12 · 6%Steering8 · 4%Vehicle Speed Control7 · 3%
  1. Power Train — 46 reports
  2. Engine — 35 reports
  3. Unknown Or Other — 22 reports
  4. Electrical System — 20 reports
  5. Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings — 14 reports
  6. Exterior Lighting — 12 reports
  7. Steering — 8 reports
  8. Vehicle Speed Control — 7 reports
  9. Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking — 7 reports
  10. Air Bags — 6 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2010 (3) · 2011 (3) · 2012 (4) · 2013 (5) · 2014 (3) · 2015 (1) · 2016 (1) · 2017 (3) · 2018 (3) · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 (2) · 2022 (1) · 2023 (3) · 2024

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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