How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Forte have?

2 open NHTSA safety recalls are on record for the 2021 Kia Forte, alongside 95 owner complaints.

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2021 Kia Forte Recalls & Complaints

open safety recalls on record

Serious

95 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.67 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious21V164000

Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module

In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can raises the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy & full details

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Serious22V304000

Steering:Column

Loss of steering control can raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC235.

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.

Complaint volume

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

What owners reported happened

14Crashes

0Fires

9Injuries

0Deaths

Across 95 complaints. Severity Index 0.67.

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

Engine — 22 reports
Unknown Or Other — 17 reports
Steering — 8 reports
Electrical System — 7 reports
Air Bags — 6 reports
Power Train — 6 reports
Tires — 3 reports
Fuel/Propulsion System — 3 reports
Structure:Body — 3 reports
Seat Belts — 3 reports

What to do

Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
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 (2) · 2020 · 2021 · 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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