2017 Kia Forte
Common Problems
Ranked from 109 federal NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
36 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
Headlights failing frequently
11complaintsMedium severityElectricalHeadlights frequently fail or go out, requiring multiple replacements within a short period.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 2
Engine misfiring and check engine light issues
8complaintsHigh severityEngineEngine misfires and check engine light comes on intermittently, leading to potential stalling and loss of power.
$100–$250est. professional diagnosis · 1–2 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 3
Engine hesitancy and stalling
6complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine hesitates and stalls when accelerating or switching gears.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 4
Engine Stall at Idle Due to Fuel System Failure
6complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine frequently stalls at idle, especially after driving on the highway or waiting for a prolonged period.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 5
Headlights flickering and going out
6complaintsMedium severityElectricalHeadlights frequently flicker and go out, sometimes requiring immediate attention during driving.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 6
Headlights burning out quickly
5complaintsMedium severityElectricalHeadlights burn out frequently, requiring replacement every few months or less.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 7
Airbag deployment issues
4complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe airbags have deployed unexpectedly without a collision, posing a safety risk to passengers.
- 8
Brake system failures
4complaintsMedium severityBrakesThe brake system has failed multiple times, causing the vehicle to lose stopping power unexpectedly.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 9
Electrical system malfunctions
4complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe electrical system has experienced multiple malfunctions, including issues with the low oil pressure and battery warning lights.
- 10
Engine Misfire Due to Coil Failure
4complaintsMedium severityEngineEngine misfires and stalls due to repeated coil failures, requiring frequent replacements.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 11
Engine oil consumption and leakage
4complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine consumes excessive oil, leading to frequent topping off and potential engine damage.
$400–$4,500est. oil-consumption repair (rings/pcv) · 3–14 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 12
Engine rough idling and sputtering
4complaintsMedium severityEngineEngine idles roughly and sputters, especially during acceleration and deceleration, leading to poor performance.
Related recall: 21V260000
- 13
Engine stalling and misfires
4complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine frequently stalls and misfires, sometimes without warning, affecting vehicle reliability.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 14
Headlight Failure
4complaintsLow severityOtherHeadlights frequently burn out, requiring multiple replacements within a short period.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 15
Headlights dimming and malfunctioning
4complaintsMedium severityElectricalHeadlights become dim and malfunction frequently, affecting visibility during nighttime driving.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 16
Steering system failures
4complaintsMedium severitySteeringThe power steering system has failed, causing difficulty in controlling the vehicle, especially at low speeds.
- 17
Taillight Failure Due to Water Intrusion
4complaintsLow severityOtherBoth rear taillights fail due to water intrusion, leading to intermittent lighting issues.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 18
Trunk Latch Malfunction
4complaintsLow severityOtherThe trunk latch malfunctions, causing the trunk to open unexpectedly during driving or failing to close properly.
- 19
Airbag deployment failure
3complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe airbags fail to deploy during a collision, increasing the risk of injury.
- 20
Engine failure and recalls
3complaintsHigh severityEngineMultiple engine failures and recalls have been reported, including issues with timing chains and catalytic converters.
$4,000–$8,000est. engine replacement · 12–20 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 21
Tire blowouts
3complaintsMedium severityOtherSpontaneous tire blowouts occur, often without any apparent reason or prior warning.
- 22
Brake light malfunction
2complaintsLow severityOtherThe brake lights do not work properly, either not lighting up or not getting brighter when braking.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 23
Brake lights not working
2complaintsLow severityElectricalBrake lights do not work properly, leading to potential traffic violations and safety concerns.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 24
Engine Burning Oil Quickly
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine burns oil rapidly, requiring frequent refills despite regular maintenance.
$400–$4,500est. oil-consumption repair (rings/pcv) · 3–14 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 25
Engine Failure Due to Internal Bearing Issues
2complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine fails due to internal bearing failures, such as connecting rod through the block.
$4,000–$8,000est. engine replacement · 12–20 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 26
Engine Failure Due to Lack of Lubrication
2complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine fails due to insufficient lubrication, leading to severe damage.
$4,000–$8,000est. engine replacement · 12–20 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 27
Engine Knocking and Loss of Power
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine produces a knocking sound and experiences sudden loss of power.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 28
Engine Knocking and Misfiring Due to Ignition Coil Issues
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine produces knocking and misfires, often due to faulty ignition coils.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 29
Engine Misfire and Severe Shaking
2complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine misfires and severely shakes at high speeds, often accompanied by a check engine light and loss of power.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 30
Engine misfire and sputtering
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine misfires and sputters without any obvious cause, sometimes leading to loss of power.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 31
Engine Misfire and Unstable Operation
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine misfires and operates unstably, often requiring frequent repairs.
$200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 32
Engine Stalling During Acceleration
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine stutters and stalls during acceleration, often without warning lights.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 33
Engine starting issues
2complaintsMedium severityEngineVehicle has intermittent starting issues, taking up to thirty minutes to start and often requiring multiple attempts.
Related recall: 21V260000
- 34
Excessive Oil Consumption and Engine Knocking
2complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine consumes excessive oil, leading to knocking and potential engine failure.
$400–$4,500est. oil-consumption repair (rings/pcv) · 3–14 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 35
High Oil Consumption Leading to Engine Damage
2complaintsHigh severityEngineThe engine consumes excessive oil, leading to internal damage and potential engine failure.
$400–$4,500est. oil-consumption repair (rings/pcv) · 3–14 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
- 36
Stalling and Loss of Power During Driving
2complaintsMedium severityEngineThe vehicle frequently stalls and loses power during driving, often without warning lights, requiring frequent repairs.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotesRelated recall: 21V260000
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.