Lemon Law Check › 2017 Kia Forte

2017 Kia Forte Problems, Recalls & Complaints

The 2017 Kia Forte has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 299 owner complaints filed with federal regulators, with complaints concentrated in engine. Owners whose Forte has needed repeated repairs for the same warranty problem may qualify for a buyback or compensation under state lemon laws.

Most-reported problem areas

Complaint counts by vehicle system, from 299 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Kia Forte:

Engine97 complaints
Electrical system42 complaints
Unknown or other35 complaints
Exterior lighting29 complaints
Air bags16 complaints
Engine and engine cooling13 complaints

What owners told federal regulators

"While sitting idle for over 45 minutes the car started to vibrate. when i began to drive it shook and did not pick up as it should when driving. when stopped at a traffic light it vibrates worse. i called the dealership to schefule an appointment for january 4,2019 but receiv…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/31/2018
"My car is constantly stalling and i have nearly gotten into several accidents because it would stall at red lights, or while driving, turning it stalls. in order to keep it from stalling have to keep putting it into neutral. i can't get a proper scan on it because the engin…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/29/2021
"The low beam headlights hid have gone in and out while diving at night..then they have now blown out twice.at $100 dollars a piece..this is unacceptable..!! there seems to be a shot circuit in the light switch itself..it has blinked off when using the turn signal as well whic…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/29/2020

NHTSA recall campaigns (3)

Air bags
25/01/2022 · 22V031000
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 ele…
Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch
09/08/2021 · 21V622000
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 vehicle…
Engine and engine cooling:engine:oil/lubrication:pump
13/04/2021 · 21V260000
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.

Recall repairs are performed free of charge at franchised dealers. Check your specific vehicle with the free VIN recall checker.

Has your Forte been in the shop repeatedly?

If the same warranty problem has needed 2+ repair attempts — or your Forte has spent 30+ days out of service — it may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash compensation under your state's lemon law. Manufacturers pay the legal fees in most states, so the case review costs you nothing.

Check My Forte — Free →

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2017 Kia Forte?

Based on 299 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas for the 2017 Kia Forte are engine, electrical system, unknown or other.

How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Forte have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are always free at franchised dealers regardless of warranty status.

Is the 2017 Kia Forte a lemon?

A specific vehicle qualifies as a lemon based on its own repair history, not the model's overall record. If your Forte has had engine or other warranty problems repaired 2–4 times without success, or has spent 30+ days in the shop, it may qualify under your state's lemon law — attorneys evaluate this free of charge.

Researching this car as a buyer instead? Read the full Carivo review of the 2017 Kia Forte.

All recall and complaint figures on this page come directly from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) federal records for this make, model, and year, fetched at page build time and cached daily. Complaint excerpts are owner-submitted reports to NHTSA, lightly truncated. Carivo is an independent data site, not a law firm; lemon law eligibility is determined solely by attorneys under your state's statute.