AI Damage2018 KIA Forte: common problems
Owners of the 2018 KIA Forte filed 136 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 76 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 136
- involving a crash
- 13
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 76
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 42% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 12% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 5% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 57 complaints (42% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Electrical system: 16 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 28.
- Air bags: 16 complaints (12% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 10 complaints (7% of all).
- Powertrain: 8 complaints (6% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.6 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 136 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 57 | 2 | 7 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 2 | 28 |
| Air bags | 16 | 8 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 8 | 1 | 6 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Structure | 7 | 2 | 13 |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 24 |
| Steering | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I got into a car accident and my air bags never deployed and the seat beat didn’t lock so I cause me to get jerked and my head hit the side door and I messed up my left shoulder and arm in the process of holding myself from hitting the steering wheel and my breaks didn’t stop when I got hit and pressed down my car got…
Brakes completely locked up during my attempt to stop the vehicle does have abs and that is supposed to allow the wheels to keep moving so that you can try to maneuver and when I made contact with the other vehicle the airbag never deployed
The contact stated while driving at 50 MPH, the contact stated he rear-ended the vehicle in front of him causing damage to the front end of his vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. The contact had several cuts and bruises, but no medical attention was required and he stated that no one else was injured.
I got my 18 kia was purchased with 25k miles on it and when it got around 72,000 miles the car started to shut off, make a grinding noise at times and the check engine light was on. I took the car to kia and gave them all my oil change receipts. They said I was missing 1 maybe 2 so it wouldn't be covered.
I was entering an onramp at about 15mph; a car yielded in front of me. I hit my brakes and yet slid into the rear of the front car. I did not stop, even with brakes applied, and slid in to the front acre. No airbags deployed and my kia was totaled and undrivable.
There is an issue with the fuel pump where it would stall or shut off while driving or at a stoplight
The contact stated that while her son was driving approximately 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended, with the oil pressure warning light and several other unknown warning lights illuminated.
Have to replace running lights every 4-6 months on both of my headlights. Happened every 4-6 months since I got the car in 2017
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 461 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Forte has 96 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 136, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated…
- PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN
OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2106 FLIGHT 501) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update on 2017-2018 MY Kia Forte vehicles…
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN
OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. A software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method has been made…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY…
- PITSTOP
TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver…
- PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN
OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2106) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update on 2017-2018 MY Kia Forte vehicles equipped with…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This…
- PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN
OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2106) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting an important Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update on 2017-2018 MY Kia Forte vehicles…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: ENGINE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR DTC P1326 (PI2106Y/Z) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2305) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar…
- This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity…
This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced.
NHTSA lists 76 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 KIA Forte?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, air bags. Total complaints: 136. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (21%), stalls while driving (20%), engine failure or replacement (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 KIA Forte?
NHTSA lists 76 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2018 KIA Forte from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2018 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.