AI Damage2020 KIA Forte: common problems
Owners of the 2020 KIA Forte filed 78 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain. The maker issued 96 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 78
- involving a crash
- 9
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 96
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 26% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 21% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Forward collision avoidance 8% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 4% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 20 complaints (26% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Powertrain: 16 complaints (21% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 26.
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 43.
- Forward collision avoidance: 6 complaints (8% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Air bags: 5 complaints (6% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
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 cylnamed in 2 complaints
- CVT
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 78 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 | 20 | 0 | 6 |
| Powertrain | 16 | 1 | 26 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 43 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| Air bags | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| Lane departure | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 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 was driving a vehicle two cars ahead did and illegal turn the car behind it stopped the truck behind them stopped I stopped behind the truck the car behind me did not stop and slammed me into the back of the truck in my airbags did not deploy
The contact stated that she was knocked unconscious due to the impact. The driver’s and passenger’s side air bags did not deploy. The contact was strapped in the driver's seat when she regained consciousness. The contact was unsure whether there was a warning light illuminated.
Then the brakes did not work. In fact, she said that pressing the brake seemed to make the car go faster (or this could have just been the effect of the hill). So she accelerated down a substantial hill with no braking power. At the bottom of the street (approx. 1/4 mile) is a t-intersection.
During a day trip on 9/19/26 my 2020 Kia Forte (purchased new and well maintained) lost power and several of the dash board lights came on including check engine, traction/stability control, and collision alerts. The car entered what I was told is "limp mode".
My engine is failing due to excessive oil consumption despite having proof of regular oil changes and maintenance. My car has been inspected, and the dealer has stated this is due to a known manufacture defect.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bags warning light illuminated and then went off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the air bag warning light was again illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer.
I experienced a check engine light and had the vehicle diagnosed with codes P0017 and P0014. The vehicle was taken to a Kia dealership, where the technician found that the exhaust camshaft was free-spinning without the phaser and that the pin connecting the two had sheared.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred while the contact was driving on a major highway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure.
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 675 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Forte has 96 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 78, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
MISFIRE CONCERN DUE TO OVERRUNNING ALTERNATOR DECOUPLER - This bulletin provides information to address unresolved misfire events on some 2020–2024MY Forte (BDm) produced from January 1, 2019 through September 30…
- 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…
- VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN
OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC199 FL301) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting Voluntary Service Campaign to update the software programming on the Transmission Control Module (TCM) and…
- 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…
- 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…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
FRONT STRUT BEARING & SPRING PAD REPLACEMENT - 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…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
IVT OIL PRESSURE SENSOR REPLACEMENT: This bulletin provides information to replace the Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) Oil Pressure Sensor (OPS) on some 2018-2024MY vehicles listed on page 3 equipped with IVT…
- 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…
NHTSA lists 96 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 2020 KIA Forte?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 78. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (40%), oil leak or consumption (9%), stalls while driving (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 KIA Forte?
NHTSA lists 96 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 2020 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 2020 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.