AI Damage2021 KIA Forte: common problems
Owners of the 2021 KIA Forte filed 69 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and steering. The maker issued 72 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 69
- involving a crash
- 11
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 72
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 32% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 4% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 22 complaints (32% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Steering: 9 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Electrical system: 8 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 33.
- Powertrain: 7 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 7.
- Air bags: 7 complaints (10% of all), 6 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 cyl
- CVT
- dual-clutch (DCT), 7-speednamed in 1 complaints
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 69 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 | 22 | 0 | 4 |
| Steering | 9 | 2 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 8 | 1 | 33 |
| Powertrain | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| Air bags | 7 | 6 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Lane departure | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 4 |
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 recently hit by another driver, i had to go to the hospital but for some reason the airbag did not deploy. I need some assistance
The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the steering wheel locked independently, causing the vehicle to veer off the road into a construction site. The contact stated that the air bags did deploy. The contact stated that she sustained noise and neck injuries, including placenta rupture, causing early labor.
another driver failed to stop at a red light, as a result, the contact's mother was struck by the other vehicle on the passenger's side; however, the air bags did not deploy. In addition, the seat belt failed to retract. No warning lights were illuminated.
A defect in 2021 Kia Forte vehicle engine start and security systems allows for the rear window to be broken without an alarm activation and the car to be started without a key or key-like device. The vehicle can be started with something as simple as a screwdriver.
I was in a head on accident at 45mph air bags did not deploy . was wearing my seatbelt and had a head injury due to hit the steering wheel with my head
The seatbelt comes unbuckled without cause often and the lane keeping assistance pulls the car of to the right unprovoked.
Got off the freeway and the vehicle immediately shut-off and the check engine light came on. Vehicle was stuck partially in the roadway and would not move. Vehicle was towed to Kia dealership and they found that there was no oil in the engine and that the oil drain plug was completely missing.
This occurred without any prior warning indicators, such as dashboard warning lights or messages. I attempted to restart the engine three times before it successfully turned over. Upon restarting, the engine produced a loud knocking noise that had not been present before.
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 739 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 35% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Forte has 96 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 69, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
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…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater…
- 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 72 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 KIA Forte?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, steering, electrical system. Total complaints: 69. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (17%), knocking, grinding or other noise (13%), engine failure or replacement (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 KIA Forte?
NHTSA lists 72 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 2021 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 2021 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.