Kia Forte 2019–2024

3rd generation (BD) · BD · 591 complaints, 148 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 11,454 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The engine accounts for 15.6% of complaints (92 reports, 17 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 39,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,800 and 73,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 14.7% of complaints (87 reports, 15 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 7,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 600 and 16,400 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 13.7% of complaints (81 reports, 37 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 8,865 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,100 and 25,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 9.8% of complaints (58 reports, 12 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 9,248 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,200 and 50,100 miles.

The steering accounts for 6.3% of complaints (37 reports, 11 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 9,950 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 3,150 and 14,239 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2019 model year drew the most — 216 complaints — while 2022 drew the fewest at 40. The median year sits at 96.

That makes 2019 an outlier: roughly 2.2 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 7 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the suspension (2), the steering (2), the airbag system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 591 complaints filed against this generation, 80 reported a crash; 14 reported a fire; 40 reported an injury; 3 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 13.5% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 52% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, the engine and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 7,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (7)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Kia Forte 2010–2013
• Kia Forte 2014–2018