Does the 2017 Kia Forte have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2017 Kia Forte, the most recent reported on January 25, 2022 (Air bags). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

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

Owners have filed 305 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (145 complaints), followed by unknown or other (49).

How many 2017 Kia Forte complaints mention a crash or fire?

23 of 305 complaints report a crash and 10 a fire; 21 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2017 Kia Forte recalls and problems

3 recalls and 305 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2017 Kia Forte.

recalls

305

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2017 Kia Forte recalls

Air bags

NHTSA campaign 22V031000 · reported January 25, 2022 · Kia Motors America · 410,619 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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 electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
The risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

Latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid, latch

NHTSA campaign 21V622000 · reported August 9, 2021 · Kia Motors America · 253,074 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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 vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
The risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.

Engine and engine cooling: engine, oil/lubrication, pump

NHTSA campaign 21V260000 · reported April 13, 2021 · Kia Motors America · 4,069 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Engine145
Unknown or other49
Electrical system47
Exterior lighting44
Fuel/propulsion system29
Air bags18
Vehicle speed control17
Engine and engine cooling14
Power train12
Structure10

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Oct 5, 2026 · Electrical system · fire reported
I was driving this car and received a check engine light and lulled over to find an electrical fire had occurred under the hood. I was able to use a fire extinguisher to put out this fire. The car was towed to a Kia dealership near my home for confirmation and an estimate of the damages. It apparently was caused by a…

Oct 3, 2026 · Exterior lighting
I own a 2017 Kia Forte that has a recurring problem with water intrusion in the rear tail light assemblies. This issue was previously repaired around 2018 under Kia’s service action related to moisture and water entering the rear combination lamps, but the problem has returned. Moisture and water are again getting…

Sep 30, 2026 · Structure
2017 Kia Forte (Recall SC216 Trunk latch - this 2017 VIN needs to be included

Sep 21, 2026 · Engine
There was a rod failure in the engine. The vehicle is currently at the repair facility. This rod failure caused the vehicle to die while traveling down the road, so it was a safety risk. The rod failure was diagnosed by a certified mechanic. There were no warning lamps, messages, etc. This failure is the same issue…

Aug 20, 2026 · Engine and engine cooling
See attached document for complaint.

Forte model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2014	3	444	32	36
2015	1	260	16	20
2016	1	136	16	6
2017	3	305	23	10
2018	3	136	13	3
2019	2	150	11	4
2020	0	78	9	2

Across all years, the 2014 Forte has the most complaints (444). All Kia Forte years →

Questions

Does the 2017 Kia Forte have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2017 Kia Forte, the most recent reported on January 25, 2022 (Air bags). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Kia Forte?: Owners have filed 305 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (145 complaints), followed by unknown or other (49).
How many 2017 Kia Forte complaints mention a crash or fire?: 23 of 305 complaints report a crash and 10 a fire; 21 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received October 5, 2026.