2021 Kia Forte problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (15) · Steering (7) · Seat Belts (4)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Kia Forte model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (2)
Steering:column 2022-05-05 · campaign 22V304000 · 30 vehicles
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Risk: Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC235.
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger 2021-03-11 · campaign 21V164000 · 142 vehicles
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
Service bulletins (72)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Engine 2026-08-05 · TSB_ENG263 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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, 2024, and 2020–2022my soul (sk3) vehicles produced from no
Structure:body 2026-06-08 · CS2312_TSB_R2 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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 by a black bar in the margin area. this bulletin prov
Electrical System 2026-05-28 · TSB_ELE422 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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 available at update.kia.com. the software update may impr
Structure:body 2026-02-19 · TSB_CS2312_R1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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 by a black bar in the margin area. this bulletin prov
Structure:body 2025-12-18 · TSB_CS2312 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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 kia vehicles outlined on page 19, which may not have bee
Structure:body 2025-12-17 · CS2312_OWNR · Other
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 available to owners of eligible kia model vehicles free
Showing the 6 most recent of 72 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-04 · Seat Belts“the seatbelt comes unbuckled without cause often and the lane keeping assistance pulls the car of to the right unprovoked. …”
2026-09-23 · Unknown Or Other · 💥 crash“it keeps getting broken into by the kia boys in attempt of theft. it's a group that targets kias because they're easy. i now have to make sure my steering wheel is locked up. 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 …”
2026-04-24 · Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar · 150,000 mi · 💥 crash“the contact owned a 2021 kia forte. 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 lab…”
2026-04-24 · Engine“driving under normal conditions april 20,2026, on the way to school. 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 com…”
2026-04-18 · Engine“to whom it may concern, i am submitting a formal complaint regarding a serious safety issue involving my 2021 kia forte. approximately one year ago, i purchased this vehicle used with approximately 56,000 miles. i have owned the vehicle for nearly a year without prior incident until a recent and significant failure occurred. while driving on a hig…”
2026-03-10 · Engine“oil is burning out quickly causing the car to stop abruptly without any warning and caused damages to the engine.…”
2026-03-03 · Engine · 125,000 mi“the contact owns a 2021 kia forte. while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning illuminated. the vehicle would start to vibrate. the vibration was more evident while slowing down or stopping at traffic lights. the vibration and the warning light had become a recurring failure. after turning off and restarting the vehicle, the check eng…”
2026-01-26 · Structure:body · 💥 crash“on may 13, 2023, i was involved in a severe frontal collision on the passenger side while driving my 2021 kia forte. the impact caused significant damage, and my insurance company declared the vehicle a total loss. despite the severity of the crash, none of the airbags deployed. i experienced body pain for several days following the accident. give…”
2026-01-22 · Engine“was currently stuck in slow walking traffic and once traffic began to progress the car overheated engine notice appeared. pulled into a parking lot as soon as car was parked the vehicle turned off. this happened during the night and was an extremely traumatic experience! car does have a diagnosis about the engine been blown. still in the works of b…”
2025-11-01 · Engine“i am writing to report a serious safety concern involving my kia vehicle. shortly after getting an oil change, my car began making unusual noises and then suddenly stopped working in the middle of a busy intersection. this unexpected stall created a dangerous situation for both myself and other drivers. after having it towed to the dealership, it c…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.