2022 Kia Forte problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Engine (3) · Visibility/Wiper (2) · Suspension (2)
🧭 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 (1)
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.
Service bulletins (39)
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
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
Electrical System 2026-04-14 · TSB_ELE417 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
technical service bulletin: infotainment software update procedure - this bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing usb for installation on applicable kia vehicles. the software downloads and usb preparation process is similar across all
Back Over Prevention: Warnings 2025-12-09 · PS797 · Other
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 while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal
Power Train 2025-04-17 · TSB_TRA046_R5 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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 information relating to the correct transmission fluid ty
Engine 2025-04-03 · TSB_ENG222_R8 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
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 bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repair
Showing the 6 most recent of 39 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-10-05 · Steering · 77,371 mi“the contact owns a 2022 kia forte. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the steering wheel became inoperable, with an abnormal sound coming from the steering wheel. the contact stated that there was an abnormal sound while attempting to make a turn. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the failure was confirmed in the dealer database. …”
2026-09-24 · Fuel/Propulsion System“we were told it was the fuel pump. this car has put my son in danger twice. the car stalls out while driving, completely shuts down. he is traumatized due to this occurring in during traffic hour. the car dies and you can’t put it in neutral nor have the hazard light turn on. complete shut down of car. it has been at kia of cerritos for 2 months.…”
2026-08-20 · Unknown Or Other“ac is not blowing cold air even after replacing refrigerant. mechanic says the compressor has failed, even though the car is only a few years old and has never been involved in any major incidents.…”
2026-07-07 · Unknown Or Other“air compressor broken backup camera not working …”
2026-06-12 · Unknown Or Other“vehicle: 2022 kia forte lxs i am filing this complaint regarding a complete air conditioning system failure on my 2022 kia forte lxs, which is fully covered under kia's 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. the vehicle has been driven under 60,000 miles and has no accident history. the ac system failed completely. i brought the vehicle to…”
2026-06-11 · Unknown Or Other“at low and moderate speeds, engine intermittently and slightly stalls? a rapid alarm sounds and no signal lights up on dashboard. this is corrected by tapping on the gas. this has been an ongoing issue since 2022. the last date this occcured 6/5/2026 mileage 32149 7:15pm traveling at 30 mph driving into direct sunlight signs: fast rapid alarm…”
2026-03-27 · Unknown Or Other“the front driver side door is ‘popping’ open while driving. in addition, the seatbelt randomly releases while driving.…”
2026-01-05 · Visibility/Wiper“the oem projector halogen headlights on the 2022 kia forte provide insufficient illumination for safe nighttime operation. on unlit or poorly lit roads, the low-beam distance is inadequate to identify road hazards, pedestrians, or signage in time to react at standard posted speeds (45+ mph). this creates a "dead zone" where the driver is effectivel…”
2025-12-29 · Unknown Or Other“i've been experiencing issues with steering loosening/tighting for over 1 1/2 years.21,000 miles since i first reported the issue 5/23/24.within a few months of reporting the steering issue,i started having issues with my car not staying in alligment after a few hundred miles. there are no warning lights.the tension in my steering wheel is inconsis…”
2025-12-13 · Suspension“the front passenger-side lower control arm on my 2022 kia forte fractured completely without warning during normal driving conditions. there was no collision, curb strike, pothole impact, or accident. the fracture appears clean and brittle, not bent or deformed. the failure caused suspension misalignment, damage to the cv axle, and uneven tire wea…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.