2018 Kia Forte Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 open recalls for the 2018 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer, however old the vehicle is.

Recall data as of Oct 17, 2026 — NHTSA. For a live answer, run the check yourself, or see the latest recalls.

Air Bags

What's wrong:
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.
Risk:
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
What to do:
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.

NHTSA campaign 22V031000 — quote this at the dealer.Reported Jan 25, 2022.

Trunk Lid Latch

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH

What's wrong:
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."
Risk:
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
What to do:
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.

NHTSA campaign 21V622000 — quote this at the dealer.Reported Aug 9, 2021.

Oil/Lubrication Pump

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP

What's wrong:
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.
Risk:
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
What to do:
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.

NHTSA campaign 21V260000 — quote this at the dealer.Reported Apr 13, 2021.

Owner complaints

136filed with NHTSA · 14 in the last 12 months
Filed by yearpeak 2024
151617181920212223242526
Engine
57
Air Bags
16
Electrical System
16
Vehicle Speed Control
10

13 involved a crash · 3 a fire · 9 injuries

Reported by owners to NHTSA and not verified. Complaints often surface a problem months before a recall.

See the complaints at NHTSA

Other Kia Forte years

Every year links to that vehicle's full recall page.

202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010

Kia Forte, every year

How recall repairs work

  • Repairs are free at any franchised Kia dealer — regardless of the vehicle's age or whether you bought it new.
  • Bring the NHTSA campaign number; it's printed on each recall above and on the sheet you can print here.
  • Call ahead: some recalls are announced before parts are available, and the dealer can tell you when yours are in.
  • Your VIN tells the dealer whether your exact vehicle is affected — the free check accepts one and never stores it.

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