2017 Kia Forte problems and complaints
Owners have filed 305 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Forte. The most-reported areas: Engine (145), Unknown Or Other (49), Electrical System (47).
Key takeaways
- 305 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 23 involve a crash, 10 a fire, 21 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 145 | 48% |
| Unknown Or Other | 49 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 47 | 15% |
| Exterior Lighting | 44 | 14% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 29 | 10% |
| Air Bags | 18 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 | 6% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 14 | 5% |
| Power Train | 12 | 4% |
| Structure | 10 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 9 | 3% |
| Steering | 9 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Kia Forte 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System - filed 2026-10-05
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 p...
Exterior Lighting - filed 2026-10-03
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 insi...
Structure - filed 2026-09-30
2017 Kia Forte (Recall SC216 Trunk latch - this 2017 VIN needs to be included
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
More for the 2017 Kia Forte
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.