Your vehicle report
2016 Kia Forte
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 136
- Received Jun 2016 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes10 complaints · 7.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Headlights dim or fail at night10 complaints · 7.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine stalls and loses power while driving9 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #21V622000Kia 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."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Headlights dim or fail at nightFirst signal: Oct 2025
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 16 crashes, 6 fires, 13 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 10 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2019 | 20 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 14 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 14 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 12 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 13 |
| Total | 136 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 10 | 7.3% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 10 | 7.3% | 11.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2025 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.7% |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 9 | 6.6% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 8 | 5.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 6 | 4.4% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 6 | 4.4% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 5 | 3.7% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 4 | 2.9% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 3 | 2.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #21V622000August 9, 2021253,074 vehicles affected
latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid: latch
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."
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2016 Kia Forte.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN