BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2021 Kia Forte

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
69
Received Feb 2021 to Oct 2026
Official recalls listed
2
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Airbags fail to deploy in crashes6 complaints · 8.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Ignition key sticks or will not turn4 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Engine stalls and loses power while driving4 complaints · 5.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #22V304000Kia 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.
  • Recall #21V164000Kia 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."
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 11 crashes, 0 fires, 7 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.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 8 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

1 more problem

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

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.

Complaints received about the 2021 Kia Forte
4
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
February 20211
March 20211
April 20210
May 20210
June 20212
July 20210
August 20212
September 20213
October 20210
November 20210
December 20211
January 20223
February 20221
March 20224
April 20221
May 20224
June 20222
July 20220
August 20223
September 20220
October 20223
November 20220
December 20220
January 20231
February 20230
March 20230
April 20230
May 20232
June 20231
July 20230
August 20230
September 20230
October 20231
November 20230
December 20230
January 20242
February 20241
March 20241
April 20240
May 20241
June 20242
July 20240
August 20241
September 20240
October 20242
November 20243
December 20240
January 20251
February 20251
March 20251
April 20252
May 20250
June 20252
July 20251
August 20251
September 20250
October 20251
November 20251
December 20250
January 20262
February 20260
March 20262
April 20263
May 20260
June 20260
July 20260
August 20260
September 20261
October 20261
Total69

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes68.7%–
Ignition key sticks or will not turn45.8%–
Engine stalls and loses power while driving45.8%–
Engine knocking from rod or main bearings45.8%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract34.3%–
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips34.3%–
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving34.3%–
Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning34.3%–NHTSA recall #22V304000

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 #22V304000May 5, 202230 vehicles affected

    steering: column

    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.

    Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    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.

  • NHTSA recall #21V164000March 11, 2021142 vehicles affected

    air bags: air bag/restraint control module; air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger

    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."

    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.

    Remedy

    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.

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 2021 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