2016 Kia Forte: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 192 complaints
192
Total Complaints
37,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
20
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

15,950 25th Percentile
37,000 Median Mileage
60,112 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine
61
Electrical System
18
Power Train
16
Vehicle Speed Control
14
Air Bags
13
Unknown Or Other
13
Service Brakes
10
Exterior Lighting
9
Wheels
6
Fuel/Propulsion System
5

Severity Assessment

20
Crashes
13
Fires
13
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"NOTICE MY LIGHTS WOULD GO ON & OFF ON DASH BOARD DURING G DAY TIMES THINKING CAR HAD DIMMING EFFECTS, THEN NOTICE WHEN THE CAR WAS OFF & LIGHTS SHOULD BE OFF THEY WOULD STAY ON. THEN I WOULD BE SITTING OUTSIDE LOOK AT CAR & LIGHTS WOULD JUST COME ON BY THEMSELVES. THE WORST I WAS TRYING & HEADLIGHTS..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE TISSUE DAMAGE TO THE LEG, BACK, AND THIGH..."
"I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA FORTE 2016 ON 5/27/2016. SINCE DAY ONE, I'VE BEEN FACING A PROBLEM THAT I THINK IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT REGULAR SPEEDS, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOSES ACCELERATION AND EVEN IF I HIT THE GAS PEDAL, NOTHING HAPPENS FOR 2-3 SECONDS AND AFTER 2-3 SECONDS, THE G..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

When Were Complaints Filed?

Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.

When Does Each Component Fail?

Median mileage at complaint for top components.

Engine 61 complaints
25th: 40,000 mi Median: 67,000 mi 75th: 105,000 mi
Electrical System 18 complaints
25th: 15,475 mi Median: 29,000 mi 75th: 42,625 mi
Power Train 16 complaints
25th: 2,865 mi Median: 17,310 mi 75th: 44,500 mi
Vehicle Speed Control 14 complaints
25th: 787 mi Median: 6,650 mi 75th: 17,732 mi
Air Bags 13 complaints
25th: 34,000 mi Median: 50,000 mi 75th: 59,881 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

CA: 30 TX: 17 NC: 15 IN: 10 SC: 9 AL: 9 OH: 9 IL: 9 MI: 8 PA: 8

Who Files Complaints?

0.5%
Original Owners
99.5%
Second+ Owners

Kia Forte — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
201031035
201121344
201239834
201327126
201463460
201532021
201742238
201818720
201920119
20208812
20219213
2022355
20238713
20243711

Active Recalls (1)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Latch
Campaign 21V622000 | 09/08/2021
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
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.

Extend Your Engine Life

Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.

  • Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
  • Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
  • Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
  • Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
  • Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
  • Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage

Compare Kia Forte

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Vehicle Rankings

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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28