10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
10 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 1
Average Mileage:
43,309 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2015 Kia Forte:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #22

Jun 012023

Forte

  • 100,601 miles
Airbag warning is on, buttons/control of the wheel dont work, cruise control does not work. Motor shakes a lot. We got this car 2-3 weeks ago light was not on when we got it from the dealer. Im not an expert but I think that something is not working properly... im do apologize for the inconvenience

- Bell Gardens, CA, USA

problem #21

Nov 172021

Forte

  • 180,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated that after accelerating from a red light the driver-side airbag suddenly deployed. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the passenger side tire had also flattened. During the incident, the driver sustained an injured right arm. The contact indicated that no collision or frontend damage had occurred to cause the failure. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000.

- Waynesboro, GA, USA

problem #20

Jun 222021

Forte

  • miles
The contact's daughter owned a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at 15 MPH, another vehicle going 40 MPH crashed into the passenger front side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated his daughter sustained whiplash and was taken to the hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a lot, where it was totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.

- Plymouth, CT, USA

problem #19

Oct 022020

Forte

  • 82,000 miles
The air bag light is on like if the bags deployed but they have not vehicle has not been in accident. They tell me it's low voltage in airbag sensor? vehicle was off turned on and the light came airbag deployed light came on and has not been able to turn off.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #18

Jul 012020

Forte

  • miles
Sometime during the summer my airbag light came on and my car has never been in an accident since I have bought it. I have owned it for 2 years. Also there is some kind of electrical issue to where certain buttons on my steering wheel dont work properly

- Collinsville, IL, USA

problem #17

Aug 192020

Forte

  • 67,000 miles
Air bag light turns on and off when driving. I have never been in a accident..

- Elmwood Park, IL, USA

problem #16

Jul 232020

Forte

  • 0 miles
I was driving on a gravel road a little to fast and my car started to slide from side to side I tried to gain control but couldn't and ended up hitting a metal bridge. The air bags did not deploy as they should have. My whole front right in is damaged and the speed I was going the air bags should have went off!.

- Stilwater, OK, USA

problem #15

Sep 302019

Forte

  • 84,000 miles
I was traveling on North carson I was at a caution light trying to turn left when a Tahoe rear ended me. My car turned out of control and my airbags didn't not work.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #14

Sep 022019

Forte

  • miles
A few days ago my airbag lights on my dashboard turned on. When I used my obd to check for the problem, it said the driver side resistant was too high. I went in to get the car checked at a Kia dealership, but was told that they would need to call and see if warranty would cover the parts, if not it'll be over $600 plus $165 for the diagnosis. This is too much for a part of a car I have no control over, and especially too early for a car that is said to be a new model. Our other cars from other makes that were purchased in 2010 and 2012 doesn't even have as much problems as I did with my 2015 Kia Forte in the 3 years I've had it. Another problem I have is that the car would occasionally jerk whether on a highway or streets, it doesn't happen often but it has become an everyday thing, where it would lag/hesitate when accelerating. Speed does not matter. When driving over to the dealership the car would jerk, but once the dealership drove the car they said nothing happened and didn't try to check for the problem. I instead was told that they would check if I informed them of this problem after the third visit. Over the years I had to pay out of pocket to get a leak fixed months after my purchase, my paint was coming off and warranty didn't cover it because it was used( still within 6 months after purchase) had to changed the breaks, change the tires, change the headlight and backlights, change the battery, and have noticed the lack of acceleration my car has compared to other cars. I'm to return Monday to the dealership to see if warranty covers the airbag lights, but not feeling that it will.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

problem #13

Jun 212017

Forte

  • 28,000 miles
Airbag controller failed in June 2017 12 months after vehicle purchase.

- Jefferson, GA, USA

problem #12

Feb 032018

Forte

  • 75,461 miles
Takata inflators? receive voluntary emission recall notice from Kia 1/16/18 took car in to be service for the recall 2/3/18 to Kia of East hartford, ct- drove car off the lot onto the highway. Loud sound and black smoke from rear end of the car, all lights came on and car stalled. Call service department immediately and was told to turn car on and off, that the computer had to reset. Car came back on but the airbag, low tire pressure and engine light remained on. Brought car back to Kia of East hartford several times was told nothing was wrong, instead that the sensor were off. Then eventually took the car to columbia Kia and was told the air bag clock spring was defective but not cover under warranty, the fuel canister was also cracked but not covered under warranty and the tps module was also damage (which was repaired by columbia Kia that actually took my claim serious). Made a complaint ticket with Kia manufacturer ref#12976894 but has gotten no where. In addition complaint was made 07/07/18 that when trying to make a stop and the ground surface is uneven the car would jerk and propel forward. Was told by the service department that that is how the anti-lock brake system work. Complained to Kia regarding the multiple times of near missed accidents due to mechanical braking system and car stalls. After purchasing the car with all of the warranty offered, was only able to get Kia to agree to fix the tps module. All of the other issues with the car was noted by Kia service department that they were defective, not wear and tear, but are not covered under warranty. Having problem with finding anyone that would even attempt to fix the airbag issue due to possible liability concerns and ongoing recall.

- Hartford, CT, USA

problem #11

Sep 122017

Forte

  • 50,475 miles
The airbag light is on after my vehicle was bumped by another car while sitting still in my driveway. My car insurance company says that it was not caused by the accident and Kia says that it will not fix it under the warranty since the vehicle was in an accident. It is a safety issue.

- Theodore, AL, USA

problem #10

Nov 062018

Forte

  • 113,000 miles
I was broadsided by a car that ran a stop sign as I was driving through an intersection on a city street. The collision knocked me up onto the curb and into a short block wall. The hit was so hard that it bent the frame of my car at the mid-line and even bent the roof of my vehicle. The airbags never deployed. I was injured in the accident as the hit was so hard and there was nothing to cushion the blow.

- Toledo, OH, USA

problem #9

Apr 052018

Forte

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. While the contact was slowly driving into an intersection, the passenger side of the vehicle was crashed into by another vehicle. The side and frontal air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed away. The vehicle was repaired, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified. The failure mileage was 50,000.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #8

Jul 012018

Forte

  • miles
Airbag controller diagnosed by dealer as failed. The vehicle has not been in an accident or had any repair work associated with this part of the vehicle. Vehicle is 3 years old and should not have had this failure.

- Jefferson, GA, USA

problem #7

Mar 112018

Forte

  • miles
My airbag indicator came on so I took my vehicle to taylor Kia in toledo. The service department let me know that the computer module has failed and my airbags are non-functioning. They told me that they would fix the error for $875. I didn't do it at the time as I was getting other work done on the vehicle. I then learned that a number of other Kia vehicles have been recalled for this same type of failure. I called Kia customer service (I also own a 2012 that will be under the recall). The rep told me that mine may show up, but I just needed to wait. I want to ensure that I report mine because the issue probably goes beyond the 2012.

- Toledo, OH, USA

problem #6

Dec 252017

Forte

  • 28,000 miles
Airbags did not deploy in a single-car front end collision. The driver fell asleep at the wheel on interstate 195 in swansea MA. The car left the roadway to the left at highway speed (approximately 65 mph) and crashed into the wooded median. The car front end was totally destroyed and the engine compartment crumpled, but the airbags did not deploy. The car was a total loss

- Boston, MA, USA

problem #5

Mar 092018

Forte

  • 30,500 miles
Air bag light or indicator came on solid. No other issues. Took into Kia rochester, mn and they indicate a new primary airbag module is required. Part on order. Vehicle has 30,500 miles on odometer.

- Byron, MN, USA

problem #4

Jul 312017

Forte

  • 20,000 miles
Our car was rolled end over end and airbags did not deploy at all. My son was driving swerved to avoid a deer and got into a gravel area and went down a ravine as the car ended up rolling end over end (nose down reer end up so on and so forth) the airbags did not deploy at all. I called Kia and they will not explain to me how it was possible airbags didnt deploy.

- Painesville, OH, USA

problem #3

Jan 152016

Forte

  • 18,000 miles
On 1/15/2016, I hit a massive 10-point buck (deer) head on. It was standing in the middle of the highway, and I drove into it doing 65 mph. The front of my car sustained significant damage; the entire front end was pushed back and the hood was bent back to the windshield. Yet, my airbag did not deploy. I have worked as a paramedic/ff for over 15 years, and I have worked hundreds of accident scenes. I can tell you right now... this airbag system failed. With the front end damage that my car sustained, that airbag should have deployed immediately. I have reached out to Kia with no response, so perhaps the NHTSA can force Kia to fix this. Because I can tell you right now, there are going to be some fatalities if this isn't fixed.

- Mount Carmel, IL, USA

Read the next 2 complaints »