2020 Kia Forte Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 2020 Kia Forte. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 95 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the unknown or other. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“The contact owns a 2020 kia forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure had occurred while the contact was driving on a major highway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with…”
“Steering wheel is turning completely around and made a noise. I noticed my steering wheel is loose it has been like that for time. But yesterday was the first time it turned completely around were I could not control it.”
“Why is kia still legally allowed to sell defective, death traps? Why is it ok for the service department and kia themselves to tell me….its ok to drive unless the engine light is blinking, smoking in a car know to catch fire…..ok? Why is it ok to let them continue to sell cars under active…”
“Bought the car 8 months ago from a kia dealer. It is now pulling the same engine codes, of the infamous recalled kia engines. After having diagnostics done at a different kia then I had bought and had oil changed. They told me the engine and turbo was full of metal shavings and the rods were bad.…”
“The contact leased a 2014 kia forte. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle began to chug. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed as needing a transmission replacement. The vehicle was repaired. The contact eventually purchased the vehicle. After the…”
“While driving, the vehicle suddenly began knocking severely, smoking, leaking oil, and then shut off unexpectedly without adequate warning. This created a serious safety hazard and near fire risk. The engine assembly failed catastrophically. Dealership inspection documented: connecting rod…”
“While driving a 2020 kia forte on the expressway at normal speed, the vehicle was operating normally with no prior warning lights or known issues. Suddenly, the brakes began to feel weak, as if they were failing. Immediately after, a popping sound was heard from the vehicle, followed by smoke…”
“I am reporting a transmission failure in my 2020 kia forte with approximately 54,000 miles. The vehicle experienced a sudden and complete transmission failure on march 19, 2026, on the highway from cleveland to cincinnati. After being owned for less than seven months. The vehicle is now at a…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2020 Kia Forte as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.