Kia 2019 Forte Power Train Recall: Risk of Drive Shaft Breakage
Kia is recalling 2019 Forte vehicles with potentially unheat-treated left front axle driveshafts that could break, increasing crash risk. Owners must have driveshaft inspected and replaced if needed.
Use caution until it’s fixed
A broken driveshaft can result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
What happened, in plain English
Kia is recalling 2019 Forte vehicles where the left front axle driveshaft may not have been properly heat-treated. This could cause the driveshaft to break, leading to sudden loss of drive power and a higher risk of crashing. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1224127-kia-2019-forte-power-train-recall-risk-of-drive-shaft.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1224127-kia-2019-forte-power-train-recall-risk-of-drive-shaft · Updated October 5, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #20V459000
Cite this page
“Kia 2019 Forte Power Train Recall: Risk of Drive Shaft Breakage.” GovInfoNow, updated October 5, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1224127-kia-2019-forte-power-train-recall-risk-of-drive-shaft. Based on NHTSA recall #20V459000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=20V459000).
Why it’s dangerous
The driveshaft may not have been heat-treated during manufacturing, which can cause it to break unexpectedly. When this happens, the vehicle loses drive power suddenly, increasing the chance of a crash.
Who’s affected
Owners of 2019 Kia Forte vehicles are affected. Drivers using these vehicles with unheat-treated driveshafts face a higher risk of sudden power loss and potential crashes.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your 2019 Kia Forte has a heat treatment verification code on the left front axle driveshaft. The recall started September 2, 2020, and applies to vehicles sold in the U.S.
- Brand
Kia- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Contact Kia Customer Service
Call 1-800-333-4542 to have your driveshaft inspected for a heat treatment verification code.
Have Driveshaft Inspected
Dealers will inspect the left front axle driveshaft for a heat treatment verification code and replace it if the code is missing.
What NHTSA says to do
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle driveshaft for a heat treatment verification code, and replace it if the code is missing, free of charge. The recall began September 2, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC195.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
2 dated steps over 4 months.
- NHTSA received the defect report
- Recall began
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Questions people ask
Is there a deadline for this recall?
The recall began September 2, 2020, but there is no specific deadline for the remedy.
Keep exploring
Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: NHTSA Recall #20V459000 (May 8, 2020)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 5, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.