2 NHTSA safety recalls cover the 2019 Kia Forte. Owners have filed 147 complaints with NHTSA about this model year. Every recall repair is free at any Kia dealer.
Is yours affected? Recalls cover ranges of VINs, not every 2019 Kia Forte. Check your Forte by VIN and confirm open recalls at NHTSA.gov.
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Owners filed 147 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte, reporting 11 crashes, 4 fires, 5 injuries. Kia has issued at least 102 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
Owners have filed 147 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Forte. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
“As I was driving on the turnpike the car engine literally just shut down on me! It could have caused a serious accident. This is the 3rd time when driving the car just stopped on its own on me! Gas tank full, oil good and battery good, but the engine is not! It gave me NO WARNING either.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11729604
“Car caught on fire while driving down the highway. Had engine replaced with a remanufactured engine in January of 2026 and car engine seized again 30 days later.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11729517
“October 2, 2025 @ approximately 7:30a. I was heading east on I-10 on my way to work when I seen white smoke coming from under my car. I pulled over, noticed it was on fire. There was a man passing by who seen me & was nice enough to stop & put the fire out.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11699674
“In a car accident I got into, my car's airbags did not deploy like they should have and therefore I got greater injuries than I should have. I believe I hit the steering wheel and I did hurt my chest. Both my elbows were sore as well and as well as both my knees had big bruises on them.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11643557
“My car was stolen from a busy street in front of an elementary school while I was in a restaurant eating dinner 100 ft away. The thief was able to break the window and apparently use an iPhone cable and disassemble the ignition to start the car and drive away.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11512611
Search the official database: NHTSA. Excerpts are quoted from the public record, shortened at a sentence and with personal details removed.
Not every 2019 Kia Forte is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any Kia dealer.