Car · Kia problems

2015 Kia Forte problems

262 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Kia Forte. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (63% of them). NHTSA also lists 87 service bulletins and 1 recall campaign.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 11. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 262 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling164 · 63%
• Other or unknown31 · 12%
• Electrical system29 · 11%
• Air bags23 · 9%
• Power train (transmission and drive)17 · 6%
• Service brakes16 · 6%
• Exterior lighting13 · 5%
• Fuel system10 · 4%

9 smaller areas not shown (26 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 87 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2015 Kia Forte. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. TSB_TRA046_R5Received April 23, 2025

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

2. SC238AReceived August 20, 2024

   Voluntary service campaign: brake tube/line reinspection/replacement & anti-corrosion material reapplication (SC238A) - this bulletin provides information to inspect and, if necessary, replace the...

3. SC238A_OWNRReceived August 14, 2024

   Service brakes

   Voluntary service campaign: owner (RE)NOTIFICATION (SC238A) - The document is the owner (re)notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary...

4. TSB_TRA046_R4Received June 4, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

5. CS2305Received April 22, 2023

   Customer satisfaction: anti-theft S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2305) - This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or...

6. TSB_TRA046_R3Received December 6, 2022

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Transmission fluid application guide - This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

7. TSB_ENG219_R1Received September 30, 2022

   Electrical system

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.This bulletin provides information on setting the "Service Interval Reminder" feature available on most...

8. SC238Received August 26, 2022

   Voluntary service campaign: brake TUBE/ LINE INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT & anti-corrosion material application (SC238) - This bulletin provides information to inspect and, if necessary, replace the...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2015 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer.

1. 20V750000December 2, 2020

   Engine

   An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.

See all 1 recall for the 2015 Kia Forte, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Forte will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 164 complaints · 63%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 29 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Air bags 23 complaints · 9%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Power train (transmission and drive) 17 complaints · 6%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2015 Kia Forte: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2015 Kia Forte?

Of the 262 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Kia Forte, 164 (63%) name engine and engine cooling, and 29 (11%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2015 Kia Forte reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 16 of the 262 complaints as involving a crash and 20 as involving a fire. They also reported 11 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2015 Kia Forte have?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2015 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 87 repair bulletins for the 2015 Kia Forte.

More

• 2017 Forte problems
• 2014 Forte problems
• 2012 Forte problems
• 2010 Forte problems
• 2015 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.