Car · Kia problems

2017 Kia Forte problems

305 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Kia Forte. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (52% of them). NHTSA also lists 77 service bulletins and 3 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 21. Deaths: 4.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 305 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 cooling158 · 52%
• Other or unknown49 · 16%
• Electrical system47 · 15%
• Exterior lighting44 · 14%
• Fuel system30 · 10%
• Air bags18 · 6%
• Speed control and throttle17 · 6%
• Power train (transmission and drive)12 · 4%

9 smaller areas not shown (57 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 77 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2017 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. PS610_R1Received July 1, 2023

   Seat belts

   PITSTOP: SRS DTC B176200 AND/OR B168400 - This pitstop has been revised to include additional information.

6. SC264_QAReceived May 30, 2023

   Body and structure

   Voluntary service campaign: question and answer - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign (SC264).

7. SC264Received May 26, 2023

   Voluntary service campaign: application of additional anti-corrosion material (SC264) - This bulletin provides information to apply additional anti-corrosion material to the underbody components...

8. 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...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer.

1. 21V260000April 13, 2021

   Engine and engine cooling

   Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.

2. 22V031000January 25, 2022

   Air bags

   The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit.

3. 21V622000August 9, 2021

   Latches/locks/linkages

   The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside.

See all 3 recalls for the 2017 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 158 complaints · 52%

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

Electrical system 47 complaints · 15%

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

Exterior lighting 44 complaints · 14%

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

Fuel system 30 complaints · 10%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

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)

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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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2017 Kia Forte: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2017 Kia Forte?

Of the 305 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2017 Kia Forte, 158 (52%) name engine and engine cooling, and 47 (15%) 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 2017 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 23 of the 305 complaints as involving a crash and 10 as involving a fire. They also reported 21 injuries and 4 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Forte have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 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 77 repair bulletins for the 2017 Kia Forte.

More

• 2015 Forte problems
• 2014 Forte problems
• 2012 Forte problems
• 2010 Forte problems
• 2017 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.