Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Forte. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Air Bags May Not Deploy
- Summary
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
- Consequence
- Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
Trunk Emergency Release May Fail/FMVSS 401
- Summary
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
- Consequence
- A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
Foreign Particles May Cause Oil Pump to Fail
- Summary
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.
- Consequence
- A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (136)
136 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 136 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 57 | 41.9% |
| Unknown or other | 30 | 22.1% |
| Air bags | 16 | 11.8% |
| Electrical system | 16 | 11.8% |
| Vehicle speed control | 10 | 7.4% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 5.9% |
| Power train | 8 | 5.9% |
| Structure | 7 | 5.1% |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 4.4% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 5 | 3.7% |
How 2018 compares with other Forte years
Best and worst Forte years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 443 | 3 |
| 2015 | 260 | 1 |
| 2016 | 136 | 1 |
| 2017 | 304 | 3 |
| 2018 | 136 | 3 |
| 2019 | 147 | 2 |
| 2020 | 76 | 0 |
| 2021 | 69 | 2 |
| 2022 | 27 | 1 |
| 2023 | 63 | 3 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Kia Forte 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 32 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,100
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 279 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 32 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 29 / 37 / 32 | $2,100 | 279 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 34 / 28 | $2,400 | 314 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 33 / 28 | $2,400 | 318 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 34 / 28 | $2,400 | 317 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · Automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 30 / 27 | $2,500 | 332 |
| 1.6 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | Front-Wheel Drive | 23 / 29 / 25 | $2,700 | 353 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2018 Forte for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2018 Kia Forte FAQ
How many recalls does the 2018 Kia Forte have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 22V031000 (air bag), 21V622000 (latch), 21V260000 (engine). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2018 Kia Forte problems?
Owners filed 136 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (57), Unknown or other (30), Air bags (16) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2018 Kia Forte get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 29 city, 37 highway and 32 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2018 Kia Forte get?
NHTSA rated the 2018 Kia Forte 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.3% rollover risk).
How does the 2018 Forte compare with other years?
Among the 2014–2021 Kia Forte model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (69) and the 2014 the most (443). The 2018 drew 136. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.