Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (1)
Latches/locks/linkages: trunk lid, latch
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."
Risk and remedy
Risk: 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.
Canadian recalls (4)
Show 4 Canadian recalls
Brakes
2024-03-12 · campaign 2024-163
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the inspection completed by a Kia dealer during service campaign SC044 (Transport Canada recall number 2022-222) may not have been done correctly. As a result, a second inspection is required.
Over time, the brake lines under the vehicle could corrode. If this happens, a brake line could fail and leak. A brake fluid leak can result in reduced braking.
Note: This service campaign replaces service campaign SC044 (Transport Canada recall number 2022-222). Vehicles that had brake lines replaced under that service campaign don't require this inspection.
Safety Risk:
Reduced braking can cause extended stopping distances and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the brake lines. The dealer will apply an anti-corrosion treatment and replace the brake lines, if required.
Brakes
2022-05-02 · campaign 2022-222
Issue:
Over time, the brake lines under the vehicle could corrode. If this happens, a brake line could fail and leak. A brake fluid leak can result in reduced braking.
Safety Risk:
Reduced braking can cause extended stopping distances and increase the risk of a crash.
Corrective Actions:
Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the brake lines. The dealer will apply an anti-corrosion treatment and replace the brake lines, if required.
Structure
2021-08-10 · campaign 2021-504
Issue:
On certain vehicles, a part in the trunk release latch could fail. If this happens, the emergency trunk release located inside the trunk compartment may not work properly. This could prevent a person that is trapped inside the trunk from opening it.
Safety Risk:
If a person is closed inside the trunk compartment, they may not be able to get out. This could create a risk of injury.
Corrective Actions:
Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to replace the trunk latch assembly.
Engine
2021-02-01 · campaign 2021-039
Issue:
Kia Canada is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign that provides an update to the engine control module to detect potential problems before an engine fails. An engine failure could cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart.
Note: This only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L Nu GDI engine.
Safety Risk:
A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of an accident. An engine failure could also create the risk of a fire.
Corrective Actions:
Kia will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to update the software for the engine control module.
Note: Kia recommends that you should always follow the correct vehicle maintenance schedule, which is printed in the Owner's Manual. If you experience unusual engine noise, reduced power, or a check engine/oil warning light, Kia advises you to immediately visit a Kia dealership to have your vehicle diagnosed.
Owner complaints (136)
Owners filed 136 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Forte (16 crashes, 6 fires, 13 injuries reported). Among 16 model years of this model, it ranks #9 for the most complaints (median 150).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Engine | 66 | |
| Electrical system | 22 | |
| Power train | 16 | |
| Unknown or other | 15 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | |
| Air bags | 13 | |
| Exterior lighting | 10 | |
| Service brakes | 10 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2016 Kia Forte.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2016 Kia Forte 4 DR FWD | 5★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ |
| 2016 Kia Forte 5 HB FWD | – | – | 5★ | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2016 Kia Forte version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Forte 1.8 L Manual 6-spd | 25 | 36 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Forte 1.8 L Automatic (S6) | 26 | 37 | 30 | $2,250 |
| Forte 2.0 L Automatic (S6) | 24 | 35 | 28 | $2,400 |
| Forte 5 1.6 L Automatic (S6) | 21 | 29 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Forte 5 1.6 L Manual 6-spd | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Forte 5 2.0 L Automatic (S6) | 25 | 33 | 28 | $2,400 |
| Forte Koup 1.6 L Automatic (S6) | 22 | 29 | 25 | $2,700 |
| Forte Koup 1.6 L Manual 6-spd | 22 | 29 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Forte Koup 2.0 L Automatic (S6) | 25 | 34 | 28 | $2,400 |
| Forte Koup 2.0 L Manual 6-spd | 24 | 33 | 27 | $2,500 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.