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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 (0)
No US recalls found for the 2020 Kia Forte.
Canadian recalls (1)
Show 1 Canadian recall
Engine
2021-04-14 · campaign 2021-225
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the engine's piston oil rings may be defective. This can cause engine wear that can lead to increased oil consumption. Eventually, this can create abnormal engine noise and the oil pressure warning light may turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with these symptoms, the engine could fail.
Note: This only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L Nu MPI engine.
Safety Risk:
A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. An engine failure could also create the risk of a fire.
Corrective Actions:
Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer to inspect the engine. The engine will be replaced, if necessary. The dealer will also install a Piston-ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software update, to alert the driver of potential damage before an engine failure occurs.
Owner complaints (78)
Owners filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Forte (9 crashes, 2 fires, 6 injuries reported). Among 16 model years of this model, it ranks #11 for the most complaints (median 150).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Unknown or other | 26 | |
| Engine | 20 | |
| Power train | 16 | |
| Electrical system | 11 | |
| Forward collision avoidance | 6 | |
| Air bags | 5 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | |
| Steering | 3 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2020 Kia Forte.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2020 Kia Forte 4 DR FWD | 4★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2020 Kia Forte version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Forte 1.6 L Automatic (AM7) | 27 | 35 | 30 | $2,250 |
| Forte 1.6 L Manual 6-spd | 25 | 32 | 28 | $2,400 |
| Forte 2.0 L Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 29 | 40 | 33 | $2,050 |
| Forte 2.0 L Manual 6-spd | 27 | 37 | 31 | $2,150 |
| Forte FE 2.0 L Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 31 | 41 | 35 | $1,900 |
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.