Research Another Vehicle

Recall Campaigns
3
Federal recall campaigns
Urgent Safety Directives
0
Zero urgent stop-drive alerts
Affected Subsystems
3
Air Bags & Restraints, Body & Structure
Authorized Remedy
100% Free
Mandated dealer repair by law
Federal Safety Campaign Analysis

Executive Recall Findings

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists 3 official safety recall campaigns for the 2018 Kia Forte in AutoUtility's current federal dataset. The primary affected vehicle systems include Air Bags & Restraints, Body & Structure, Engine & Cooling.

VIN Specificity Notice: Safety recall campaigns apply to specific production date ranges and vehicle identification numbers (VINs). Check your 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov or with an authorized dealer to verify whether a safety repair is open.
Campaign Status & Legal Rights
  • • Federal Authority: Recalls administered under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301.
  • • Free Dealer Remedy: Under federal law, safety defect repairs are performed free of charge by franchised dealers.
  • • Latest Campaign Filing: Recorded on January 25, 2022.
Federal Directives

Official NHTSA Recall Campaigns (3)

Complete safety campaign filings including defect descriptions, safety hazards, and free dealer remedies

NHTSA Campaign #22V031000 AIR BAGS
Filed: January 25, 2022

What is defective?

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.

Safety Risk / Consequence

Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Authorized Free Dealer 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.

Manufacturer Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Campaign #21V622000 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
Filed: August 9, 2021

What is defective?

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."

Safety Risk / Consequence

A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

Authorized Free Dealer 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.

Manufacturer Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Campaign #21V260000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP
Filed: April 13, 2021

What is defective?

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.

Safety Risk / Consequence

A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Authorized Free Dealer 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.

Manufacturer Notes: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Subsystem Scope

Vehicle Systems Involved in Recalls for 2018 Kia Forte

Distribution of official safety recall campaigns across automotive subsystem domains

01 1 CAMPAIGN

Air Bags & Restraints

Safety campaign directives specifically targeting components within the Air Bags & Restraints subsystem.

17 Consumer Complaints →
02 1 CAMPAIGN

Body & Structure

Safety campaign directives specifically targeting components within the Body & Structure subsystem.

11 Consumer Complaints →
03 1 CAMPAIGN

Engine & Cooling

Safety campaign directives specifically targeting components within the Engine & Cooling subsystem.

54 Consumer Complaints →
Fleet History

Recall History for Kia Forte

Official safety recall campaign volume across sibling model years (2015–2024)

Model Year NHTSA Recalls NHTSA Complaints Detailed Report
2015 Kia Forte 1 258 View 2015 Recalls →
2016 Kia Forte 1 2 View 2016 Recalls →
2017 Kia Forte 3 301 View 2017 Recalls →
2018 Kia Forte Current Page 3 134 Current
2019 Kia Forte 2 147 View 2019 Recalls →
2020 Kia Forte 0 74 View 2020 Recalls →
2021 Kia Forte 2 67 View 2021 Recalls →
2022 Kia Forte 1 26 View 2022 Recalls →
2023 Kia Forte 3 60 View 2023 Recalls →
2024 Kia Forte 0 24 View 2024 Recalls →
Consumer Checklist

VIN-Specific Recall Verification

How to confirm whether an individual vehicle requires an authorized safety repair

Safety recall campaigns apply to specific vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and manufacturing date ranges. To verify if your individual vehicle has an uncompleted safety recall:

  • Locate your 17-character VIN on the driver's side door jamb or dashboard.
  • Enter the VIN into the official NHTSA recall lookup at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
  • Contact any franchised Kia dealership to schedule a free remedy appointment.
NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline: 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 711)
Related Workstations

Related Official Reports for 2018 Kia Forte

Explore owner problem reports and crash safety ratings for this model year

← 2018 Kia Forte Overview

Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.

2018 Kia Forte Owner Complaints (134) →

NHTSA defect complaints breakdown across all vehicle subsystems and recurring symptoms.

2018 Kia Forte Safety & Crash Ratings →

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover ratings.

2018 Kia Forte MPG & Range →

EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Safety Recalls & Federal Directives for the 2018 Kia Forte

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Kia Forte

How many safety recalls are on file for the 2018 Kia Forte?

The 2018 Kia Forte is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns, affecting systems including Air Bags & Restraints, Body & Structure, Engine & Cooling.

A recall campaign listing indicates that a safety defect or noncompliance standard was determined for specific production runs of this vehicle model year.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

Are there urgent 'Do Not Drive' or 'Park Outside' directives for the 2018 Kia Forte?

No official 'Do Not Drive' or 'Park Outside' safety advisories are associated with recall records for the 2018 Kia Forte in AutoUtility's current dataset.

Urgent directives apply to critical safety risks; standard recall campaigns require timely inspection and remedy at an authorized dealer.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database

Are recall repairs free for the 2018 Kia Forte?

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge.

Federal law (49 U.S.C. Chapter 301) requires manufacturers and franchised dealers to provide authorized safety recall repairs at no cost to the vehicle owner. Because campaigns apply to specific production runs and option packages, vehicle owners must verify their 17-character VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls or through an authorized dealership to confirm individual applicability.

Source: National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act (49 U.S.C. Chapter 301)

Does a recall campaign apply to every 2018 Kia Forte?

Not necessarily. Model-year recall campaigns typically apply to specific vehicle production date ranges, assembly plants, or optional equipment packages.

AutoUtility's model-year records describe campaign scope; owners must check their individual 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls or through an authorized dealership to confirm if an open recall applies to their specific vehicle.

Source: NHTSA VIN Lookup Service
Official US Government Data Provenance

Recall records published on this page are retrieved directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Safety Recalls Database under 49 U.S.C. 30118.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.