2021 Kia Forte Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 2021 Kia Forte, and owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 2021 Kia Forte
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Column (steering)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for…
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Air bags: front passenger and air bag/restraint control module (air bags)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard…
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
69 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2021 Kia Forte have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA; 11 describe a crash. Reports cite 7 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 54,001 miles. Complaints peaked in 2022 with 21 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The seatbelt comes unbuckled without cause often and the lane keeping assistance pulls the car of to the right unprovoked.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 4, 2026 · Seat belts
“It keeps getting broken into by the KIA boys in attempt of theft. It's a group that targets KIAs because they're easy. I now have to make sure my steering wheel is locked up. I was recently hit by ano”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 23, 2026 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2021 Kia Forte (Forte FE). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 28–35 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 25–31 / 32–41 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6/2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM-S7); Automatic (variable gear ratios); Manual 6-spd |
Compare Kia Forte model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kia Forte model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 Kia Forte | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 Kia Forte | 3 | 221 |
| 2011 Kia Forte | 3 | 153 |
| 2012 Kia Forte | 4 | 292 |
| 2013 Kia Forte | 5 | 195 |
| 2014 Kia Forte | 3 | 444 |
| 2015 Kia Forte | 1 | 260 |
| 2016 Kia Forte | 1 | 136 |
| 2017 Kia Forte | 3 | 305 |
| 2018 Kia Forte | 3 | 136 |
| 2019 Kia Forte | 2 | 147 |
| 2020 Kia Forte | 0 | 77 |
| 2021 Kia Forte | 2 | 69 |
| 2022 Kia Forte | 1 | 28 |
| 2023 Kia Forte | 3 | 63 |
| 2024 Kia Forte | 0 | 26 |
Checking a specific 2021 Kia Forte
How do I know if my 2021 Kia Forte has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2021 Kia Forte; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 21V164000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Kia models
- Sorento10,183 complaints
- Optima7,512 complaints
- Soul5,553 complaints
- Sportage4,699 complaints
- Sedona2,410 complaints
- Telluride2,026 complaints
- Sephia1,705 complaints
- Rio1,291 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.