2011 Kia Forte

US Recalls

NHTSA Recall US

• 23V652000 2023-09-25

  Recall 23V652000

  Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

  Recorded model years: 2011

• 18V363000 2018-06-01

  Recall 18V363000

  Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

  Recorded model years: 2011

• 16V070000 2016-02-05

  Recall 16V070000

  Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2011 Forte vehicles manufactured August 27, 2010, to November 11, 2010. The affected vehicles have a transmission fluid cooler hose that may have been improperly manufactured, resulting in a transmission fluid leak.

  Recorded model years: 2011

A further 18 records exist for the Kia Forte where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

Campaign applicability can depend on build date, equipment and market, and a remedy may already have been completed. Confirm any campaign against the official record using the VIN.

Manufacturer Bulletins

NHTSA Manufacturer Communication US

• 11033803 2026-06-09

  CS2311_TSB_R4

  TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER PROTECTOR & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2311) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia vehicles outlined on page 20,…

  Recorded model years: 2011

• 11029972 2026-03-04

  PI2102_OWNR_501

  PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2102 FLIGHT #501) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting an important Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update on 2010-2011 MY Kia Forte and Forte Koup vehicles equipped with 2.4-liter MPI engines to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage. The update will be done free…

  Recorded model years: 2011

• 11026989 2025-12-19

  CS2311_OWNR_PC201

  CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: POSTCARD OWNER RENOTIFICATION (CS2311) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. Kia has developed a new zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade and can be installed at the ignition cylinder location to provide additional protection against the social media theft method. Prior notifications stated that this modification had to…

  Recorded model years: 2011

Showing 3 of 80 records held. The full set is available from the official source named above.

A further 470 records exist for the Kia Forte where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

A manufacturer communication is service guidance issued to dealers. It is not a safety recall, and its existence does not mean this vehicle has the described condition.

Investigations

NHTSA Investigation US

• AQ23002 2023-11-17

  Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires

  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect…

  Recorded model years: 2011

• DP22003 2022-09-12

  Loss of Motive Power

  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that…

  Recorded model years: 2011

• PE18003 2018-03-16

  Air bags may be disabled during crash

  Multiple source assertions are recorded for this identifier. Consult the official record for configuration-specific detail.

  Recorded model years: 2011

A further 5 records exist for the Kia Forte where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

An investigation records that a regulator reviewed a suspected defect. It is not itself a finding of defect and not a recall.

Canada Recalls

Transport Canada Recall CA

• 2023529 2023-09-26

  Transport Canada recall 2023529

  Multiple source assertions are recorded for this identifier. Consult the official record for configuration-specific detail.

  Recorded model years: 2011

• 2021040 2021-02-01

  Transport Canada recall 2021040

  Multiple source assertions are recorded for this identifier. Consult the official record for configuration-specific detail.

  Recorded model years: 2011

• 2018301 2018-06-08

  Transport Canada recall 2018301

  Multiple source assertions are recorded for this identifier. Consult the official record for configuration-specific detail.

  Recorded model years: 2011

Showing 3 of 4 records held. The full set is available from the official source named above.

A further 22 records exist for the Kia Forte where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

Canadian campaigns are recorded separately from US campaigns and do not imply one another.

Consumer Complaints

NHTSA Complaint US

153 complaint records in the dataset for this vehicle and year.

Outcomes stated in those reports

• reports mentioning a crash 28
• reports mentioning a fire 12
• reported injuries 35
• reported fatalities 1

Outcomes as stated by the person who filed the report. They are not verified, not adjudicated, and carry no exposure denominator, so they cannot be turned into a rate.

By system

• Engine47 (22.0%)Official recall records for this system: 13, covering model years 2010–2021.
• Air bags (restraint system)35 (16.4%)Official recall records for this system: 7, covering model years 2010–2021.
• Brakes28 (13.1%)Official recall records for this system: 7, covering model years 2010–2017.
• Powertrain (transmission & drivetrain)18 (8.4%)Official recall records for this system: 4, covering model years 2011–2019.
• Electrical system16 (7.5%)Official recall records for this system: 3, covering model years 2010–2014.
• Speed control & accelerator10 (4.7%)
• Lights8 (3.7%)Official recall records for this system: 3, covering model years 2010–2019.
• Body & structure8 (3.7%)Official recall records for this system: 1, covering model years 2016–2018.

Other / uncategorized: 13 classifications (6.1%) were not assigned to a specific system by the source. They are counted but not treated as an issue area.

A single report can name several systems, so these figures overlap and must not be added together — their sum is larger than the report total above.

A further 2,528 complaint records exist for this vehicle where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

These are owner-submitted allegations, not confirmed defects. Counts are record counts in the dataset. No exposure denominator exists, so no failure rate or reliability score can be derived from them.