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#BS-2018-KIAFOR-24EA

2018 Kia ForteProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 190 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 21, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
190
Crashes
20
Fires
4
Recalls
3
TSBs
100
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 190 complaints, 20 crashes, 4 fires, and 3 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine light comes on

2 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX
2

ignition coils problem

2 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
3

almost new blower motor went out

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
4

pcm failure when car brand new

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
5

key immob lite on car shut off

1 complaints • Severity 4/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

62 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 32K miles.

!Inspect the AirbagsMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

31
0–30K
16
30–60K
7
60–90K
6
90–120K
5
120–150K
3
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (31 reports) • Median: 32K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (62 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine62 (33%)
Other30 (16%)
Airbags16 (8%)
Electrical14 (7%)
Speed Control9 (5%)
Fuel System8 (4%)
Drivetrain8 (4%)
Structure:body7 (4%)

2018 Kia Forte: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 33% of all reports filed for the 2018 Kia Forte, with 62 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 32,215 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 32K-mile mark.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2018 Kia Forte, with 16 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2018 Kia Forte, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2018 Kia Forte, with 9 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

8
18
25
19
13
20
13
21
29
22
22
23
40
24
26
25
14
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2018 Kia Forte. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

21V260000Aug 2021

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP

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.

21V622000Feb 2022

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."

22V031000Mar 2022

AIR BAGS

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2018 Kia Forte NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

The worst model year for the Kia Forte is the 2010 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2018 Kia Forte vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

190

Class avg

129

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other midsize cars vehicles from 2018.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 190 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 21, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Kia Forte Model Years

202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010
View all Kia Forte years →

2018 Kia Forte: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Kia Forte?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2018 Kia Forte is related to the engine, with 62 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2018 Kia Forte reliable?
The 2018 Kia Forte has 190 complaints, 20 crash reports, and 4 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How safe is the 2018 Kia Forte?
NHTSA rates the 2018 Kia Forte 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2018 Kia Forte problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2018 Kia Forte have any recalls?
Yes, the 2018 Kia Forte has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Kia Forte problems start?
Based on 68 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 32,215 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2018 Kia Forte data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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