Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Kia Forte owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated that after accelerating from a red light the driver-side airbag suddenly deployed. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the passenger side tire had also flattened. During the incident, the driver sustained an injured right arm. The contact indicated that no collision or frontend damage had occurred to cause the failure. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000.
The contact's daughter owned a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at 15 MPH, another vehicle going 40 MPH crashed into the passenger front side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact stated his daughter sustained whiplash and was taken to the hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a lot, where it was totaled. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 29,000.
On 1/15/2016, I hit a massive 10-point buck (deer) head on. It was standing in the middle of the highway, and I drove into it doing 65 MPH. The front of my car sustained significant damage; the entire front end was pushed back and the hood was bent back to the windshield. Yet, my airbag did not deploy. I have worked as a paramedic/ff for over 15 years, and I have worked hundreds of accident scenes. I can tell you right now... This airbag system failed. With the front end damage that my car sustained, that airbag should have deployed immediately. I have reached out to Kia with no response, so perhaps the NHTSA can force Kia to fix this. Because I can tell you right now, there are going to be some fatalities if this isn't fixed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. While the contact was slowly driving into an intersection, the passenger side of the vehicle was crashed into by another vehicle. The side and frontal air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries. A police report was filed and the vehicle was towed away. The vehicle was repaired, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified. The failure mileage was 50,000.
I was broadsided by a car that ran a stop sign as I was driving through an intersection on a city street. The collision knocked me up onto the curb and into a short block wall. The hit was so hard that it bent the frame of my car at the mid-line and even bent the roof of my vehicle. The airbags never deployed. I was injured in the accident as the hit was so hard and there was nothing to cushion the blow.
Airbags did not deploy in a single-car front end collision. The driver fell asleep at the wheel on interstate 195 in swansea ma. The car left the roadway to the left at highway speed (approximately 65 MPH) and crashed into the wooded median. The car front end was totally destroyed and the engine compartment crumpled, but the airbags did not deploy. The car was a total loss
Our car was rolled end over end and airbags did not deploy at all. My son was driving swerved to avoid a deer and got into a gravel area and went down a ravine as the car ended up rolling end over end (nose down reer end up so on and so forth) the airbags did not deploy at all. I called Kia and they will not explain to me how it was possible airbags didnt deploy.
Driver was in middle lane driving around 55 MPH. For some unknown reason, driver lost control of vehicle. Car began flipping while still in the roadway, eventually hit a guard rail and continued flipping. Driver was ejected and killed. Airbags never deployed...updated 11/13/15 .....updated 12/23/15 updated 1/11/2015 updated 9/17/2017
"Takata recall" I was traveling at 45 miles per hour when another vehicle made an oncoming left turn into my lane, causing a collision. I hit the other vehicle head on with her front passenger wheel. The airbags did not deploy. Is there a recall on this?
I was driving on a gravel road a little to fast and my car started to slide from side to side I tried to gain control but couldn't and ended up hitting a metal bridge. The air bags did not deploy as they should have. My whole front right in is damaged and the speed I was going the air bags should have went off!.
Airbag complaints in other Forte years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2015 Kia Forte?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the air bags of the 2015 Kia Forte, 9% of the model year's 260 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2015 Kia Forte airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2015 Kia Forte, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2015 Kia Forte airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 50,000 miles, and 25% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 10 crashes, 0 fires and 6 injuries and 1 death to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.