2016 Kia Forte Problems & Complaints

Most common 2016 Kia Forte problems

• Engine & cooling~67,000 miles
  6749%
• Electrical system~30,000 miles
  2216%
• Transmission & drivetrain~17,000 miles
  1612%
• Other / not specified~59,000 miles
  1612%
• Speed control & acceleration~11,000 miles
  1410%
• Air bags~50,000 miles
  1310%
• Lights~99,000 miles
  107%
• Brakes~118,000 miles
  107%
• Fuel & propulsion system~11,000 miles
  75%
• Wheels & tires~38,000 miles
  64%
• Steering~36,000 miles
  54%
• Body & structure~28,000 miles
  54%
• Stability & traction control~30,000 miles
  43%
• Suspension~60,000 miles
  32%
• Windows, wipers & sunroof
  21%
• Driver assistance
  21%
• Seat belts~2,000 miles
  11%
• Seats
  11%

Share of the 136 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Kia Forte complaints by model year

Best Forte years: 2022, 2011, 2016. Years to avoid: 2014, 2017, 2015, 2023. Compare all years →

2016 Kia Forte recalls (1)

What 2016 Kia Forte owners say

Engine & cooling all 67 →

The contact owned a 2016 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle caught fire. The vehicle was burning an excessive amount of oil and fuel. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. While his wife was driving, the vehicle was making abnormal engine noises. The contact stated he sustained emotional distress and medical attention was provided. The vehicle was towed to an independent towing lot. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was taken to an unknown local dealer where it was diagnosed that the pulley needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

Pulling out into traffic, without warning my car lost power and shut down! The car had to be towed to the dealership who advised that the engine had a catastrophic failure and needed to be replaced. I was told by the dealership that KIA would not cover the repair for two reasons: 1) I was beyond the warranty period (the car has 60,264 miles on it and apparently as the second owner I am only covered up to 60,000 miles not the 100,000 that comes with the car), and 2) despite acknowledging that they engine had a defect, KIA did not issue a recall to fix the problem. Instead, they issued a performance improvement notice. KIA also acknowledged via a phone call on 3/10/23 that they have mailed these notifications to the previous owner rather than to me. I have on a number of occasions conducted recall searches on www.nhtsa.gov/recalls which does not list the known engine defect! …

Electrical system all 22 →

The Headlights and ALL exterior lights FLICKER or TURN OFF ENTIRELY while driving, especially when touching the Multi-Function Turn Signal Stalk to signal a turn. This can and HAS happened when the Headlights are switched on any mode: MARKER LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, or AUTO. I can be driving, Headlights are on AUTO - suddenly - ALL HEADLIGHTS/EXTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKER OR TURN OFF. I have to quickly touch the Multi-Function Stalk or switch it from AUTO to HEADLIGHTS to keep the lights on. I then have to be careful when using the same Stalk to signal turns or it may cause the lights to flicker or turn off entirely AGAIN. THIS ISSUE CAN OCCUR EVERY DAY IF I'M NOT VERY DELICATE WITH THE MULTI-FUNCTION STALK. SOMETIMES, IT FLICKERS/TURNS OFF NO MATTER WHAT & I HAVE TO SWITCH THE LIGHTS FROM AUTO TO HEADLIGHTS OR VICE-VERSA TO ENSURE HEADLIGHTS STAY ON. …

I own a 2016 Kia Forte LX and have been experiencing repeated and dangerous electrical failures with the headlight and lighting system. When I turn on the headlights, they sometimes do not come on at all, or they shut off unexpectedly while driving. In some cases, using the turn signal causes the headlights to cut out completely. The interior dash lights flicker between dim and bright, and the tail lights are also affected. This is a serious safety hazard because it results in sudden and complete loss of exterior lighting (headlights and tail lights) while the vehicle is in motion at night. It significantly increases the risk of an accident. Online owner forums and repair shops confirm this issue is widespread in Kia vehicles, often traced to a failing multifunction headlight/turn signal switch. Despite the frequency of these failures, there has been no recall issued by Kia. …

Transmission & drivetrain

When driving on a divided four lane highway, after about one hour and at about 60 mph, vehicle would not accepperate to pass. Loss of power in traffic. Felt like transmission slipping, but the check engine light came on. P0240 code. It got progressively worse. An experienced mechanic diagnosed it as the engine, and was not sure I could drive to dealership. I had it towed. The warranty (10 year, 100,000 mile), covers engine, as agreed by delar. First, the dealer said it was catalytic converter $2200. When questioned, price was "corrected" to $1,200. Most for part and less than one hour labor. On a differen phone call, repair cost increased to $3300, saying the tech mistakenly thought it was the cat near muffler, but its the cat near engine, and comes as one pice with exhaust manifold. …

1. NHTSA Safety Complaint Draft Vehicle Info: Make: Kia Model: Forte5 SX Year: 2016 VIN: [redacted] Engine: 1.6L GDI (G4FJ Nu engine) Issue: This vehicle uses the 1.6L GDI Nu engine (engine code G4FJ), which is the same engine involved in Kia's engine defect recalls and class action settlements related to connecting rod bearing failure and engine seizure risks. However, Kia is refusing to provide the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) update, and no internal campaigns or recalls are listed for my VIN despite the identical mechanical risk. I purchased the vehicle in 2017 and was unaware of the extended warranty and safety campaigns until now. I am experiencing symptoms of rough idle and pre-knock concerns, and yet Kia and my local dealership are unwilling to escalate my case or even verify warranty eligibility. …

2016 Kia Forte engines & fuel economy

EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.