2016 Kia Forte Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026

20Electrical System complaints

15.4%Of all 130 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE63 · 48.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM20 · 15.4%

POWER TRAIN16 · 12.3%

Unspecified / other15 · 11.5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL14 · 10.8%

Share of the 130 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Kia Forte overview page.

What owners report

“Im a retired mechanic I have 2016 Kia Forte lx 1.8l 6spd manual from my diagnostic scanner it showed the instrument cluster has a short…”NHTSA complaint 11439661 — filed 11/08/2021

“SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE THE HORN WAS LOW. I RARELY DRIVE MY VEHICLE SO FOR THE HORN NOT TO BE WORKING IS REALLY…”NHTSA complaint 11378627 — filed 12/09/2020

“THE HORN WORKS THEN IT DON'T WORK THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT LOOSES PRESSURE AS DRIVING CAR JUST GOT 5/19/20.”NHTSA complaint 11325252 — filed 05/20/2020

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Kia Forte have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2016 Kia Forte: 20 of 130 complaints on file (15.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2016 Kia Forte have in total?

130 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 16 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 13 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.