2017 Kia Forte Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

144Engine complaints

48%Of all 300 complaints

#1Most-reported category

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

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE144 · 48%

Unspecified / other49 · 16.3%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM44 · 14.7%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING39 · 13%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM29 · 9.7%

Share of the 300 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2017 Kia Forte overview page.

What owners report

“MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE THAT NEEDED A RESET OR…”NHTSA complaint 11350709 — filed 08/21/2020

“I TOOKEN MY 2017 KIA FORTE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP COUNTLESS OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND STILL WITH NO AVAIL. AS I'M DRIVING THE…”NHTSA complaint 11350053 — filed 08/18/2020

“ROUGH IDLING. ROUGH GEAR SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND SRUTTER ON 3RD. LOSS OF POWER DURING TAKE OFFS. CAR IS ONLY 20,800 MILES. CHECKED…”NHTSA complaint 11349949 — filed 08/17/2020

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

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2017 Kia Forte have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2017 Kia Forte: 144 of 300 complaints on file (48%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2017 Kia Forte have in total?

300 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 23 involved a crash, 9 involved a fire, 21 reported injuries, and 4 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE 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.