2022 KIA Forte Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

ENGINE

3 complaints

Hi I had my Kia forte GT 2022 for 3 years and my engine light has been on for about 3 months now . I get a check up and an oil change regularly. It comes on and goes off . I told my mechanic and he said I might have to get a new transmission. I only had this brand new car for 3 years . Is there a defect in these Kia forte GT or a recall .

Apr 07, 2025

In early 2025, I encountered a serious issue with my 2022 Kia Forte GT, a manual car with 76,000 miles and a 1.6L turbo Gamma engine. I took it for a routine oil change at a local non-Kia shop, but they refused, finding metal particles in the oil, suggesting engine damage. Worried, I towed it to a Kia dealership for a warranty-covered inspection, given my 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage. The dealership proposed a $500 engine flush, claiming it would clear contaminants, and advised me to drive 1,000 miles, even until the engine seized if needed, before returning. This shocked me—driving with metal risked catastrophic failure, potentially costing $3,000-$6,000 for a new engine, and seemed designed to avoid warranty responsibility. At 76,000 miles, I believed the metal indicated a manufacturing defect, not wear, especially since I’d used 5W-30 synthetic oil per Kia’s schedule. The non-Kia shop’s refusal left my maintenance history unclear, but Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act protects me from paying for fixes if it’s a defect. I contacted Kia customer service (1-800-333-4542), but they wouldn’t talk, citing my lawyer’s involvement. My lawyer, however, has been unresponsive to calls and emails for weeks, leaving me stranded. The dealership’s “drive until seizure” advice felt unsafe, prompting me to consider an NHTSA complaint at www.nhtsa.gov with my VIN to report this potential defect. This ordeal has caused significant stress and financial worry. I’ve asked the dealership for a detailed report on the metal’s source, but they’ve been vague. I’m torn between paying $500 and risking my car or pushing Kia harder. With the car still at the dealership, I hope for a warranty fix, not a costly delay tactic.the engine was replaced 10000 miles ago. And took two months.

Apr 01, 2025

The car hesitates to accelerate when going from my stop and then suddenly accelerate. The check engine comes on and when I’m gonna take it to the dealership. It turns off. Dealership claims they can’t work on it because the endcheck light is no longer on.

Jul 26, 2023

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

3 complaints

Vehicle was accidentally left in drive with the engine off. Ignition key was able to be removed from ignition cylinder even though vehicle was in gear and allowed it to roll away several feet.

Nov 10, 2023

My wife's older car needed a new engine, so we decided on buying a new car since her work requires a good deal of driving. One week after the purchase, we discovered there was no spare tire! This IS a major safety issue, and although the car has many good safety features, this lack is really frightening. I read that AAA begged car makers NOT to get rid of this, but the brand we bought has had this at least since 2017. This affects all those who can LEAST afford it, since the more expensive larger cars mainly have spare tires. Why hasn't this been a bigger issue? Other popular competitive makes still have the spare, and if we had known this problem we likely would have gone to another make, although our choices are limited. I can't believe that this has been going on with this car model since at least 2017 and that more people haven't complained.

Dec 29, 2021

KIA FORTE 2022 Complaints A/C isn't working KIA FORTE 2022 AC condenser we just bought a *New Black 2022 KIA FORTE FE/L on 09 Nov 2021 already having problems the AC stopped working so we took it to the KIA Dealership in Katy when it happens the parts dept. the supervisor says it has no Freon in it and it was safe to drive home and it was a Structural Design Flaw that caused the problem. So we took it to where we bought it to get it checkout they claim it was due to a HOLE IN THE CONDENSER, NOT WARRANTY RECOMMEND TO REPLACE CONDENSER Estimated PARTS, AND LABOR IS $1,351.13+ TAX. Kia dealership won't fix it unless we pay $1300 ++++ saying it's not covered under the warranty it's a brand new car parts manager in another Kia Dealership says it was caused by a Structural Design Flaw but the KIA Dealership where we bought the car says we have to pay to get it fixed. They claim a little rock or something from the road caused the damage however there is no way for a little rock to reach the AC condenser from the bottom. As you can see in the pictures the bottom is covered by a shield to prevent anything from getting in. If anything got in it's due to a Structural Design Flaw due to the opening in the bumper design where there is an opening just below where they claim the damage is. I took picture of the car before taking it to the shop and the picture they sent us looks like a different vehicle. There was no residue or anything to show it was a leak. Then they had the nerve to charge me $132.69 to get my car back the receipt says labor $50.00 Parts $90.00 what parts did they replace? It’s still broken. Then they even charged me tax on this Is this how they treat customers who have bought several cars from them I hope someone gets their act together and do what’s right and fix our car and refund me the $132.69 and fix the problem so it won’t happen again.

Dec 02, 2021

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2 complaints

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Forte. The contact stated that after driving and parking the vehicle, upon restarting the vehicle, the oil pressure warning light illuminated. There was a puddle of oil near the vehicle. While driving 35–40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and shutoff. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed the contact that the oil drain plug was missing. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the battery and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The contact called the warranty company and was provided warranty information. The failure mileage was approximately 21,840.

Feb 15, 2024

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly started revving without driver input. The battery and high engine temperature warning lights illuminated before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and diagnosed with engine damage due to the overheating caused by a faulty engine pulley bolt. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 608.

May 17, 2022

STEERING,SUSPENSION

1 complaint

The front passenger-side lower control arm on my 2022 Kia Forte fractured completely without warning during normal driving conditions. There was no collision, curb strike, pothole impact, or accident. The fracture appears clean and brittle, not bent or deformed. The failure caused suspension misalignment, damage to the CV axle, and uneven tire wear, creating a loss-of-control risk. The vehicle was inspected and no impact damage or deformation was found on surrounding suspension components. Kia has denied warranty coverage, stating ‘external forces’ caused the failure, but has provided no physical evidence, documentation, or explanation to support that conclusion. This appears to be a premature failure of a safety-critical suspension component. A sudden control arm fracture presents a serious steering and safety hazard and should not occur under normal operation The dealership indicated that they had a written explanation attributing the failure to ‘external forces,’ but when I requested supporting details, photographs, or physical evidence of impact, none were provided at the time. I was told that further explanation or documentation would not be available until a manager review at a later date. As of filing this complaint, no physical evidence supporting an external-force determination has been shown.

Dec 13, 2025

POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

The contact leased a 2022 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to respond while the gear shifter was in reverse(R). There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was test-driven, and the dealer became aware that the transmission was slipping. The dealer inspected the vehicle and found clutch debris inside the transmission. The dealer cleaned the transmission, replaced the dual clutch, and reprogrammed the TCM and clutch actuator. The contact stated that the failure persisted after the dealer had serviced the vehicle. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear, and the vehicle was jerking, and the warning light was illuminated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

Sep 15, 2025

STEERING

1 complaint

I got into an accident i On December 10th, 2023 my car was totaled out. My steering wheel felt like it was doing its own thing and I crashed straight into a curb and some rocks. I was injured and they had just fixed my steering because of the recall but I don’t know if they did it correctly

Oct 26, 2024

Crash: 1

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

My car body material looks like a baby toy I have a bas accient and

May 23, 2024

TIRES

1 complaint

That happens on the bridge on nW 7 st

May 22, 2024

Fire: 1

Injuries: 1

AIR BAGS

1 complaint

Air bags did not deploy in a front/side impact crash. Driver slid on ice and slush, went off the road and hit a tree. The car is currently being evaluated by the service center and insurance company. No sensors or warnings went off.

Dec 05, 2023

Crash: 1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

I believe that airbags/ airbag sensors have failed or malfunctioned and they are available for inspection. My safety as well as the safety of others was put at risk because the airbags should have deployed and they didn’t putting us further at risk. The problem hasn’t been confirmed or reproduced by anyone professional. The vehicle has not been inspected as of yet. There were no warning signs or lamps of any kind.

Oct 10, 2023

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

POWER TRAIN,VISIBILITY/WIPER

1 complaint

Hello, I purchased my car brand new March 2022. Since April of 2023 I have been having issues with my cars stalling upon acceleration off and on, and the wipers occasionally getting stuck in the upright position especially during heavy rain periods, which makes it hard to see the roads clearly. I have reported these issues to KIA on multiple occasions. My vehicle has been to the dealership for repairs three times for transmission issues: First service date was 6/3/23 I drove the car after having a multi-point inspection and telling the advisor my car was having issues accelerating. The advisor simply explained they found no issues. On the way home the car started to jerk, then would slow on acceleration, and ultimately began losing power while driving. Not once did I receive a warning code on the dashboard I called and KIA had it towed back to their Service department for a diagnostic. It was released back to me on 7/08/23, the advisor stated codes were input, but no transmission was replaced only for the vehicle to repeat the same issues, but worst on 7/31/23 the car jerked uncontrollably, would not push off making it impossible to accelerate at all and running at a very slow pace. I was able to make it to the dealership, however once reviewed it was noted that indeed the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then in service/at the dealership from 7/31/23 - 9/2/23. I retrieved the vehicle after a new transmission was installed, and within two hours I was unable to reverse, and finally the transmission immobilized the vehicle completely in the middle of the road stating, "Transmission is hot". This was very dangerous as it was heavy traffic in the area and the car literally stopped in the middle of the road. I wasn't even able to pull to the side for safety. As of today the vehicle is currently back at the dealership awaiting a diagnostic and service if possible.

Sep 08, 2023

SUSPENSION,SEAT BELTS,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

I keep shutting down, not going on something with a forward assist on top of that. I have no control over my car does whatever ones and it’s very unstable Fawzy no control is very unstable very bumpy road to the point I don’t even wanna drive

Jul 27, 2023

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,ENGINE

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Forte. The contact stated while his son was driving 5 MPH, the engine seized. A message indicating that the vehicle was off and to restart the vehicle was displayed. The contact’s son veered to the side of the road. The contact’s son was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred several times while his wife was driving 5-10 MPH and approaching a traffic light. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer could not duplicate the failure. A case was opened with the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V519000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 12,800. The VIN was unavailable.

Apr 19, 2023

SERVICE BRAKES,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

Hi, On multiple occasions, the car slams on brakes in the middle of traffic, its like it has a mind of its own, I can back up and a car can be passing by all the way across the street and the car will beep and slam on brakes, sometimes while I'm driving and may not be close to a car, the car will just slam on breaks. That has almost caused me multiple accidents and I'm afraid that one day it will. The safety feature on this car is very dangerous.

Oct 06, 2022

⭐

4.4/5.0

47 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2022 KIA Forte have?

The 2022 KIA Forte currently has 19 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2022 KIA Forte?

The most common problems reported for the 2022 KIA Forte are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2022 KIA Forte problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2022 KIA Forte comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.