Kia Forte Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Not unusually. Owners have filed 216 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2009–2024 Kia Forte. For the Kia Forte, that's 0.16 transmission complaints per 1,000 sold across the 2015–2022 cohorts, below the 0.28 median of the 53 models we can rate. The worst years are 2019, 2010 and 2011.
Transmission complaints
216
Filed with NHTSA, 2009–2024 models
Per 1,000 sold
0.16
2015–2022 cohorts
Share of all complaints
8.4%
of 2,579 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
2
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Kia Forte transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline), and per 1,000 vehicles sold where a published U.S. sales figure exists. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Per 1,000 sold | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 0 | — | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
| 2010WORST | 23 | — | 9.9% | 1 | — | 17 |
| 2011WORST | 19 | — | 11.7% | 1 | 16V070000 | 14 |
| 2012 | 12 | — | 3.9% | 0 | — | 12 |
| 2013 | 10 | — | 4.7% | 1 | — | 11 |
| 2014 | 18 | — | 4% | 3 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | 17 | 0.22 | 6.5% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | 16 | 0.15 | 11.5% | 4 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | 12 | 0.1 | 4% | 0 | — | 17 |
| 2018 | 8 | 0.08 | 6% | 1 | — | 8 |
| 2019WORST | 47 | 0.49 | 32.4% | 0 | 20V459000 | 29 |
| 2020 | 15 | 0.18 | 21.1% | 1 | — | 28 |
| 2021 | 7 | 0.06 | 10.4% | 0 | — | 8 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0.02 | 8% | 0 | — | 4 |
| 2023 | 7 | — | 12.5% | 0 | — | 4 |
| 2024 | 3 | — | 13.6% | 1 | — | 3 |
- Per 1,000 sold = complaints ÷ published U.S. calendar-year sales × 1,000. Calendar-year sales stand in for the model-year cohort. A dash means no published figure or fewer than 5,000 sold, too small to divide by.
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Kia Forte transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 216 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Kia Forte years to avoid for the transmission
2019 Kia Forte
47 transmission complaints (32.4% of the year's 145), 0.49 per 1,000 sold. Most often described: transmission repaired or replaced. Covered by transmission recall 20V459000.
2010 Kia Forte
23 transmission complaints (9.9% of the year's 232). Most often described: slipping or revving without accelerating.
2011 Kia Forte
19 transmission complaints (11.7% of the year's 162). Most often described: loss of power or limp mode. Covered by transmission recall 16V070000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Kia Forte years to avoid.
Kia Forte transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Kia Forte model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 20V459000 · 2020-08-05 · 2019 models
The left front axle driveshaft may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to break.
- 16V070000 · 2016-02-05 · 2011 models
The affected vehicles have a transmission fluid cooler hose that may have been improperly manufactured, resulting in a transmission fluid leak.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2019 Kia Forte have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 47 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Forte, 32.4% of all 145 complaints for that year, or 0.49 per 1,000 sold. The most common description is "transmission repaired or replaced" (21 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 20V459000.
Does the 2010 Kia Forte have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 23 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2010 Kia Forte, 9.9% of all 232 complaints for that year. The most common description is "slipping or revving without accelerating" (2 complaints). 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2011 Kia Forte have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 19 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2011 Kia Forte, 11.7% of all 162 complaints for that year. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (4 complaints). One transmission-related recall covers it: 16V070000. 1 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Kia Forte years have the most transmission complaints?
2019 (47), 2010 (23) and 2011 (19), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so compare the per-1,000-sold column too.
What are the most common Kia Forte transmission problems?
In the 216 transmission complaints, owners most often describe transmission repaired or replaced (18.1%), loss of power or limp mode (13%) and jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (8.8%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Dividing by sales shows how often owners complain relative to how many were sold, which makes models of different sizes comparable.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Kia Forte model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration