2018 Kia Forte engine problems
62 of the 136 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Forte name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 41 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 of the 62 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 4 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 13 · 2025: 12 · 2026: 7
Half of the 20 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 46,000 and 104,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
136 complaints in all about the 2018 Kia Forte, 7 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Forte engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
On 12/12/2021 my car stalled while driving. I started it up got to my destination, when leaving just a few minutes later it stalled again. On 12/13/2021 I was almost rear-ended when my car stalled while turning a corner on my way to work. On 12/14/2021 my car stalled two more times while driving. I have not driven it since.
I got my 18 Kia was purchased with 25k miles on it and when it got around 72,000 miles the car started to shut off, make a grinding noise at times and the check engine light was on. I took the car to Kia and gave them all my oil change receipts. They said I was missing 1 maybe 2 so it wouldn't be covered.
53,000 no warning was driving along a highway car started to knock. Then all of the sudden car shuts off and I pull over. Come to find out engine through a rod in the block and was not cover under warranty because they said I didn't have enough proof oil was never change even though I gave them all my receipts
Got my car at 60 miles. That was a lil over two years ago and now my car is at 68000. The engine is stalling and it's not accelerating properly. When I have to break or even break pulling into a parking spot the car cuts off. No lights are popping up and i've never had this issue before.
Vehicle repeatedly stalls and must be restarted when travelling at low speeds. Manufacturer and dealership both recommended replacing aftermarket automatic starter and problem still persists
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 21V260000 HighApr 13, 2021 · 4,069 vehicles
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.
41 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- TSB_ENG222_R8 Service bulletinApr 3, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine
- TSB_ENG222_R7 Service bulletinFeb 28, 2025
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), w
- PI2106YZ_TSB_R1 Service bulletinNov 8, 2024
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: ENGINE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR DTC P1326 (PI2106Y/Z) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published (PI21
The 3 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0300 P0304 P0301 P0302 P0303 P1326 P0016 P0017
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2018 Kia Forte names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2018 Kia Forte?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 62 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (46% of everything owners filed about it), and 41 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2018 Kia Forte?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 21V260000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2018 Kia Forte?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 68,000 miles; half of them between 46,000 and 104,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.