A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Risk: Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC235.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles.
NHTSA listing: FORTE. Kia campaign SC235.
Air bags
Mar 11, 2021
air bag/restraint control module
Fails federal standard 208 (occupant crash protection)
The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles.
NHTSA listing: FORTE. Components: Air bags: air bag/restraint control module; Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger. Kia campaign SC207.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 68 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Forte. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Engine22 · 32%
Steering9 · 13%
Electrical system8 · 12%
Air bags7 · 10%
Powertrain7 · 10%
Body structure3 · 4%
Most named: body (3)
Fuel and propulsion system3 · 4%
Unknown or other18 · 26%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Kia Forte recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2021 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Forte drew the most (72) and the 2021 drew 36.
Owner complaints
2021: 68 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Kia Forte
Model year
Complaints
2016
137
2017
302
2018
136
2019
147
2020
76
2021
68
2022
27
2023
62
2024
25
Safety recalls
2021: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Kia Forte
Model year
Recalls
2016
1
2017
3
2018
3
2019
2
2020
0
2021
2
2022
1
2023
3
2024
0
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Kia Forte 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 10.7%
Questions
What are the most common 2021 Forte problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: engine (22), steering (9), electrical system (8). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2021 Kia Forte safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2021 Kia Forte earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Forte has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Kia dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: FORTE.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.