2023 Kia Forte
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2023 Kia Forte is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 3 on record.
2023 Kia Forte at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2023 Kia Forte recalls 3
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Forte vehicles. The right front lower control arm may have been improperly welded, which can cause it to fail.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will replace the right front lower control arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 17, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall …
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Forte vehicles. The right front lower control arm may have been improperly welded, which can cause it to fail.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will replace the right front lower control arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this rec…
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Forte vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the front left steering knuckle may crack, which can result in a loss of steering control.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front left steering knuckle, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 12, 2023. Owner may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC259.
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2023 Kia Forte common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 65 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2023 Kia Forte safety ratings
Rollover risk: 10.7% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2023 Kia Forte 4 DR FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2023 Kia Forte MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 3 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2023 Kia Forte costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2023 Kia Forte — ranges cover the 2 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 46
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 46.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: MISFIRE CONCERN DUE TO OVERRUNNING ALTERNATOR DECOUPLER - This bulletin provides information to address unresolved misfire events on some 2020–2024MY Forte (BDm) produced from January 1, 2019 through September 30, 2024, and 2020–202…
Bulletin TSB_ENG263 · Engine, Electrical System · Aug 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at upda…
Bulletin TSB_ELE422 · Electrical System · May 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software downloads and USB p…
Bulletin TSB_ELE417 · Electrical System · Apr 2026PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating dis…
Bulletin PS797 · Back Over Prevention · Dec 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TIRE MOBILITY REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to replace the Tire Mobility Kit (TMK) sealant can or TMK bag assembly on certain 2023-2024MY Forte (BDm) models produced from March 01, 2023 thorough November 30, 2023.…
Bulletin TSB_GEN103 · Nov 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - 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 relat…
Bulletin TSB_TRA046_R5 · Power Train · Apr 2025TECHNICAL 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…
Bulletin TSB_ENG222_R8 · Engine · Apr 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The affected vehicles m…
Bulletin TSB_ELE378 · Electrical System · Mar 2025TECHNICAL 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…
Bulletin TSB_ENG222_R7 · Engine · Feb 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0/AVN5WSOFTWARE UPDATE (SA569) - 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…
Bulletin TSB_ELE338_R1 · Electrical System · Jan 2025Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the FORTE FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 2
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2023 Kia Forte. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Suspension
Issue: On certain vehicles, the right-front lower control arm could partially separate from the crossmember due to an improper weld. If this happens while driving, there could be a sudden loss of vehicle control. Safety Risk: A loss of vehicle control could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a…
Transport Canada #2023525 · Sep 2023Steering
Issue: On certain vehicles, the left-front steering knuckle could crack and/or break. A steering knuckle that breaks while driving could cause a sudden loss of vehicle control. Safety Risk: A loss of vehicle control could increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the left-fro…
Transport Canada #2022698 · Dec 2022Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Kia Forte
The Kia Forte, known as the K3 in Asia, the Forte K3 or Shuma in China, and the Cerato in South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Russia, is a compact car manufactured by South Korean automaker Kia, produced from 2008 to 2024, replacing the Kia Spectra.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.