2018 Kia Forte Recalls: 3 Safety Recalls
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2018 Kia Forte. Here's what each one means for a used-car buyer.
3
Open recall campaigns (NHTSA)
No
“Park it” urgent warning
3
Vehicle systems affected
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Open recalls for the 2018 Kia Forte
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
Reported: 25/01/2022
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
NHTSA 21V622000
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
Reported: 09/08/2021
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION:PUMP
NHTSA 21V260000
Defect: 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.
Risk: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.
Reported: 13/04/2021
Is the 2018 Kia Forte safe to buy used?
3 open recalls doesn't automatically mean you should walk away — most recalls are repaired free of charge at a dealer. What matters is whether this specific car has had the work done. An unrepaired recall is both a safety risk and real negotiating leverage: you can make the repair a condition of sale or ask for money off to cover your time.
How buyers use recall data to negotiate
- Lead with the facts. Bring the NHTSA campaign numbers to the seller — it signals you've done your homework.
- Make repair a condition. Ask the seller to complete any open recall at a dealer before you pay.
- Trade it for price. If they won't fix it, ask for money off to cover the trip and downtime.
- Verify the VIN. A full ClearVIN Buyer Brief confirms which recalls are still open on the exact car.
Get the full Buyer Brief for your 2018 Kia Forte
Enter the VIN and we'll pull this car's exact open recalls, a fair market-value range, an inspection checklist, and a 5-point negotiation script — in about 30 seconds.
Run my VIN report — $9.99
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the 2018 Kia Forte have?
NHTSA lists 3 open safety recalls for the 2018 Kia Forte. Each campaign and its remedy is listed above.
Are Kia Forte recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are performed free of charge at any authorized Kia dealer, regardless of the car's age or mileage and regardless of how many owners it has had.
How do I check if a specific 2018 Kia Forte had its recalls fixed?
You need the car's 17-character VIN. A ClearVIN Buyer Brief looks up the exact VIN against NHTSA's database and shows which recall campaigns are still open on that individual vehicle.
Should recalls stop me from buying a used 2018 Kia Forte?
Not necessarily. Most recalls are quick, free dealer fixes. Use any open recall as leverage: ask the seller to complete the repair before sale, or negotiate the price down to cover it.
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