2019 Kia Forte transmission problems

The 2019 Kia Forte has 47 transmission complaints filed with NHTSA — 22% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

Transmission complaints

22%

Share of year

Crash-involved

Related recalls

Transmission complaints by year

Forte transmission complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

20V459000TransmissionAugust 5, 2020 · 834 units

Defect

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2019 Forte vehicles. The left front axle driveshaft may not have been heat-treated, which can cause it to break.

Consequence

A broken driveshaft can result in a sudden loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left front axle driveshaft for a heat treatment verification code, and replace it if the code is missing, free of charge. The recall began September 2, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC195.

What owners report

“2019 FORTE WITH 4000 MILES AND LESS THAN 4 MONTHS OLD. HAD TO BE TOWNES FROM MY JOB AS THE TRANSMISSION IS GONE. I BROUGHT IT TO MY DEALERSHIP ONE MONTH EARLIER AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG, AND CAR DIED LESS THAN A MONTH LATER. WAS ALSO TOLD 'THINGS HAPPEN', HOWEVER MY COWORKER WITH A 2019…”
Complaint filed with NHTSA · Transmission · March 17, 2019

Common questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2019 Kia Forte have?

NHTSA has 47 complaints about the 2019 Kia Forte transmission — 22% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2019 Kia Forte transmission?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the transmission: 20V459000.

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.