Is the 2017 Kia Forte a bad year?
305 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 157, 7.1× a quiet Forte year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
The engine draws 7.1× the complaints of a quiet Forte year, spread over 35k–110k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2017 Forte owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 82,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 157 (51%) | 35k–110k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 47 (15%) | 10k–41k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Exterior lightingSTANDS OUT | 44 (14%) | 26k–52k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Air bags | 18 (6%) | 8k–60k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 17 (6%) | 4k–31k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 30 (10%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 12 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Latches and locks | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 82,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 305 complaints: 23 mention a crash · 10 mention a fire · 14 report an injury · 28 say the car was towed.
23 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Load engine "ticking/knocking" noise at 83,200 miles. Vehicle engine maintenance is up to date and serviced by Kia.
In motion on highway going 70. 2017 Kia started making ticking noise no oil light on or any warnings after few miles rod went through side of block then into starter damaging it leaving car disabled.
My check engine light came on. Took it to the shop and was told there was something in the engine that needed a reset or update.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 82,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2017 Kia Forte: 3
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. Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage. A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Kia: 89
Repair instructions Kia sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2017 Kia Forte. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Product improvement campaign: subsequent repair
Voluntary emissions service campaign: ECM update for OBD logic improvement (SC203)
SC203_stkr: voluntary emissions service campaign completion sticker
Product improvement campaign: nu 2.0L GDI - knock sensor detection system (Ksds) ECU logic improvement (PI2106)
Neighbouring years
2016 Forte: 137 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2018 Forte: 136 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Kia Forte year
2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · All Forte years side by side
Other Kia models: Kia Amanti · Kia Cadenza · Kia Carnival · Kia EV6 · Kia EV9 · Kia K5 · Kia Niro · Kia Optima · Kia Optima Hybrid · Kia Rio · Kia Rondo · Kia Sedona · Kia Seltos · Kia Sephia · Kia Sorento · Kia Soul · Kia Spectra · Kia Sportage · Kia Stinger · Kia Telluride. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2017 Kia Forte a bad year?
305 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 157, 7.1× a quiet Forte year. At 82,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. The engine draws 7.1× the complaints of a quiet Forte year, spread over 35k–110k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Kia Forte?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (157), electrical system (47), exterior lighting (44), air bags (18), speed control (17). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 35k–110k miles.
How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Forte have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 22V-031), Latches and locks (NHTSA 21V-622), Engine (NHTSA 21V-260). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.