2022 Kia Forte

Air compressor broken Backup camera not working

NHTSA ID

11748900

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

Vehicle: 2022 Kia Forte LXS I am filing this complaint regarding a complete air conditioning system failure on my 2022 Kia Forte LXS, which is fully covered under Kia's 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The vehicle has been driven under 60,000 miles and has no accident history. The AC system failed completely. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealership for diagnosis and repair. The dealer recharged the refrigerant system, however the vehicle is still not cooling properly. The dealer has been unable to provide a confirmed diagnosis after multiple days, citing either the compressor or heating core as potential causes, but has not committed to a repair timeline or parts order. Of additional concern, the dealer has suggested 'outside influence' then said on the 4th say it maybe mechanical failure, but we have to check more of the compressor and heating coil as a possible cause despite my vehicle having no accident history, no modifications, and being only 4 years old. This appears to be an attempt to deny a valid warranty claim without evidence. I have an open case with Kia Consumer Affairs, however corporate has deferred entirely back to the dealer with no resolution or timeline. I am currently incurring out-of-pocket rental car expenses due to the dealer's backlog of loaner vehicles. I am requesting that the NHTSA investigate this matter. A complete AC system failure on a nearly new vehicle with no external cause raises serious concerns about manufacturing defects in the 2022 Kia Forte AC system. Desired Resolution: Full warranty repair of the AC system at no cost to me, and reimbursement of rental car expenses incurred during the repair period.

NHTSA ID

11743761

Incident

Jun 8, 2026

At low and moderate speeds, engine intermittently and slightly stalls? A rapid alarm sounds and no signal lights up on dashboard. This is corrected by tapping on the gas. This has been an ongoing issue since 2022. The last date this occcured 6/5/2026 mileage 32149 7:15pm traveling at 30 mph driving into direct sunlight signs: fast rapid alarm went on no light or visual alert on dashboard slight stalling and grinding sound in engine. While sunlight is known to activate forward collision avoidance, the lack of signal on dashboard leads me to believe it's something else. I have two case numbers filed with Kia America about this issue. I have taken it in for servicing at a Kia dealer as well. They can't reproduce the problem and are not clear on what it is, understandably. They changed some settings on the car the last time I took it in (June 2025) and said to bring it back if it continues. I asked and they said there were no recalls about such an issue.

NHTSA ID

11743567

Incident

Jun 5, 2026

The front driver side door is ‘popping’ open while driving. In addition, the seatbelt randomly releases while driving.

NHTSA ID

11727407

Incident

Mar 27, 2026

The OEM projector halogen headlights on the 2022 Kia Forte provide insufficient illumination for safe nighttime operation. On unlit or poorly lit roads, the low-beam distance is inadequate to identify road hazards, pedestrians, or signage in time to react at standard posted speeds (45+ mph). This creates a "dead zone" where the driver is effectively over-driving their headlights. This is a known design deficiency reflected in the IIHS "Poor" safety rating for this model. The lack of light throw creates an unreasonable risk of collision. High beams offer a marginal improvement in angle but do not resolve the primary visibility failure. I am requesting an investigation into the headlight assembly design and a potential recall or dealer-installed remedy to meet acceptable safety visibility standards. For reference, my electric scooter (segway max g3) is triple the brightness of my automobile!

NHTSA ID

11708975

Incident

Mar 15, 2023

I've been experiencing issues with steering loosening/tighting for over 1 1/2 years.21,000 miles since I first reported the issue 5/23/24.Within a few months of reporting the steering issue,I started having issues with my car not staying in alligment after a few hundred miles. There are no warning lights.The tension in my steering wheel is inconsistent in a way that it shouldn't be. At first,I only noticed it at hwy speeds.Now,I notice it even at lower speeds.The faster the speed the worse it is.My steering wheel will have the stiffness it should,then suddenly briefly loosen,then go back to normal stiffness.Which causes constant minor corrections,risking over correcting leading to a wreck.I have had a couple close calls.As time has gone on,it's just gotten worse.It's now to a point that it's sketchy to drive on the freeway & nearly impossible (if not impossible)to drive on the freeway if its windy.I no longer drive the freeway & find back roads to drive at slower speeds & less traffic.I constantly feel all over the road & like the car is gonna wobble out of control.Picture taking your steering wheel & making frequent(almost constantly now)slight back and forth, back and forth, movements, that's basically what it feels like.The higher the speed while doing that, the higher risk to wreck.When I feel like I'm gonna wobble out of control,I tightly grip the steering wheel, straighten&lock my arms,& let off the gas &let the car slow on its own.I feel if I use the brakes in that moment,I'd lose control.It's almost like it briefly gets too much power steering,or disengages maybe?Dealership initially said I just need new tires & alligment (all tire tread @6)11/20/24 new tires&alligment.6 alligments&cameras calibrated in 3,285 miles.Gave up after 7. 3/25/25 dealership replaced steering column,housing,& reprogrammed.For a short while it helped,but didn't fix steering or alligment. Kia customer care has said to get a 2nd opinion. Wish I could write more on here.Multiple appts

NHTSA ID

11707638

Incident

Mar 23, 2024

The front passenger-side lower control arm on my 2022 Kia Forte fractured completely without warning during normal driving conditions. There was no collision, curb strike, pothole impact, or accident. The fracture appears clean and brittle, not bent or deformed. The failure caused suspension misalignment, damage to the CV axle, and uneven tire wear, creating a loss-of-control risk. The vehicle was inspected and no impact damage or deformation was found on surrounding suspension components. Kia has denied warranty coverage, stating ‘external forces’ caused the failure, but has provided no physical evidence, documentation, or explanation to support that conclusion. This appears to be a premature failure of a safety-critical suspension component. A sudden control arm fracture presents a serious steering and safety hazard and should not occur under normal operation The dealership indicated that they had a written explanation attributing the failure to ‘external forces,’ but when I requested supporting details, photographs, or physical evidence of impact, none were provided at the time. I was told that further explanation or documentation would not be available until a manager review at a later date. As of filing this complaint, no physical evidence supporting an external-force determination has been shown.

NHTSA ID

11704868

Incident

Nov 19, 2025

The contact leased a 2022 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to respond while the gear shifter was in reverse(R). There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was test-driven, and the dealer became aware that the transmission was slipping. The dealer inspected the vehicle and found clutch debris inside the transmission. The dealer cleaned the transmission, replaced the dual clutch, and reprogrammed the TCM and clutch actuator. The contact stated that the failure persisted after the dealer had serviced the vehicle. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear, and the vehicle was jerking, and the warning light was illuminated. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

NHTSA ID

11687426

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

Mileage

32,000 mi

TECHNICAL 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 update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for supported vehicles (2021-2026MY All Models).

TECHNICAL 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 preparation process is similar across all supported platforms; however, in‑vehicle installation procedures vary by head unit type.

PITSTOP: 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 distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane film of the ultrasonic sensor is used for object detention and can be damaged by stone chips or foreign substances while driving. Damage to the cover of the ultrasonic sensor can also lead to damage to the internal circuit. As a result of this external damage, the PDW system may not receive the proper signal from the ultrasonic sensor. In some cases, the system may cause a false alarm, no alert, or phantom warnings by a “Warning Lamp’ to be displayed on the cluster. The ultrasonic sensor membrane film should be always inspected for external damage and if any part replacement should be treated as a general repair, not as a warranty claim repair for this concern. (Please note that this Pitstop only applies to models/trims that are equipped with the ultrasonic sensors.)

TECHNICAL 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 relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced, and the transmission oil cooler is transferred to the new transmission.

TECHNICAL 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 information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine), which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil consumption.

TECHNICAL 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 may encounter the following issues: remote Start/Climate Control function not working, vehicle Status on the Kia Access App not updating, connected routing not functioning properly.