2016 Kia Forte: problems, recalls and what it’s worth
1 recall campaign to confirm with a dealer. Few owner complaints for this year.
Ask for the VIN and check it, then get a pre-purchase inspection.
Known problems on the 2016 Kia Forte
No generation-wide weak spot is flagged in GarageIntel’s research for this year and model. A specific car can still have its own problems, so get it inspected.
2016 Kia Forte recalls
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Kia Forte. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.
- Doors & latches
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Details 21V622000
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."
Fix: 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.
2016 Kia Forte safety investigations and free repairs
No open safety investigations.
Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):
- Brakes: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC238 Flight #501) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting a…
- Warranty extension: Kia now has an additional vehicle modification available for installation to help deter or thwart attempted thefts.
- Steering: Kia is now making steering wheel lock devices available directly to certain Kia vehicle owners.
- Doors and locks: Kia has developed a software upgrade that can be installed on the vehicle to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition system should a locked vehicle be the subject of a break-in and theft attempt without the key.
A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.
Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.
2016 Kia Forte safety and fuel
From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.
What owners complain about
3 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, which is few.
Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.
Other Kia Forte years
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Printable inspection checklist · Out-the-door price calculator