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2015 Kia Forte: True Cost, Problems & Verdict

258 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.

Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
Kia Forte
Photo: Wikimedia Commons · open the model page
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Owner complaints: 258 filed with NHTSA

Complaints per year on the road: 23.45

Engine156Unknown Or Other31Electrical System29Air Bags23Power Train17Service Brakes16

What owners say

Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.

Recently had oil change . Right after B oil change engine light came on, a solid yellow light car is driving rough it’s a 2015 Kia Forte. Have an appointment Monday 7/13/2026 to have dealer to do a B diagnostic. The same place I had oil change
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated that an anti-theft protection software update was performed in 2024. After the update was performed, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unexpectedly turned off without warning. The transmission was shifted into neutral(N) and restarted to continue driving. The vehicle was reset and self-corrected after being restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer…
The car is jerking while driving. It's caused the car to overheat. It's hard to start up and usually stalls out. It has stalled out while driving almost causing a accident. The engine light came on. I took it for a diagnostic and it was code P0172 for high pressure fuel pump. Before the incident date it was already hard to start prior to the engine light coming on. It sometimes causes smoke to come out of the exhaust…

Recalls: 1 campaigns

2020
CampaignComponentSummary
20V750000EngineKia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, an…

True cost of ownership

EPA combined 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100

Fuel (your region) $2,100
Maintenance band (your region) $0$1,064
Estimated running cost this year (age 11) $3,164

Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.

02468101214$3,904vehicle age (years)
fuel/energy + maintenance band (annual, USD, estimate)

Run your own numbers in the true-cost calculator →

FAQ

What is the most common problem with the 2015 Kia Forte?

The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (156 complaints in our indexed sample).

Is the 2015 Kia Forte a good used car to buy?

Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 61/100, computed from 258 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.

Does the 2015 Kia Forte have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Kia Forte, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 02/12/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.

What will a 2015 Kia Forte really cost YOU per year?

Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.

Open the true-cost calculator

Data sources

Complaints & recalls: NHTSA · Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov · Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements. Last updated: 2026-08-20.

61RELIABILITY / 100
CAUTION
  • 258 NHTSA complaints on record (23.5/yr of exposure)
  • 1 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems

How this score is computed →

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