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. There was also smoke from under the hood in the engine compartment and as soon as I put gas in the car it runs out very quickly. This issue could have caused and accident or even a fire. It's unsafe to drive and from other reviews I've seen several other Kia drivers have experienced issues with this same faulty part, which is expensive to fix.
2015 Kia Forte: engine stalls while driving
36 of the 262 complaints about the 2015 Kia Forte describe engine stalls while driving.
- owner complaints
- 36
- of this car's complaints
- 14%
- typical mileage
- 90,000
- recalls
- 1
Engine stalls while driving by model year
What owners say
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving in the fast lane at 70 MPH on the interstate and attempting to move over to the emergency lane, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine); after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was determined that the vehicle was in LIMP Mode. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,200.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 64 MPH, the vehicle jerked and vibrated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle then stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. Multiple warning lights were illuminated. The contact was assisted with jumpstarting the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the battery light illuminated intermittently. The contact was able to pull into a gas station. The contact called his daughter, who went to the gas station and jumpstarted the vehicle. The contact stopped by Auto Zone to have the vehicle diagnosed, where it was diagnosed and DTCs: P2191, P0562, C1101, C1102, C1201, C1204, C1207, C1208, C1210, C1211, C1237, C1260, C1513, C1613, and C1688 were retrieved. In addition, the battery showed codes that fluctuated constantly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer pending an inspection. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that recently the low oil warning light was illuminated, and the fuel level was low; however, the oil level and fuel level were not low. The ABS, traction control, steering, and tire pressure warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the brake warning light failed to function as intended. The contact replaced the brake lights however, the failure persisted. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 168,000.
I own a 2015 Kia Forte (VIN: [XXX] ) that experienced complete engine failure. The vehicle had been running normally until it began stalling and sputtering while driving. Shortly after, the engine would only run for 1–2 seconds before shutting off entirely. This exact issue mirrors those documented in previous recalls and class-action lawsuits involving Kia's 2011–2015 models with 2.0L and 2.4L engines. However, despite having the same failure and engine type, my VIN was excluded from the existing recall/warranty extension campaigns. Kia confirmed this is a known issue, but will not cover repairs. This failure occurred at approx. 180,000 miles. Engine failure without warning is a serious safety risk and financial burden. I am filing this complaint so the federal safety agency can review this issue and evaluate whether additional VINs — like mine — should be included in a broader investigation or recall. A case has been opened with Kia (Case #XXX), and full diagnostic documentation from a certified mechanic is available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The engine in my 2015 Kia Forte (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced failure tied to recall code P1326, which is associated with bearing wear and potential engine seizure. The vehicle entered limp mode around [XXX] at 152,170 miles, despite early signs of failure starting at 131,000 miles. These included loss of power, rough idle, and a check engine light (CEL) which triggered the P1326 code confirmed by both a pre-scan and Kia dealership. System that failed: The engine and powertrain system. Issue stems from rod bearing wear as identified in Kia’s engine class-action settlement. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: Limp mode drastically reduced engine power on a main road. I could not safely accelerate, which created a hazard in traffic. Additionally, oil loss was confirmed on multiple occasions, and misfire codes were detected. This could have led to engine stall or seizure if I continued driving. Was issue confirmed by a dealer or service center? Yes. Lupient Kia confirmed P1326 at 133,703 miles. Luther Kia later confirmed limp mode and conducted a diagnostic at 152,170 miles. Was vehicle/component inspected by others? Yes. Jiffy Lube documented "no oil on stick" at 130,367 miles. O’Reilly Auto and Economy Muffler later confirmed related secondary issues. Were there symptoms or warnings prior to failure? Yes. CEL appeared at 131,000 miles. Knock sensor was replaced at 131,165 miles. P1326 and oil loss symptoms were consistently documented between April 2024 and April 2025. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of failure. The approximate failure mileage was 151,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Purchased the car certified preowned from a Kia dealer with 45,000 miles on it, meaning I would have the the remaining 55,000 miles of the 100,000 mile powertrain coverage. At 77,000 miles a small ticking noise started on the way to work and became a knock on the way home. I pulled over where it was safe and towed it to the dealer. They replaced the engine under warranty. Now at 154,000 everything has been running great except for burning oil rather quickly. Where I get my oil changes done offers free top-offs so I would return frequently to make certain the oil level was always in the safe zone. Driving home from work one night, I was on a busy freeway when suddenly and without warning a small squeak noise came from the engine and it stalled. Luckily I just happened to be in the right lane and there happened to be a narrow but safe shoulder to coast over to. Had this happened while I was close to the fast lane, the consequences could’ve been dire. The engine would not hardly turn over and would not start. I had it towed to my mechanic who said it sounds like a serious engine problem and you should contact the dealer. I towed it to the local Kia dealership where the service department informed me that there was an extended 50,000 mile warranty added to the original 100,000 warranty (which I was never notified about) but since I was 4,000 miles over I did not qualify. This means the replacement engine quit after 77,000 miles just like the original. I feel that they should in good faith honor the warranty - had I been informed I could brought the car in just 4,000 miles earlier and they would’ve checked the compression and determined that the rings were failing which is why it used so much oil, and they would’ve replaced this second engine under warranty.
Full engine failure at around 110,000 miles. Metal shavings in oil. Car stalls suddenly when driving. Unsafe to drive.
Over the last 5 years that I have owned the vehicle, the engine will stall when idle or at low speeds. This has happened at stop lights, on hills and while on the highway (which is obviously very dangerous). The engine the vehicle has to be turned off and restarted and usually it will stall again within a few minutes. For the most part, this happens after the vehicle has been driven for at least 15-20 minutes and there are few issues at higher speeds. As such, when taken to the dealer, they have been unable to replicate the issue. The issue is sometimes resolved after an oil change, however it may recur before the next oil change is due (ie within 3 months). The vehicle has otherwise had it's recommended service Many internet searches note many vehicles of my model and many other Kia's with the exact same issue
Engine shuts off while driving
Car has same issues for 4 years, shaking, stalling, loosing speed while driving. Check engine light on. Light knocking noise while driving can’t go above 45 miles an hour. Also 3 times car smelled like electrical burning. But was told by Kia nothing wrong with engine
The car keeps stalling out while stopped. No check engine lights or anything . It will then sit for a minute ot two then start back.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Excessive oil consumption nu/gamma/theta/kappa engines
- Product improvement campaign: engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI2002Y/z)
- Engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI2002Y/z)
- Partial repair of c-mdps motor, ECU, worm gear and/or steering column housing
- Maintenance reminder feature
- Partial repair of c-mdps motor, ECU and/or steering column housing
- SC180
- Voluntary emissions service campaign - nu 2.0L GDI sulev catalyst heating logic improvement (SC180)
Related recalls
Engine
- What is wrong
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
- Risk
- An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Recall number 20V750000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2015 Kia Forte stalling
Is engine stalls while driving a common problem on the 2015 Kia Forte?
36 of 262 owner complaints about the 2015 Kia Forte (14%) mention engine stalls while driving. The model year with the most reports is 2017.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2015 Kia Forte?
There is 1 recall and 22 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2015 Kia Forte
Knocking 51Check engine light 44Engine failure 42Fire or smoke 20No deployment 10Loss of power 8Oil consumption 8Airbag light 7Headlights 6Misfire 5Won't shift 5Won't start 5
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