Check a VIN

2018 Kia Forte: engine stalls while driving

28 of the 136 complaints about the 2018 Kia Forte describe engine stalls while driving.

owner complaints
28
of this car's complaints
21%
typical mileage
79,000
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 28 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Engine stalls while driving by model year

What owners say

Filed Sep 2, 2026 · Fuel system · FL

There is an issue with the fuel pump where it would stall or shut off while driving or at a stoplight

Filed Feb 16, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · OH

Engine would run fast and then sound like was going to stop and then it would start shaking and rumbling while driving on highway and in town. Car would stall while at a stop. Gas smells inside the car. Did not feel safe driving. Had the car towed to an independent garage on February 7th and They did an oil change, change 2 Sensors, changed all the spark plugs and changed all 4 Cylinders and on the way home from Starks garage the car was doing the same as before going to the garage with gas smells inside the car, shaking, rumbling and stalling of the engine. And the car wanting to stall while on the highway speed limit of going 60 mph. the next morning My mom and stepdad had the car towed again to another mechanic close to them at Hudson Import Automotive -Napa Auto Care and they emailed a list of problems after inspecting the car. Attaching the list of codes from a diagnostic test from Auto Zone Store # 00791 , and the Estimate for Service from Hudson Import Automotive - Napa Auto Care. Have no paperwork from Starks mechanic shop.

Filed Jan 29, 2026 · Engine · CA

The car turn off while driving it. This creates a serious safety concern. We took the car to a mechanic and he was not able to identify the problem, he suggested we take it to the dealership. We then took it to the kia dealer ( Covina) and they have had it for months and yet are not able to fix it. Yesterday we received a call telling us, the engine failure is related to the oil pressure and it would need a new engine. This is no longer covered under warranty. This same car has already had the engine replaced once before. When we bought the Kia in 2018 (new) just weeks after we took it home, it required a new engine, which Kia replaced. The current issue appears to be related to oil pressure and is consistent with engine concerns reported on this model year.

Filed Jun 9, 2025 · Engine · MI

Oil pressure problems blew the engines. Yes it’s available to look at at this time Car stalled multiple times while driving Has been confirmed by two mechanics Oil light went on when stalled

Filed Mar 26, 2025 · Engine · 79,000 miles · KY

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated while her daughter was driving approximately 45 MPH and approaching a red traffic light, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The driver was able to pull into a nearby gas station. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to Priddy Automotive, where the engine was taken apart, and the mechanic diagnosed that the engine had seized. The mechanic determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

Filed Mar 7, 2025 · Engine · 150,000 miles · IN

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving 35, the vehicle slowed down, there was an engine misfire, and the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Filed Nov 5, 2024 · Electrical · 120,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the positive(+) battery terminal was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

Filed Jun 26, 2024 · Driver assistance · MD

My traction control light is coming on. It stops the transmission from working while I'm driving down the road at 55 miles an hour an the car stalls. And I have to restart the car. Sometimes the light will go off. Sometimes it wont for a while have to let car sit with the engine off but I have to shut the car down. And then start it back up. This is an accident waiting to happen. Sometimes this happens 7 times a day.And usually it's when i'm on about going 55 or 60 on a beltway was almost hit twice mechanic don't know what wrong no codes

Filed Feb 22, 2024 · Engine · MD

My car stalled in the middle of a busy road at 80k miles on the way to get an oil change. Never had any issues or lights on with the vehicle prior and oil maintenance was performed regularly. My safety was impacted due to not being able to get of of car in the middle of the street and could have caused a major accident or gotten killed on that road from cars speeding past. My car has been at the Kia service center for 4 months with no confirmation of when this can be resolved due to my specific engine being on back order. Kia has been known to produce bad engines and has a prior lawsuit out for other models, I believe this model should be included as well since it did the exact same thing as previous models that are no longer sold due to engine failures.I have reached out to Kia corporate several times a week since December and have had no success in persuading them to take this matter more seriously. I have explained not only my personal concern but also the safety concern to multiple people in the corporation and have had no relief emotionally about this and have been placed in an even tighter situation not being provided a replacement or rental in the meantime. I am also put in a financial bind due to being out of a car for this long and having to spend thousands on transportation, car payments, and car insurance on a car that hasn’t been in my possession due to a system failure that was out of my control and Kia’s known problem of engine malfunctions. Thank you in advance for your assistance and time spent listening to my concerns I hope to have all of this resolved for me and current/future Kia owners.

Filed Jan 25, 2024 · Engine · PA

The vehicle stalls while driving during inclement weather. It needs to be restarted for it to continue driving. I have taken the car to multiple dealerships and they cannot locate the problem. I have also taken it to general mechanic shops and they cannot locate the issue. There isn't a code that is shown or a recall, there isn't even a warning lamp showing on the dash. This is creating a significant safety concern for anyone that is driving behind me. I haven't been rear ended yet but it's only a matter of time. If multiple dealers cannot fix the issue I believe this is a defective car. I have tried to contact Kia for guidance and they have not been any help. Please help me get through to Kia that they have sold a defective car and it is a safety hazard on the road.

Filed Jan 10, 2024 · Engine · CA

The car stalled radomly when I was in a drive thru for only 10 mins

Filed Oct 26, 2023 · Engine · NC

Car with less than 100K in Miles requires a new camshaft and accuator. Kia will not replace as a warranty defect due to it being a second owner car. The car can stall and cut off due to this issue.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication: pumpReported April 13, 2021 · 4,069 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Forte vehicles equipped with a 2.0L Nu MPI engine. Foreign particles may stick inside the oil pump, which may cause an oil pump failure and engine damage.
Risk
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the oil pan, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed August 16, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1‑800‑333‑4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC210.

Recall number 21V260000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2018 Kia Forte stalling

Is engine stalls while driving a common problem on the 2018 Kia Forte?

28 of 136 owner complaints about the 2018 Kia Forte (21%) 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 2018 Kia Forte?

There is 1 recall and 28 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2018 Kia Forte

Check engine light 20Engine failure 18No deployment 8Knocking 5Hesitation 5

All model years of the Kia Forte

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2018 Kia Forte?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history