During a day trip on 9/19/26 my 2020 Kia Forte (purchased new and well maintained) lost power and several of the dash board lights came on including check engine, traction/stability control, and collision alerts. The car entered what I was told is "limp mode". I had the car towed home and after one shop misdiagnosed the problem I had it towed to the Kia dealership where purchased. I was told the engine had code p0017. I was sent a document that the "phaser sheared off p0017 exhaust cam and cvvd gear timing off-recommend long block-cvvd replacement may still have engine damaged after replacement" with a price of $9053.39 attached. Kia service manager is supposed to be seeing about assistance for repair as it is cost prohibitive and I have proof of proper maintenance however I am not receiving info on process unless I reach out. Car has been in Kia possession since 9/24/26.
Kia Forte collision warning problems
23 of the 2,565 owner complaints about the Kia Forte describe false forward collision warnings, most of them for the 2019 model year.
- owner complaints
- 23
- worst model year
- 2019
- typical mileage
- 11,496
By model year
- 20233
- 20221
- 20211
- 20204
- 201912
- 20172
Often reported together
Check engine light 4Stalling 2Loss of power 2ABS 2Tire blowout 1Won't shift 1Oil consumption 1Lane assist 1
Trouble codes mentioned
P0017 1
What owners say
Unknown. During a basic collision Avoidance maneuver performed by myself on the highway at speed of aprox 60MPH the steering suddenly became non-responsive, resulting in my inability to maintain directional control and cause a collision. The vehicle continued traveling before coming to its final resting position. During this sequence, the driver-side front suspension assembly sustained a catastrophic separation before the impact The steering knuckle was no longer attached to the vehicle, the strut was broken, and the driver-side wheel/tire ultimately ended up underneath the vehicle when the vehicle finally come to a stop . During the event The driver-side axle shaft completely detached and somehow come out of the transaxle housing and was found a significant distance back along the roadway, a great distance back before the initial impact . indicating that it separated before the vehicle reached its final resting position. It is in my strongest opinion the maneuver itself could have potentially been cause of the catastrophic event. And is potentially why I could not maintain complete complete control of vehicle the whole time.
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.
While driving, the Forward Collision Warning system activated unexpectedly without any apparent hazard or obstruction in front of my vehicle. Immediately after the warning appeared, the vehicle suddenly lost speed and became very slow to accelerate. I was unable to safely increase my speed while traveling on a busy roadway, creating a dangerous situation and nearly resulting in a collision with surrounding traffic. Due to the sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate normally, I activated my hazard lights and was forced to pull onto the shoulder of the road for my safety and the safety of other drivers. There were no visible obstacles, vehicles, or road conditions that appeared to justify the activation of the Forward Collision Warning system. This unexpected activation and resulting loss of vehicle performance created a significant safety risk. I am submitting this complaint because a malfunction of the Forward Collision Warning system or related vehicle systems could potentially lead to a serious accident or injury. I have experienced recurring brake issues despite recently having the brakes replaced. The problem continues to occur, raising concerns that there may be an underlying electrical or electronic malfunction affecting vehicle performance. I was recently pulled over shortly after the brake replacement due to concerns regarding the vehicle's braking system. Because the issue persists after repairs, I am concerned about the safety of the vehicle and the potential risk of a crash or loss of control.
February 1st 2026, I done my oil change. My car was running fine. No check engine light was on or anything, my forward collision warning started disabling itself when I always kept it on. When I try to accelerate my vehicle it would take a while to accelerate. March 7th 2026, while I was driving, my car quit while it was still running. It also quit the same day again just in park. March 8th 2026, I went to take my vehicle to get a diagnostics and when leaving my home. My car stalled out and quit while in drive. After taking my vehicle to the mechanic, the mechanic reported to me my car had no oil in my car and my motor was fried. I have had the vehicle less than a year and it’s giving me all of these issues
Driving home. Unexpectedly foward collision warning came on light never turned off even after a reset was done on the car
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance camera activated, causing the brakes to stop the vehicle unintendedly. The Forward Collision Avoidance system activated without a vehicle or person nearby. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and waited before restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was started with the check engine warning light illuminated with abnormal gurgling sounds coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the cam shaft position sensor and the ABS system had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted and informed of the failure. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure. The Forward Collision Avoidance camera failure was not diagnosed or replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 103,069.
While driving, I've observed that my vehicle's forward collision alert system triggers prematurely. It brakes suddenly, as if I'm approaching another vehicle too quickly or on the verge of a collision, despite there being a significant distance between us. Two days ago, the FCA warning lights came on stating to "Check Forward Collision Avoidance Assist System" .
Auto Emergency Breaking & Forward Collision Warning: Yes it available for inspection ASAP My safety was risk, while driving on the freeway I was staying in my lane driving and all of a sudden it said Forward Collision: warning when passing a vehicle that was driving in the next lane to the right , then immediately the auto emergency brakes turned on and once it did that I had trouble with steering the vehicle it felt as if it was pulling me to the right lane where the vehicle next to me was driving. Then following moments when stepping on gas peddle it vibrates, puts the other driver at risk if we crashed due to the malfunction.
I bought this car in July of 2021 and ever since then the car has been burning oil like crazy. I’m talking 1500-2000 miles I am going through 2-3 quarts of oil. As this is a new car this should not be an issue. When my timing went out at 79,000 I mentioned this to the dealership about the tremendous amount of oil it was consuming they blew it off and acted as if it was normal. Also the forward collision warning camera obstructed has been a constant issue especially in the fact that when it happens and I’m going over 40 mph and it’s almost made me crash 2 times because it did it during icy conditions. The light also comes on during the summer on a hot sunny day.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Kia Forte collision warning
Which Kia Forte years have false forward collision warnings problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2019 (12 complaints), 2020 (4 complaints) and 2023 (3 complaints).
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used Kia Forte?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history