My engine is failing due to excessive oil consumption despite having proof of regular oil changes and maintenance. My car has been inspected, and the dealer has stated this is due to a known manufacture defect. My safety and others are at risk because my car stalls when I decrease speed and I cannot accelerate fast enough to get up to the speed limit creating a risk anytime the speed limit changes or when I am using an on ramp to get onto an interstate or highway. Kia dealer has confirmed the issue and is currently working on an estimate for a new engine. The Kia dealer is the manufacturer of my vehicle. The warning sign before this happened was my car stalled a couple times, then the check engine light came on within 10 miles. I then took it in to get looked at where the Kia dealer diagnosed the issue as the known manufacturer defect with the engine burning oil too quickly. These issues first appeared on August 12, 2026. I have attempted to get Kia corporate to assist with repairs through a Goodwill Request due to the safety issues with driving my vehicle in its current condition, to no fault of my own. Kia denied my Goodwill request. That case number is 26467063.
Kia Forte stalling problems
253 of the 2,565 owner complaints about the Kia Forte describe engine stalls while driving, most of them for the 2017 model year.
- owner complaints
- 253
- worst model year
- 2017
- typical repair cost reported
- $6,000
- typical mileage
- 85,000
By model year
Often reported together
Check engine light 76Engine failure 54Knocking 47Loss of power 21Oil consumption 15Jerking 11Won't start 10Fire or smoke 9
Trouble codes mentioned
P1326 2P0017 2P2191 1P0730 1P0562 1P0336 1P0301 1P0172 1P0016 1P0014 1
What owners say
We were told it was the fuel pump. This car has put my son in danger twice. The car stalls out while driving, completely shuts down. He is traumatized due to this occurring in during traffic hour. The car dies and you can’t put it in neutral nor have the hazard light turn on. Complete shut down of car. It has been at Kia of Cerritos for 2 months. The first incident, they stated they corrected the issue after being there for a month and while driving home the day the car was picked up it shut down, and the car was towed the very next day. They say it’s fuel pump but these cars have an electric oil pump overheating problem which causes the car to stall while driving. The second incident was so severe my son refuses to ever drive his car again. The issue the entire electrical system to fail nothing turns on even getting it in neutral is a problem. The car can’t be repair and for it to be a lemon it need to be repaired a few more times I am not going to have my son risk his life and drive that car for us to have to wait for a potential car failure again that can put my sons life at risk. Car towed Aug 1 to dealership, returned Sept 3 and towed again sept 4 and still in dealership as of Sept 24, 2026. That is why you only see one invoice.
There is an issue with the fuel pump where it would stall or shut off while driving or at a stoplight
I experienced a check engine light and had the vehicle diagnosed with codes P0017 and P0014. The vehicle was taken to a Kia dealership, where the technician found that the exhaust camshaft was free-spinning without the phaser and that the pin connecting the two had sheared. The dealership replaced the exhaust camshaft and phaser and released the vehicle as repaired and operating normally. Less than 24 hours after pickup, the check engine light returned during normal driving. While returning the vehicle to the dealership as instructed, the engine lost oil pressure and stalled three times. One stall occurred after exiting the highway and left the vehicle disabled in a high-traffic intersection, creating a serious safety hazard. The vehicle was returned to the Kia dealership and remains available for inspection. Subsequent examination reportedly found metal debris in the engine/oil pan and a possible restriction of engine oil flow. The exact cause of the sudden oil-pressure loss has not yet been definitively explained. The failure occurred immediately following a dealership repair involving a physically sheared internal engine component.
Car runs fine at lower speeds. When traveling over 50 mph for ten minutes or more, then decelerating or stopping in traffic or at a stop light it stalls. It cranks right back up after you put it neutral and turn the key. We’ve almost been rear ended twice since this started. The car has only been driven about 3000 miles a year over the past 7 years and only about 45 mph. It has been to two shops and hasn’t been driven since May 15th.
My car wasnt getting enough power and it just died while driving it on the interstate to go home.
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.
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 vehicle suddenly began knocking severely, smoking, leaking oil, and then shut off unexpectedly without adequate warning. This created a serious safety hazard and near fire risk. The engine assembly failed catastrophically. Dealership inspection documented: connecting rod punctured engine block bearing material found in oil pan broken piston components in oil pan oil leakage underneath engine complete engine seizure/failure The dealership confirmed and documented the failure and replaced the engine assembly. Repair records and failed components should still be available for inspection through the dealership. My safety and the safety of others were placed at risk because the vehicle suddenly lost power while driving. Oil leaked from the damaged engine and the engine compartment began smoking. The engine could have caught fire or caused an accident due to sudden loss of power. There were no adequate warning indicators before failure. No meaningful oil-pressure or low-oil warning appeared until the vehicle was already smoking and severely damaged. This failure closely mirrors known Kia engine defect investigations and Recall Campaign SC209 / the federal safety agency Recall 21V259000 involving: connecting rod bearing damage piston oil ring defects excessive oil consumption engine seizure engine stall fire risk Although my VIN is not currently included in the recall population, the documented failure symptoms are substantially similar. I also report that another Kia vehicle in my household, a 2017 Kia Sorento, experienced a separate rod-bearing-related engine seizure despite proper maintenance and documented oil changes. The connecting rod blew a hole through the engine block, causing oil leakage and heavy smoke while driving. The vehicle could have caught fire or exploded, placing my life and others at serious risk due to sudden engine failure without adequate warning. Engine replaced under warranty; concerned for safety after 2 similar Kia failures.
My car has cut off on me going down the road and it cut back on I have had where the car is slow at acceleration and trying to stall out on me and causing a car to almost hit me in the bumper cause of it the car only has 112,580 miles and have not been able to drive the car since march 13,2026 due to this issue and not feeling safe to drive it
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication: pump
- 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
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 Kia Forte stalling
Which Kia Forte years have engine stalls while driving problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2017 (46 complaints), 2015 (36 complaints) and 2014 (30 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix engine stalls while driving on the Kia Forte?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $6,000 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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