Takata recall. I was involved in an accident and crash head on into another car. The vehicle was totaled but the airbags never deployed.
2018 Kia Forte airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2018 Kia Forte have filed 14 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
14
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Forte | 52 |
| 2015 Forte | 20 |
| 2017 Forte | 16 |
| 2018 Forte (this page) | 14 |
| 2019 Forte | 3 |
| 2020 Forte | 4 |
| 2021 Forte | 5 |
8crashes
8injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 14 airbags complaints filed for the 2018 Kia Forte, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 7 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2018 Kia Fortes describe a consistent pattern: airbags failing to deploy in real collisions. One owner was rear-ended at 50 MPH with no deployment. Another hit a vehicle ahead at the same speed—no airbags. A third ran a stop sign at 35 MPH and T-boned a truck; the driver-side airbag stayed dormant, though the side curtain deployed after he spun into a telephone pole. A fourth was rear-ended into a tractor-trailer and sustained a fractured skull when the airbags didn't go off. A fifth rear-ended another car and took injuries to the back without restraint.
The recall (NHTSA 22V031000, clock spring) shows up in multiple narratives, but owners say it didn't fix the problem. One owner had the switch replaced under recall in fall 2022, yet the airbag light went intermittent, then solid for three weeks straight. The dealer then quoted $3,500 for a full airbag and module replacement, claiming it wasn't covered by warranty—despite the recall work failing to resolve the fault. Another owner had a switch replaced, and airbags quit working afterward; the dealer denied doing the work even with documentation.
Airbag warning lights are common: some flashing on and off, others steady. Owners are left wondering whether their airbags will actually work in a crash.
Same Kia Forte airbags reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Airbags failed to deploy in frontal collisions
Multiple owners report that airbags did not deploy during frontal or rear-end impacts, leaving occupants without safety restraint protection.
When: At collision time; failure mileage ranged from 17,000 to 64,000 miles where stated
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment on frontal impact; No airbag deployment on rear-end collision; Occupants sustained injuries without restraint protection
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 22V031000 (Air Bags); clock spring recall performed on at least one vehicle without resolving airbag light issue
Airbag warning light illuminated or intermittent
Owners report the airbag warning light coming on intermittently or remaining steady on the dashboard, indicating a fault in the airbag system.
When: Intermittently during operation; one owner reported steady illumination for 3 weeks after recall work
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light on and off intermittently; Airbag warning light steady for extended periods; Warning light persists after recall service
Repairs/costs cited: One owner quoted $3,500 for airbag and module replacement; dealer sought payment out-of-pocket despite recall work not resolving the issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 22V031000 (Air Bags) recalled for clock spring replacement; recall work did not resolve underlying airbag light fault in at least one case
Airbags non-functional after recall service
One owner reports that after a switch was replaced under recall, the airbags stopped working and the service dealer denied responsibility despite documentation of the work.
When: Few weeks after recall switch replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags non-functional post-recall; Airbag warning light on after recall service; Dealer denial of responsibility despite documented recall work
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall switch replacement performed at dealer; owner reports dealer would not address subsequent airbag failure
Side curtain airbag deployed during secondary impact
One owner reports side curtain airbag deployed only after secondary impact with telephone pole, following initial frontal impact where driver-side airbag did not deploy.
When: During accident sequence; initial frontal impact did not trigger airbag
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side airbag did not deploy on initial frontal impact; Side curtain airbag deployed on secondary side impact
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TAKATA RECALL mentioned by owner
Synthesized from 14 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The switch needed to be replaced by kia in prescott valley because it was a recall, they replaced my switch, and a few weeks later now my airbag light is on and they no longer work, and they won't take care of it, the lady proceeded to tell me they didn't replace the switch when I have the proof that they did indeed do it, and now my airbags no longer work, if I get into an accident because they…
Had airbags trouble with your 2018 Kia Forte?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2018 Kia Forte?
It's a meaningful issue. 14 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 14 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 55,179 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Kia/Forte.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.