My car was vehicle was driving on the highway over 200 miles away from home when I was driving about 65 mph the speed limit. When trying to accelerate on the Highway my vehicle would jump from 2,000 RPMs - 4,000 RPM not going faster. As I hit the gas my speed decreased and I pulled over the side of the road. When I tried to turn on/off my car the check engine light randomly appeared and I was stuc…
2019 kia Forte powertrain problems
moderate 45 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
45
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA FORTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INTERSECTION, THE CONTACT RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALL STAR KIA OF SAN BERNARDINO (735 SH…
I WAS DRIVING MY 2019 KIA FORTE AT 75 MPH, THEN LOWERED MY SPEED, THEN ACCELERATED AGAIN. A LOUD SCREECH/GRINDING SOUND HAPPENED, THEN THE CAR STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE ROADSIDE, AND RE-START THE CAR. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER 15 MPH. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THEY DROVE THE CAR, BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I INSISTED THAT THERE IS A TRANSMISSION…
ON 11/27, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2019 KIA FORTE S WITH ABOUT 5,000 MILES ON IT AND SAID IT WAS DOING SOMETHING REALLY STRANGE. SHE WOULD PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL LIKE NORMAL, BUT THE RPMS WOULD SOAR AND THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP BUT THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE. WE DROVE AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN SHE GOT BACK AND I NOTICED THE SAME THING. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AREA THAT NIGHT TO BRING IT IN …
I BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2019. I HAD IT'S 15,000 MILE CHECK UP ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATED, MY CAR WOULD JUMP. THE RPM WOULD BOUNCE BETWEEN 1-2 RPMS AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE AND EVEN TEST DROVE IT. I WAS SURE SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND WE WENT OUT ON ANOTHER TEST …
I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON MA 495 NORTH NEAR HAVERHILL MA WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR WAS OVER-REVVING AND NO POWER WAS GETTING TO THE WHEELS. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I WAS LUCKY I MADE IT TO A REST STOP. I TALKED TO THE TECH AT KIA AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BEING A "COMMON THING" AND I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THANKFULLY IT IS UNDER WARRANTY STILL. I FEEL KIA'S COMPLETE DISREG…
THE IVT TRANS WENT BAD WITH OUT WARRING I WAS DOING 70 MPH ON I 77 IN NC WITH CRUSE ON . THEN THE ENGINE TACKED UP TO 7000 RPM A FUE TIMES THEN I SHIFTED TO SPORT MODE THE RPMS STOPED JUMPING AROUND TILL I GOT TO HICKORY NC . WHEN DRIVING TO DEALER SHIP THE CAR WOULD NOT HARDLY PULL ITS SELF/ NO WARRING LIGHTS OR ANY TYPE OF WARRING OF LOST OF POWER. OTHER THEN HIGH RPM ON THE ENGINE. THE …
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2019 kia Forte?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 45 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. 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.
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