2017 Kia Forte — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $6,000–$10,000. There are 2 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.
Deciding between model years? Compare the 14 Kia Forte years we've written up →
Kestrel Take
Inexpensive, well-equipped, and inoffensive. The 2.0L Nu engine avoided the worst of Kia's engine scandal, and the six-speed automatic is a conventional torque-converter unit rather than a CVT. Check the recalls, then treat it as basic transportation that works.
What we checked
Reconciled against public records, 2026-09-25
NHTSA holds 301 owner complaints for the 2017 Kia Forte, and 3 recall campaigns.
A big number here usually means a lot of these were sold, not that it is a bad vehicle — popular models collect more complaints for the same rate of trouble. So the total on its own says little. What is worth reading is the shape of it. 52% of them are about one thing — the engine. That much concentration is a genuine pattern rather than background noise, and it is the first thing to check on any example you look at.
3 recall campaigns cover this model year. Recalls are repaired free, for any owner, with no time limit on most safety campaigns — but only if someone books it in. Ask the seller to show it was done, or have any dealer check the VIN; it takes them a couple of minutes and costs nothing.
Looked at and set aside: the lights (43) — 43 lighting complaints on file; real, but usually a bulb or a housing rather than a reason to walk.
Counts come from the NHTSA complaint and recall database — free, public, and worth checking yourself.
Known Issues for the 2017 Kia Forte
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Kia extended engine coverage across a range of models after the Theta II fallout. Less common on the Nu engine but not unheard of. A knock means walk.
Repair cost (estimate): $0 if covered, $4,000-$6,000 if not — around 75% of what this car is typically worth
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under the engine (158).
Part of the broad Hyundai/Kia recall for brake fluid leaking into the ABS module. Verify closure on the VIN.
Repair cost: $0 recall
Source: NHTSA complaints filed under electrics and electronics (46), the brakes (9); 3 NHTSA recall campaigns on this model year.
A knock or click through the steering wheel at low speed. Covered by a TSB on many builds.
Repair cost (estimate): $200-$600
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Peeling on horizontal surfaces, particularly on white cars.
Repair cost (estimate): $700-$2,000 — about 25% of what this car is typically worth
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Engine knock or tick
- ✗Open recall on the NHTSA lookup
- ✗Peeling clear coat
- ✗No maintenance records at all — common on cars at this price
Good Signs
- ✓Recalls closed with dealer paperwork
- ✓Original owner still inside the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty
- ✓Conventional automatic, not a CVT
Found a specific Kia Forte?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2017 Kia Forte in general. A free read looks at the one you're considering— it checks that seller's asking price against the market and names the issues that matter most for this exact year.
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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