NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 51 complaints against the 2023 Kia Forte. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2023 Kia Forte complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2023 Kia Forte has generated 51 NHTSA complaints and has 3 active recalls. If your 2023 Kia Forte has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Kia pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2023 Kia Forte have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 6 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2023 Kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 25,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11690318)
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2023 Kia Forte include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 4 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “Car has steering issues. When driving on flat straight roads steering wheel will slightly tighten and start to pull to the right. This happens about 70% of the time. Resistance on the steering wheel is needed in order for the car not to drive off the road or into another vehicle. It is hard keep the car in the lanes at times. Car was kept in the shop for 4+ months and verified by the dealership that there was an alignment issue. It has had 5+ alignments. Dealerships have not fixed the issue, but are now saying the car is driving as designed. Alignment has been done by a different dealership two more times after they said, the car was driving as designed. There are recalls on this car for steering issues, but I was told my vin is not associated.” (NHTSA Complaint #11584649)
Airbag defects are safety-critical and may trigger California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22. The 2023 Kia Forte has 3 NHTSA complaints on record related to airbag warning lights, unexpected deployment, and sensor failures. Owner reports include: “My son was in a car accident in my car January 1 at none of the Air bags went off. Not one there is a police report and I have pictures. Its a 2023 kia forte” (NHTSA Complaint #11718865)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2023 Kia Forte has 3 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “Driving home. Unexpectedly foward collision warning came on light never turned off even after a reset was done on the car” (NHTSA Complaint #11677136)
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2023 Kia Forte include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 3 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “Clunking when going over bumps especially when turning into a driveway. Started at about 20,000 miles along with excessive clicking when turning the steering wheel.” (NHTSA Complaint #11660911)
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2023 Kia Forte by the NHTSA or Kia. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the front left steering knuckle, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 12, 2023. Owner may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia’s number for this recall is SC259.
Component: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Front lower control arm failure can cause a sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will replace the right front lower control arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 27, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia’s number for this
Component: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: Front lower control arm failure can cause a sudden loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will replace the right front lower control arm, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 17, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia’s number for this reca
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2023 Kia Forte:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Kia to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Kia must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2023 Kia Forte qualifies as a lemon under California law, Kia may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Kia a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Kia dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Kia pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Kia a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Kia is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2023 Kia Forte has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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