Is the 2017 Kia Forte trunk latch covered by a recall?

Yes. NHTSA Campaign 21V622000 covers 2016-2018 Forte 4-door and Koup models for a trunk latch that may become damaged and prevent opening from inside. Dealers replace the trunk latch assembly free of charge.

How common are structure and body complaints on the 2017 Kia Forte?

NHTSA has logged 15 Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 Forte, which is 5% of the 302 total complaints filed for that model year.

At what mileage do these trunk and structure problems show up?

The median mileage at failure among reported cases is 39,400 miles.

Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?

NHTSA data shows 2 crashes and 2 injuries among the Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 Forte, though the sample complaints describing crashes involve other issues like a total-loss dispute and airbags not deploying.

2017 Kia Forte Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA lists 15 Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 Kia Forte, 5% of its 302 total complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 39,400 miles. A related recall (21V622000) covers a trunk latch defect that matches most of these reports.

Structure & Body complaints: 15; 5% of 302
Crashes reported: 2
Fires reported: 0
Injuries reported: 2
Median mileage: 39,400 mi
Related recalls: 1

Typical body and structure symptoms owners report

Trunk latch fails to open using the key fob, interior trunk release, or emergency release, leaving owners locked out of the trunk.
Trunk lid pops open unexpectedly while driving at highway speed and cannot be re-closed or secured without an improvised fix.
Water leaks into the trunk and along the driver's side front and rear, requiring repeat repair visits that did not fully resolve the leak.
Owners report the trunk-latch recall repair part was unavailable for extended periods, leaving the defect unfixed despite dealer notification.
Trunk lid rattles at highway speed before the release mechanism fails, prompting owners to pull over and close it manually.

When 2017 Kia Forte body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 22, 2018, latest Jun 2, 2025.

15 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2018 to Jun 2025; peak Dec 2021 (2).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2017 Kia Forte

NHTSA 21V622000Aug 9, 2021Structure & Body253,074 vehicles
Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.

Structure & Body complaints by Forte model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

20107 (3%)
201110 (7%)
20129 (3%)
20133 (2%)
201424 (5%)
20154 (2%)
20166 (4%)
201715 (5%)
201812 (9%)
20194 (3%)
20201 (1%)
20214 (6%)
20220 (0%)
20235 (8%)
20241 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Kia Forte trunk latch covered by a recall?: Yes. NHTSA Campaign 21V622000 covers 2016-2018 Forte 4-door and Koup models for a trunk latch that may become damaged and prevent opening from inside. Dealers replace the trunk latch assembly free of charge.
How common are structure and body complaints on the 2017 Kia Forte?: NHTSA has logged 15 Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 Forte, which is 5% of the 302 total complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do these trunk and structure problems show up?: The median mileage at failure among reported cases is 39,400 miles.
Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?: NHTSA data shows 2 crashes and 2 injuries among the Structure & Body complaints for the 2017 Forte, though the sample complaints describing crashes involve other issues like a total-loss dispute and airbags not deploying.