2011 Kia Forte Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/14/2026

34Air Bags complaints

22.4%Of all 152 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE45 · 29.6%

AIR BAGS34 · 22.4%

POWER TRAIN17 · 11.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM16 · 10.5%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC16 · 10.5%

Share of the 152 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Kia Forte overview page.

What owners report

“No incident yet, but I see other Kia's that have been recalled for powertrain system and air bag issues. The power train issue comes up…”NHTSA complaint 11535370 — filed 07/30/2023

“The car had a slow ticking noise that was very faint in the front for about 20 minutes 20 minutes later the noise continue to…”NHTSA complaint 11508036 — filed 02/19/2023

“The driver airbag light came on in June 2021 - I called Kia dealership and they said there was no recall. Last month the passenger…”NHTSA complaint 11440277 — filed 11/12/2021

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Kia Forte have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2011 Kia Forte: 34 of 152 complaints on file (22.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Kia Forte have in total?

152 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 28 involved a crash, 11 involved a fire, 34 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.