KiaForte2016Overview/kia/forte/2016/base/

2016 Kia Forte

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Forte.

Body PASSENGER CAR

Identified as a passenger car, the 2016 Kia Forte operates within a model lineage spanning 2009 to 2024 that demonstrates considerable fluctuation in reported issues. Available data highlights a range from a single complaint in 2009 to a high of 437 complaints in 2014, setting the boundaries for the vehicle's reliability history. Researchers evaluating this model year should assess it within this context, recognizing where it falls between these documented extremes.

Model year202420232022202120202019201820172016

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnMULTIOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205/55R16; SEDAN: P195/65R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5, 6.0; OPTIONAL: 6.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length179.5 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight2906 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Forte of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.4–8.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.40 sec — 2014 Forte5 SX T-GDI 5-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2015Forte5 SX T-GDI 5-door Hatchback 1.6L Turbo I-46.90 sec15.30 sec201 hpFWD
2017Forte5 SX T-GDI 5-door Hatchback 1.6L Turbo I-46.60 sec15.00 sec201 hpFWD
2017Forte5 SX T-GDI 5-door Hatchback 1.6L Turbo I-46.70 sec15.30 sec201 hpFWD
2017S Sedan 2.0L I-48.30 sec16.30 sec147 hpFWD
2017EX Sedan 2.0L I-48.40 sec16.50 sec147 hpFWD
2017S Sedan 2.0L I-48.70 sec16.80 sec147 hpFWD
2014Forte5 SX T-GDI 5-door Hatchback 1.6L Turbo I-46.40 sec14.90 sec201 hpFWD
2014Forte5 SX T-GDI 5-door Hatchback 1.6L Turbo I-46.60 sec15.10 sec201 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0-22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.5
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Clutch FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantEthylene-Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity6.3 qt
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity6.0

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts26
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0-22.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts22.0-33.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)530-730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)540-740 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)600-800 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerKia
Spark Plug Gap.035-.039 in
Spark Plug Torque11-18 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerKia

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.10-1.15 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.35-4.05 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca
Standard BCI Group Number121R

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)47-53 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)72-73 psi
Engine Compression156-178 psi / max variation 14 psi
Engine Compressionpsi 164-14 max variation 15 psi
Engine Compressionpsi 178-199 max compression 15 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.0067-0.0090 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0126-0.0150 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront or rear: 16-23 / 16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 47-; Front: 58-; Rear: 47-
ABS Sensor Torque6 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .830; Rear: .331 /; Front: 0.830; Rear: 0.331
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront: .0002; Rear: .0004
Maximum Rotor Runout.0016 / 0.0016

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 3,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 3,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miAir Intake Duct (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Intercooler (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (inspect)
Every 37,500 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
0
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V622000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Trunk Lid:LatchReported 09/08/2021

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… 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…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Forte. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Forte have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.