2018 Kia Forte User Manual
The 2018 Kia Forte is a stylish small car that combines a modern look, cutting-edge technology, and a fun driving experience. This well-rounded car is a good choice for people who want the best mix of style, comfort, and fuel economy. The 2018 Kia Forte has a dynamic look on the road thanks to its sleek exterior and refined interior. It also has a variety of new features, such as a user-friendly infotainment system and available driver assistance technologies, that make it easier and safer to drive. Under the hood, there are a variety of efficient engines that get great gas mileage without sacrificing speed. The 2018 Kia Forte does a great job of making driving fun and meeting the needs of modern living, whether you’re driving through busy city streets or going on long trips.
EXTERIOR OVERVIEW
- Hood……………………………….. ……………………………….. p. 4-33
- Head lamp…………………………… …………………………… p. 4-98
Headlamp bulb……………………….. ……………………….. p. 8-71 - Fog lamp…………………………… …………………………… p. 4-100
Front fog lamp (if equipped)……………………………… p. 8-75 - Wheel and tire…………………………………………………… p. 8-44
Tires and wheels……………………………………………….. p. 9-08 - Outside rearview mirror………………… ………………… p. 4-49
- Front windshield wiper blades………………………… p. 4-103
Front windshield wiper blade…………….. …………….. p. 8-37 - Windows……………………………………………………………. p. 4-28
- Parking assist system………………….. ………………….. p. 4-89
- Front removable towing hook……………. ……………. p. 7-22
User Settings Mode
Driving Assist (if equipped)
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (if equipped) If this item is checked, the rear cross traffic alert function will be activated. For more details, refer to Blind Spot Detection System on page 6-54.
Door
- Automatically Lock
- Off : The auto door lock operation will be deactivated.
- Enable on Speed: All doors will be automatically locked when the vehicle speed exceeds 15km/h (9.3mph).
- Enable on Shift : All doors will be automatically locked if the automatic transaxle / dual-clutch trans‐mission shift lever is shifted from the P (Park) position to the R (Reverse), N (Neutral), or D (Drive) position.
- Automatically Unlock
- Off : The auto door unlock operation will be canceled.
- Vehicle Off/On key out : All doors will be automatically unlocked when the ignition key is removed from the ignition switch or the En‐gine Star/Stop button is set to the OFF position.
- Driver Door Unlock : All doors will be automatically unlocked if the driver’s door is unlocked.
- On Shift to P : All doors will be automatically unlocked if the automatic transaxle/dual-clutch trans‐mission shift lever is shifted to the P (Park) position.
- Smart Trunk (if equipped)
To activate or deactivate the Smart Trunk system.
For more details, refer to Smart Trunk on page 4-23.
Light
- One Touch Turn Signal (if equipped)
- Off: The one-touch turn signal function will be deactivated.
- 3, 5, 7 Flashes: The lane change signals will blink 3, 5, or 7 times when the turn signal lever is moved slightly.
For more details, refer to Light on page 4-97.
- Head Lamp Delay (if equipped)
- If this item is checked, the head lamp delay function will be activated.
- Welcome Light (If equipped)
- If this item checked, the welcome light function will be activated.
Sound
- BSD (Blind Spot Detection) Sound (if equipped)
If this item checked, the blind spot detection sound will be activated. For more details, refer to Blind Spot Detection System on page 6-54 - Welcome Sound (if equipped)
If this item checked, the welcome sound function will be activated.
Convenience
- Seat Easy Access (if equipped)
- None : The seat easy access func‐tion is deactivated.
- Normal/Extended: When you turn off the engine, the drivers seat will automatically move rearward short (Normal) or long (Extended) for you to enter or exit the vehicle more comfortably.
If you change the Engine Start/Stop button from OFF position to the ACC, ON, or START position, the drivers seat will return to the orig‐inal position.
For more details, refer to Driver Position Memory System on page 3-08.
Service interval (if equipped, Except Eu‐rope)
On this mode, you can activate the service interval function with mileage (km or mi.) and period (months).
For more details, refer to Service Mode on page 4-70
Other features
- Fuel Economy Auto Reset
- Off : The average fuel economy will not reset automatically whenever refueling.
- After Ignition: The average fuel economy will reset automatically when driving.
- After Refueling: The average fuel economy will reset automatically when refueling.
- Fuel Economy Unit
Choose the preferred fuel economy unit. - Temperature Unit
Choose the preferred temperature unit. - Language (if equipped)
Choose preferred the language.
Warning messages
Warning messages appear on the LCD to warn the driver. It is located in the center of the instrument cluster.
The warning message may appear differently depending on the type of instrument cluster and some may not show the warning message at all.
WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS
Warning lights
Warning lights
Make sure that all warning lights are OFF after starting the engine. If any light is still ON, this indicates a situation that needs attention.
Air bag warning light
This warning light illuminates:
- Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON position.
- It illuminates for approximately 6 seconds and then goes off.
- When there is a malfunction with the SRS.
In this case, have the vehicle inspected by a professional workshop. Kia recommends visiting an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.
Seat belt warning light
This warning light informs the driver that the seat belt is not fastened.
For more details, refer to Seat belts on page 3-19.
Parking brake & brake fluid warning light
This warning light illuminates:
- Once you set the Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3 seconds
- It remains on if the parking brake is applied.
- When the parking brake is applied.
- When the brake fluid level in the reservoir is low.
- If the warning light illuminates with the parking brake released, it indicates the brake fluid level in reservoir is low.
If the brake fluid level in the reservoir is low:
- Drive carefully to the nearest safe location and stop your vehicle.
- With the engine stopped, check the brake fluid level immediately and add fluid as required (For more de‐tails, refer to Brake fluid on page
8- 31). Then check all brake components for fluid leaks. If any leak on the brake system is still found, the warning light remains on, or the brakes do not operate properly, do not drive the vehicle.
In this case, have the vehicle towed to a professional workshop and in‐spected. Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.
Dual-diagonal braking system
Your vehicle is equipped with dual-diag‐onal braking systems. This means you still have braking on two wheels even if one of the dual systems should fail. With only one of the dual systems working, more than normal pedal travel and greater pedal pressure are required to stop the vehicle.
Also, the vehicle will not stop in as short a distance with only a portion of the brake system working.
If the brakes fail while you are driving, shift to a lower gear for additional en‐gine braking and stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
- WARNING
Parking Brake & Brake Fluid Warning Light
Driving the vehicle with a warning light ON is dangerous. If the Parking Brake & Brake Fluid Warning Light illuminated with the parking brake released, it indicates that the brake fluid level is low.
In this case, have the vehicle inspec‐ted by a professional workshop. Kia recommends visiting an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) warning light
This warning light illumi‐nates:
- Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON position.
- It illuminates for approximately 3 seconds and then goes off.
- When there is a malfunction with the ABS (The normal braking system will still be operational without the assistance of the anti-lock brake system). In this case, have the vehicle inspec‐ted by a professional workshop. Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.
Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
system warning light
These two warning lights illuminate at the same time while driving:
When the ABS and regular brake system may not work normally.
In this case, have the vehicle inspec‐ted by a professional workshop. Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.
Electronic Power
Steering (EPS) warning light
This warning light illumi‐nates:
- Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON position.
- It remains on until the engine is started.
- When there is a malfunction with the EPS.
In this case, have the vehicle inspected by a professional workshop as soon as possible.
Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
This warning light illumi‐nates:
- Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop Button to the ON position.
- It remains on until the engine is started.
- When there is a malfunction with the emission control system.
In this case, have the vehicle inspected by a professional workshop as soon as possible.
Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer.
CAUTION
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL)
Driving with the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) on may cause damage to the emission control systems which could effect drivability and/or fuel economy.
Charging system warning light
This warning light illumi‐nates:
- Once you set the ignition switch or Engine Start/Stop button to the ON position.
- It remains on until the engine is started.
- When there is a malfunction with ei‐ther the alternator or electrical charging system.
If there is a malfunction with either the alternator or electrical charging system:
- Drive carefully to the nearest safe location and stop your vehicle.
- Turn the engine off and check the alternator drive belt for looseness or breakage.
If the belt is adjusted properly, there may be a problem in the electrical charging system.
In this case, have the vehicle inspected by a professional workshop as soon as possible.
Kia recommends to visit an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.
FAQ
The 2018 Kia Forte is available as a compact sedan.
The 2018 Kia Forte typically seats up to five passengers.
The 2018 Kia Forte offers a range of engines, including a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.
The base 2.0-liter engine of the 2018 Kia Forte typically produces around 147 horsepower.
Yes, the 2018 Kia Forte is available in a sportier trim known as the Forte5 SX, which features a turbocharged engine and more performance-oriented features.
The fuel economy of the 2018 Kia Forte varies depending on the engine and configuration, but it can achieve around 25-32 miles per gallon combined.
Standard features on the 2018 Kia Forte may include a touchscreen infotainment system, Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, and USB ports.
Depending on the trim level, the 2018 Kia Forte may offer advanced safety features like forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and autonomous emergency braking.
Depending on the trim level, the 2018 Kia Forte may have advanced safety systems like forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.
Most 2018 Kia Fortes have a trunk space of about 14.9 cubic feet.
The 2018 Kia Forte is usually offered in LX, S, EX, and the sportier Forte5 SX trim levels.
The starting price of the 2018 Kia Forte could be anywhere from $16,800 to $24,700 MSRP, depending on the trim level and area.
Yes, the 2018 Kia Forte is known for being reliable and lasting a long time.
The 2018 Kia Forte is priced similarly to other compact cars in its class. It has a good mix of features and an affordable price.
Yes, the 2018 Kia Forte comes with Kia’s standard warranty, which includes a basic warranty that lasts 5 years or 60,000 miles and an engine warranty that lasts 10 years or 100,000 miles.