2010 Kia Forte Problems, Recalls & Reliability
317 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2010 Kia Forte, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 47/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 100,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2010 sits among all Forte years
What owners report
“My Engine died at 114,000 miles. It developed engine knock. I now have to replace the engine. Kia refuses to help with this and is asking for 8,000 to replace the engine.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Forte
“The airbag warning light has come on; therefore, it has me concerned if i was involved in a collision.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Forte
“Extreme dry rot to a 3.5 year old tire. Tire leaks air. Yokohama also refuses to do anything.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Forte
“My car interior lights have been going out intermittently for over a year now, and my stereo bluetooth system is totally out as well. My signal lights intermittently go out. Signaling is a big issue because if people don't know i am coming over it could cause an accident. Also, as a result of my…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Forte
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 205 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 77,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 40,000 and 105,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners…
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air…
Fix: Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU…
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009…
Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge.…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
Led to recall campaign 18E043000.
Technical service bulletins
85 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2010 Kia Forte. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2010 Kia Forte reliable?
The 2010 Kia Forte drew 317 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 47/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2010 Kia Forte problems?
The top reported problems for the 2010 Kia Forte are engine (82 complaints), airbags (42), and wheels & tires (41).
At what mileage do 2010 Kia Forte problems show up?
Owners most often report 2010 Kia Forte problems around 77,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 40,000 and 105,000 miles.
Does the 2010 Kia Forte have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2010 Kia Forte. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.