2010 Kia FORTE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
221 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
73,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 153 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 74 of 221 complaints (33.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 25 | 11.3% |
| Steering behavior | 17 | 7.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 15 | 6.8% |
| Engine operation | 14 | 6.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 5.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 1.4% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 74 |
| Air Bags | 40 |
| Power Train | 21 |
| Electrical System | 19 |
| Tires | 18 |
| Service Brakes | 17 |
| Wheels | 17 |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 |
Engine: 74; Air Bags: 40; Power Train: 21; Electrical System: 19; Tires: 18; Service Brakes: 17; Wheels: 17; Exterior Lighting: 14
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 28 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 25 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 25 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 27 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 27 |
| 150,000 and above | 21 |
Under 25,000: 28; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 25; 75,000 to 99,999: 27; 100,000 to 149,999: 27; 150,000 and above: 21
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (28). 68 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 11 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 25 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 23 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 16 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 7 |
| 2025 | 12 |
| 2026 | 5 |
2009: 3; 2010: 4; 2011: 11; 2012: 6; 2013: 25; 2014: 18; 2015: 17; 2016: 7; 2017: 6; 2018: 23; 2019: 22; 2020: 17; 2021: 16; 2022: 6; 2023: 16; 2024: 7; 2025: 12; 2026: 5
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 15 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10413506 · 2011-07-19 (July 19, 2011)
PURCHASED A 2010 KIA FORTE KOUPE IN FEBRUARY 2011. AFTER NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TO KIA MOTORS, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT KIA DOES NOT PROVIDE A DRIVER'S FLOORMAT THAT LOCKS INTO THE TWO CARPET-MOUNTED STUDS THAT ARE DESIGNED INTO THE CAR. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER'S MAT ONLY LOCKS INTO ONE STUD, WHICH ALLOWS THE MAT TO PIVOT AND SWING LEFT TO RIGHT UNDER THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS. *KB
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10413506 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10488088 · 2012-12-12 (December 12, 2012)
WHILE DRIVING FROM MY KIDS PEDIATRICIAN OFFICE. I NOTICED THE TRACTION CONTROL STAYED OFF AND WOULD NOT TURN ON. THAT AFFECTED MY BRAKE LIGHTS. I NOTICED THAT SAME PART IS PUT AS A RECALL FOR THE SORENTO AND SOUL BUT NOT FOR THE FORTE. IF IT IS THE SAME RECALL THE FORTE SHOULD BE INCLUDED. FOR THE VEHICLE BEING ONLY TWO YEARS OLD IT SHOULD BE COVERED AS A RECALL AND DUE TO THE SAFETY IMPACT THAT IT MAY CAUSE REAR END COLLISION DUE TO THE DRIVER NOT NOTICING THAT THE TCS AFFECTS THE BRAKE LIGHTS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 65,555 miles reported. Look up ODI 10488088 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10346909 · 2010-08-02 (August 2, 2010)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE DEALER DID A TEST DRIVE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED BUT DID NOT PRODUCE ANY FAILURE CODES. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,246.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,246 miles reported. Look up ODI 10346909 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10350157 · 2010-08-17 (August 17, 2010)
SECOND INCIDENT OF STALLING WHILE OPERATING A 2010 KIA FORTE EX W/ AUTO TRAN AND THE "FUEL ECONOMY" PACKAGE. IN BOTH INSTANCES I HAD COME TO A STOP -- THE FIRST TIME (ABOUT 2 MOS. AGO) WAS UPON EXECUTING A HARD STOP, BUT TODAY I HAD SLOWED GRADUALLY AND THEN STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT. BOTH TIMES, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND RADIO REMAINED ON BUT THE ENGINE SIMPLY CUT OUT. CAR WAS IN "DRIVE" AND IN BOTH INSTANCES WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH PRIOR TO STOPPING. THE STEERING DID NOT LOCK. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR WITHOUT DIFFICULTY A…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10350157 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10292026 · 2009-11-13 (November 13, 2009)
2010 KIA FORTE PURCHASED BRAND NEW ON 10/17/09. 1ST TIME TAKEN IN TO DEALERSHIP FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON (10/27/09) DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT WAS CODE PO304--MISFIRE #4 THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS A GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM AND UPDATED THE COMPUTER. DIAGNOSTIC BEING CLEARED. 2ND TIME TAKEN IN ON 11/11/09 FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON ONCE AGAIN AND THE SAME CODE COMING UP PO304. ALSO 8 DIFFERENT RECALLS ON THE CAR INCLUDING GAS CAP, CRUISE CONTROL, TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER SYSTEM AND OTHERS OF THE SAME NATURE. ALSO THE CAR IS ACCELERATI…
Owner-reported narrative. 723 miles reported. Look up ODI 10292026 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10332606 · 2010-05-28 (May 28, 2010)
I JUST BOUGHT A KIA FORTE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. SO FAR WHEN THE CAR HAD 425 MILES ON IT, THE GAS PEDAL HAS ACTED LIKE IT WAS DEPRESSED--THE ENGINE REVVED UP VERY HIGH, BUT MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE PEDAL. MY DAUGHTER WAS ALSO DRIVING AND IT ALSO HAPPENED TO HER, IT FELT AS IF THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING COVERING THE PEDAL---MAYBE THE RUG OR SOMETHING BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS THEY RAN AND SENT ME HOME. THE CAR …
Owner-reported narrative. 425 miles reported. Look up ODI 10332606 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560547 · 2014-01-19 (January 19, 2014)
STARTING ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY CAR (LOW BEAM) STARTED TO REGULARLY BURN OUT ABOUT EVERY MONTH OR TWO. I FINALLY BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A GROUND PROBLEM IN BOTH THE WIRING HARNESSES FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. (THE SAME ISSUE IN BOTH ?? ) THIS HAS TO BE A SAFETY DEFECT AS IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN BOTH OF THEM BURNED OUT AT THE SAME TIME. WITH THE SAME DEFECT BEING IN TWO DIFFERENT PARTS ON THE SAME CAR, I HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THIS IS NOT A GE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10560547 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10604406 · 2014-06-18 (June 18, 2014)
I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A REDUCED SPEED ZONE OF 35 MPH AND WENT TO SET MY CRUISE CONTROL, ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS LATER I FELT THE CAR GO DEAD. I LOST POWER STEERING AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. MY INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE ON AND FLICKERING AND I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN WANING OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. ONCE MY CAR CAME TO A STOP I PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION. I TRIED STARTING IT AND THE ENGINE TURNED A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT WENT DEAD SO I TURNED IT OFF. I TRIED ONE MORE TIME TO START THE IGNITION …
Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10604406 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10587379 · 2014-05-09 (May 9, 2014)
TURNED VEHICLE ON, PUT IN REVERSE, AS I PRESSED GAS TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND FIRST STARTED MOVING, THE VEHICLE DIED. I WAS HALF IN ROAD AND TRIED TO RESTART CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START, ENGINE WONT RUN. HAD TO PUSH CAR TO SIDE OF ROADWAY FOR SAFETY. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THROUGH MY INSURANCE TO TOW CAR TO MY FATHERS GARAGE. THE CAR IS NOT PUMPING FUEL TO THE ENGINE. IT IS NOT THE FUEL PUMP, BUT A FAULTY FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY SYSTEM AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE WIRE HARNESS IN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY IS A BAD CONNECTION CAUS…
Owner-reported narrative. 70,130 miles reported. Look up ODI 10587379 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11020888 · 2017-08-31 (August 31, 2017)
ON TWO OCCASIONS NOW THE KIA FORTE HAS STALLED WITH THE ORIGINAL FUEL SENDING UNIT LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS IN SEPTEMBER 11 2016 (~55,000 MILES) WHERE CAR WAS PARKED FOR ~30 MINUTES WHILE SHOPPING AND WOULD NOT START-INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR WITHIN THE FUEL TANK GOT HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC AND DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE TERMINAL (SEE IMAGES ATTACHED). THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND KIA DEALERSHIPS IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA WOULD NOT DO ANY WARRANTY REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. AFTER REPAIRING THE CONNECTION AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11020888 at NHTSA ↗