2010 Kia FORTE: complaints, problems and recalls

NEW CAR, LESS THAN 3 HOURS OLD, HAS MAJOR FACTORY PAINT DEFECTS. FACTORY REP SAYS SOMEONE WILL "DOCUMENT" DEFECTS. DEALER REPAIR MANAGER / GENERAL MANAGER SEEM TO BELIEVE DIRTY PAINT WAS USED IN SPRAYING THIS VEHICLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 625 miles reported. Look up ODI 10279186 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

OWNED CAR FOR 1 DAY ON DAY 2 DRIVING DOWN ROAD AND TIRE BLOWS OUT. GARAGE REFUSED TO WARRANTY TIRE W/O COMPLETELY INSPECTING TIRE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 60 miles reported. Look up ODI 10295290 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

WHILE DRIVING MY KIA FORTE THE ENGINE STALLED. IT HAPPENED TWO TIMES IN THE LAST PAST TWO MONTHS. AFTER BRINGING MY CAR TWICE TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FIND ANY CODE ON THE COMPUTER. THEY KEEP SENDING ME HOME AND TELLING ME THAT THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10352984 at NHTSA ↗

FRONT TIRES ON 2010 KIA FORTE KOUP WAS WORN SO SEVERELY ON THE INSIDE EDGE THE CORDS WAS SHOWING. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE ALIGNMENT CHECKED. DEALER ADVISED ALIGNMENT WAS WITHIN SPECS. YOU CAN NOT SEE THE TIRE WEARING UNLESS YOU GET UNDER THE CAR AND LOOK AT THE INSIDE EDGE. THE REST OF THE TIRES STILL LOOK IN GOOD CONDITION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10374859 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

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 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Reported: 2018-06-01 (June 1, 2018)

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 bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.

Consequence: If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

Remedy: 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 Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all other affected vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC165.

Reported: 2023-09-25 (September 25, 2023)

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 Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: 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 of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.