Worst 2010 Kia Forte Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Engine Problems
Airbags
Transmission / Drivetrain
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Kia Forte.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 72 | 1 | 3 | 101,576 mi | |
| Airbags | 40 | 16 | — | 78,709 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 19 | — | — | 64,163 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 18 | 2 | 1 | 80,182 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 18 | 1 | — | 51,890 mi | |
| Wheel Issues | 17 | — | — | 70,169 mi | |
| Brakes | 16 | 3 | — | 67,835 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 14 | — | — | 67,357 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 11 | — | — | 140,155 mi | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 9 | 5 | — | 74,000 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 9 | 1 | — | 63,569 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 6 | — | — | 75,357 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 6 | — | — | 56,745 mi | |
| Fuel System | 5 | — | — | 73,000 mi | |
| Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Horn | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Body Structure | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tires:Valve | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Clockspring/Spiral Cassette | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2010 Kia Forte. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2010 Kia Forte
3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~3,218,156 vehicles.
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.
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.
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.
Other Kia Forte Years
2010 Kia Forte — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2010 Kia Forte reliable?
What are common problems with the 2010 Kia Forte?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2010 Kia Forte?
How safe is the 2010 Kia Forte?
Does the 2010 Kia Forte have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2010 Kia Forte?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Kia Forte reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2010 Kia Forte
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