Car · Kia problems

2010 Kia Forte problems

221 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Kia Forte. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (37% of them). NHTSA also lists 62 service bulletins and 3 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 14. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 221 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling81 · 37%
• Air bags41 · 19%
• Power train (transmission and drive)23 · 10%
• Tires23 · 10%
• Electrical system19 · 9%
• Service brakes19 · 9%
• Wheels17 · 8%
• Exterior lighting15 · 7%

13 smaller areas not shown (74 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 62 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2010 Kia Forte. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. TSB_TRA046_R5Received April 23, 2025

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

2. TSB_TRA046_R4Received June 4, 2024

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

3. TSB_TRA046_R3Received December 6, 2022

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   Transmission fluid application guide - This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model.

4. PI2102YZReceived July 2, 2022

   Subsequent repair action: engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326 (PI2102Y/Z) - This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published in (PI2102)...

5. TSB_ENG057R1_CLSReceived June 5, 2021

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   TSB_ENG057_R1_closed: technical service bulletin closed.

6. TSB_BOD049_CLSDReceived June 2, 2021

   Electrical system

   TSB_BOD049_closed: technical service bulletin closed.

7. TSB_CHA020_CLSDReceived June 2, 2021

   Electrical system

   TSB_CHA020_closed: technical service bulletin closed.

8. TSB_ENG051R1_CLSReceived June 2, 2021

   Speed control and throttle

   TSB_ENG051_R1_closed: technical service bulletin closed.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2010 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer.

1. 18V363000June 1, 2018

   Air bags

   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.

2. 23V652000September 25, 2023Do not drive notice

   Service brakes, hydraulic

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

3. 13V114000April 1, 2013

   Exterior lighting

   In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction.

See all 3 recalls for the 2010 Kia Forte, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Forte will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 81 complaints · 37%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Air bags 41 complaints · 19%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Power train (transmission and drive) 23 complaints · 10%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Tires 23 complaints · 10%

• Tire set (four tires installed)$550 to $1,475
• Tire rotation and balance$40 to $140
• Wheel alignment (four-wheel)$85 to $250

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2010 Kia Forte: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2010 Kia Forte?

Of the 221 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 Kia Forte, 81 (37%) name engine and engine cooling, and 41 (19%) name air bags. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2010 Kia Forte reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 21 of the 221 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 14 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2010 Kia Forte have?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2010 Kia Forte. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 62 repair bulletins for the 2010 Kia Forte.

More

• 2017 Forte problems
• 2015 Forte problems
• 2014 Forte problems
• 2012 Forte problems
• 2010 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.