Kia Forte 2010–2013
1st generation (TD)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,207 complaints, 760 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 40,000 and 109,705 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 18 complaints (2.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 12,000
- 25%
- 40,000
- Median
- 77,353
- 75%
- 109,705
- 90%
- 141,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 67 | 8.8% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 39 | 5.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 42 | 5.5% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 38 | 5.0% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 48 | 6.3% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 39 | 5.1% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 60 | 7.9% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 60 | 7.9% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 60 | 7.9% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 60 | 7.9% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 59 | 7.8% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 42 | 5.5% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 30 | 3.9% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 37 | 4.9% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 14 | 1.8% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 21 | 2.8% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 10 | 1.3% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 10 | 1.3% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 2 | 0.3% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 4 | 0.5% |
| 200,000+ | 18 | 2.4% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,207 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010–2013 Kia Forte, and 760 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 40,000 and 109,705 miles. The median is 77,353 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine (32.0% of complaints, typically around 95,000 miles), the airbag system (10.7% of complaints, typically around 78,000 miles), the electrical system (7.8% of complaints, typically around 74,000 miles).
7 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Engine95,000median 95,000 miles, middle half 67,000 to 121,000
- Airbag system78,000median 78,500 miles, middle half 32,000 to 109,000
- Electrical system74,000median 74,000 miles, middle half 46,000 to 100,000
- Brakes68,000median 67,777 miles, middle half 31,000 to 93,000
- Transmission and driveline62,000median 62,000 miles, middle half 26,000 to 100,000
- Exterior lighting65,000median 65,150 miles, middle half 46,000 to 90,000
- Problems owners could not categorise77,000median 76,665 miles, middle half 24,000 to 115,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 386 | 32.0% | 95,000 | 67,000–121,000 |
| Airbag system | 129 | 10.7% | 78,000 | 32,000–109,000 |
| Electrical system | 94 | 7.8% | 74,000 | 46,000–100,000 |
| Brakes | 82 | 6.8% | 68,000 | 31,000–93,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 62 | 5.1% | 62,000 | 26,000–100,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 60 | 5.0% | 65,000 | 46,000–90,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 56 | 4.6% | 77,000 | 24,000–115,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 53 | 4.4% | 100,000 | 77,000–173,000 |
| Steering | 38 | 3.1% | 69,000 | 28,000–94,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 35 | 2.9% | 45,000 | 16,000–75,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 77,353 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 32.0% of complaints (386 reports, 247 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 95,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 67,000 and 121,000 miles.
A single system taking 32.0% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The airbag system accounts for 10.7% of complaints (129 reports, 76 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 78,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,000 and 109,458 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 7.8% of complaints (94 reports, 47 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,000 and 100,000 miles.
The brakes account for 6.8% of complaints (82 reports, 50 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 67,777 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 31,000 and 93,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 5.1% of complaints (62 reports, 49 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 62,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 26,000 and 100,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 5.0% of complaints (60 reports, 32 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,150 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,294 and 90,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2012 model year drew the most — 404 complaints — while 2011 drew the fewest at 214. The median year sits at 294.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 7 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the hydraulic brake circuit (2), the engine (1), the airbag system (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 1,207 complaints filed against this generation, 139 reported a crash; 82 reported a fire; 123 reported an injury; 12 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 11.5% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 40,000 and 109,705 miles, with a median of 77,353. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and the airbag system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The airbag system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 78,500, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Anti-Theft/Security 2011–2013
No engine immobilizer on keyed-ignition trims. Vehicles started with a steel key can be hot-wired via the steering column ignition cylinder, the basis of the widely publicized 'Kia Challenge' theft wave. Kia's remedy is a dealer-installed anti-theft software upgrade or, for ineligible vehicles, a physical theft deterrent device. Immobilizers became standard from MY2022.
Engine 2010–2013
Theta II engine connecting rod bearing wear leading to knock and seizure is the family-level defect for Kia's Theta II engines and is covered by the Kia engine class settlement; the Forte and Forte Koup 2.4L Theta II MPI applications fall within that settlement's scope.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 317 | 218 |
| 2011 | 214 | 133 |
| 2012 | 404 | 248 |
| 2013 | 272 | 161 |
Recalls (7)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 23V652000 | 2024-03-29 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/Module |
| 20V750000 | 2021-01-25 | Engine |
| 18V363000 | 2018-09-28 | Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module |
| 17V773000 | 2018-01-30 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals and Linkages |
| 16V312000 | 2016-07-01 | Seat Belts:front:retractor |
| 16V070000 | 2016-03-30 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit and Lines |
| 13V114000 | 2013-04-19 | Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch |
What owners reported
The 2010 Kia was traveling on a rural state highway with at a speed that has not been determined yet. When coming over a hill the car leaves the right side of road way, the driver over corrects spinning the car, it travels 180-200'feet backwards, leaves the road way snd side impact a tree. My 14'year old was wearing…
2010 · Airbag system
When at stopped position i step on footfeed and rpms do not increase and then all of a sudden the vehicle surges forward. The rpms as shown on the gauge show that it is in the idle state until the sudden surge. This mostly happens when trying to advance slowly. This happens infrequently but presents a safety…
2010 · 10 miles · Engine
I was pulling out of a parking spot vertically when i needed to give the car some gas rather than just lift foot off brake to get out of spot. The car delayed--would not accelerate. I tried again and it shot out rapidly uncontrollably out of the spot, side swiping the car next to me and going into a reverse figure…
2010 · 30 miles · Brakes
Built from 760 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page