1st generation (TD) · TD · 1,207 complaints, 760 with mileage
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 78,500 miles), the electrical system (7.8% of complaints, typically around 74,000 miles).
7 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 386 | 32.0% | 95,000 | 67,000–121,000 |
| Air Bags | 129 | 10.7% | 78,500 | 32,000–109,458 |
| Electrical System | 94 | 7.8% | 74,000 | 46,000–100,000 |
| Service Brakes | 82 | 6.8% | 67,777 | 31,000–93,000 |
| Power Train | 62 | 5.1% | 62,000 | 26,000–100,000 |
| Exterior Lighting | 60 | 5.0% | 65,150 | 46,294–90,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 56 | 4.6% | 76,665 | 24,000–115,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 53 | 4.4% | 100,000 | 77,000–173,000 |
| Steering | 38 | 3.1% | 69,000 | 28,000–94,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 35 | 2.9% | 45,000 | 16,000–75,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 317 | 218 |
| 2011 | 214 | 133 |
| 2012 | 404 | 248 |
| 2013 | 272 | 161 |
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
| 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 |