There are 11 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2010 Kia Fortein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Brake light switch outage keeps happening
My car was sitting in the driveway went out of park. I was able to get it stopped and pull emergency brake before any crash occurred. I seen that the brake switch was on recall and thought I should see if I can get it fixed.
The contact owns a 2010 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving and while at a complete stop, she noticed an abnormal burning odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the third brake light assembly had melted. The mechanic replaced the third brake light assembly; however, the burning odor persisted. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the valve cover gasket was replaced; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle made abnormal rattling sounds. The dealer diagnosed that the belt tensioner needed to be replaced. The part was replaced by AAA. The contact stated that the rattling sounds were reduced; however, the burning odor persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that she was concerned for her safety. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
AFTER BRAKING TO STOP AT RED LIGHT ON A HIGHWAY ON A HILL, KIA FORTE 2010 KEPT MOVING UPHILL AT LOW SPEED (5MPH OR LESS). BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. CAR STOPPED AFTER HITTING BUMPER OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY AFTER THAT, BUT CAR SOMETIMES ROCKS AFTER BEING PUT IN PARK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE PROGRESSING WITH NO WARNING. AS THE FAILURE PROGRESSED, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND WAS UNRESPONSIVE SO THE CONTACT HAD TO MANEUVER THE BRAKE PEDAL EACH TIME THE FAILURE HAPPENED. A DEALER HAD NOT DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HAD NOT INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THESE VEHICLES ARE ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS! I'VE BEEN IN THE AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS MY ENTIRE CAREER FOR 15 YEARS WITH A LEVEL CERTIFICATIONS AND ASE'S. I STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SIMPLE MATTER OF ANY ACCELERATION OVER 2900 RPM IT STARTS KNOCKING. I WILL NOT PUT MY FAMILY OR MYSELF IN THE DANGER OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ANY LONGER. IF SOMETHING WERE TO BREAK WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN THE RESULTS COULD BE DEVASTATING! I'VE CONTACTED KIA MANY TIMES REGARDING THIS MATTER YET I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT KNOCKING HIS NORMAL THEY CALL IT A PING. I TOLD THEM I USE 91 OCTANE EVERY TIME I FILL SO THERE'S NO WAY OF PINGING FROM PRE DETONATION. THE VEHICLE IS ALWAYS MAINTAINED AND OIL CHANGES ARE ALWAYS DONE EARLY. AFTER BEING TOLD MANY TIMES THAT THE KIA 2010 IS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL I HAVE TAKEN MY OWN ACTION TO FIXING THE PROBLEM. UPON TEARDOWN I HAVE DISCOVERED ROD BEARING DAMAGE AND A OIL PAN FULL OF MINOR FLAKES FROM ROD MATERIAL. DUE TO ME KEEPING RPM SLOW I WILL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO REPLACE THE ROD BEARINGS WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS BUT WHO KNOWS ON THIS MOTOR. I JUST WORRY ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT DRIVE NORMALLY AND COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A MOTOR FAILURE AND POSSIBLE FIRE FROM A ROD BREAKING THROUGH THE BLOCK. I SURE HOPE KIA DOES SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED!
TOOK MY KIA FORTE IN TO THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE. I HAVE THE OIL CHANGED REGULARLY JUST AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE, AND JUST HAD IT CHANGED LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO. THE SHOP SAID THE ENGINE HAS MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT. THEY SAID I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I CALLED THE KIA DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE RECALLS ON KIA MOTORS AND THEY SAID THAT MY ENGINE IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST BUT THAT THERE ARE MANY OF THE SAME MOTORS THAT ARE FAILING AND I WOULD HAVE TO CALL KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO FIND OUT IF MAYBE THEY WILL ADD MY ENGINE. I SEE NOTHING BUT WHERE OTHER KIA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH BOTH THE 2L & 2.4L ENGINE AND KIA IS BEING NASTY ABOUT REPLACING THEM. I AM VERY UPSET AS MY CAR IS NOT PART OF THEIR RECALL AND KNOW THAT IT SHOULD BE.
LEFT REAR CALIPER STUCK AT 73,000 MILES AROUND 7/3/15, OVERHEATING AND RUINING THE PAD AND ROTOR. RIGHT REAR CALIPER STUCK AT 111,500 MILES AROUND 9/20/18, OVERHEATING AND RUINING THE PAD AND ROTOR. WHILE ONE DID NOT OCCUR IN THIS CASE, A STUCK CALIPER IS A FIRE RISK AND TWICE IN THREE YEARS SEEMS TOO FREQUENT FOR THIS TO HAPPEN.
I RECENTLY HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS ON MY 2010 KIA FORTE. IT WAS NOT DUE TO BRAKE WEAR OR ANY OF THE NORMAL BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE PROBLEM WAS ALL MY BRAKES SEIZED UP AND THE REAR ONES IN PARTICULAR HEATED UP TO THE POINT WHERE THEY WERE CLOSE TO FAILING. THE DEALER SAID IT MAY HAVE NOT OCCURRED, IF THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN MORE MILES DAILY YET NO FURTHER INFORMATION COULD BE PROVIDED ON THE BRAKE ISSUE. I LIVE IN AN AREA THAT HAS MANY CLASSIC CARS AND MY WIFE?S OWN AUNT OWNED A CAR EVEN THOUGH SHE COULD NOT DRIVE IT IN HER LATER YEARS, SO IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO WOULD DRIVE HER TO APPOINTMENTS AND ELSEWHERE. AS LONG AS A VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN DAILY, WHICH THIS WAS, I DON?T BELIEVE THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED. KIA MOTORS ALSO DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED AND COULD PROVIDE NO EXPLANATION. I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE OF MY CONCERNS OF POSSIBLE BRAKE FAILURE AND THAT THE BRAKE PARTS SUPPLIED ON THE KIA APPARENTLY DO NOT CONTAIN ANY ANTI-CORROSIVE MATERIALS OF ANY TYPE AND THE INTENSE HEAT CAUSED MY BRAKE FLUID TO BECOME CONTAMINATED. FROM SERVICE ORDER: CUSTOMER STATES WHEN DRIVING SOMETIMES RIGHT AND LEFT WHEEL BREAKS GET VERY HOT; INSPECTED FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FOUND PADS ARE STUCK IN THE ANCHORS AND NEEDS SLIDE SERVICE WHILE PERFORMING SERVICE FOUND REAR PADS GOT SO HOT THEY ARE SEPARATING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED; PERFORMED FRONT AND REAR CALIPER SLIDE SERVICE AND REPLACED REAR PADS ALL WORKING AS INTENDED AT THIS TIME. FLUSH OLD FLUID FROM SYSTEM, CHECK LINKAGE AND HOSES, BLEED AIR FROM SYSTEM, ROAD TEST; PERFORMED BRAKE FLUID FLUSH AS NEEDED, FLUSH CONTAMINATED FLUID, INSTALLED FRESH FLUID AND BLED SYSTEM AS REQUIRED, ROAD TESTED OK *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE REAR BRAKES SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. *TR
WHILE DRIVING FROM MY KIDS PEDIATRICIAN OFFICE. I NOTICED THE TRACTION CONTROL STAYED OFF AND WOULD NOT TURN ON. THAT AFFECTED MY BRAKE LIGHTS. I NOTICED THAT SAME PART IS PUT AS A RECALL FOR THE SORENTO AND SOUL BUT NOT FOR THE FORTE. IF IT IS THE SAME RECALL THE FORTE SHOULD BE INCLUDED. FOR THE VEHICLE BEING ONLY TWO YEARS OLD IT SHOULD BE COVERED AS A RECALL AND DUE TO THE SAFETY IMPACT THAT IT MAY CAUSE REAR END COLLISION DUE TO THE DRIVER NOT NOTICING THAT THE TCS AFFECTS THE BRAKE LIGHTS. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026