Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2010 Kia Forte
NHTSA data on file today
The 2010 Kia Forte has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 221 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #23V652000 HECU May Cause Engine Compartment Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #18V363000 Air Bags/Seat Belt Pretensioners may be Disabled NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V114000 Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 74 complaints
- Air Bags 41 complaints
- Power Train 23 complaints
- Tires 23 complaints
- Electrical System 19 complaints
- Service Brakes 17 complaints
Of the 221 complaints on file, 21 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 221 complaints, owners report 14 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $6,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2010 Kia Forte has a below-average rating due to 221 owner complaints and three recall campaigns, indicating potential reliability concerns, particularly with the engine and airbag systems. Complaint and recall data suggests repeated issues, reflecting in common failures but lacking precision in failure mileage and costs.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 80,000–100,000 miles | $1,500–$3,500 | common |
| Airbags | Unknown | $600–$1,500 | occasional |
| Power train | 100,000–120,000 miles | $1,200–$2,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake inspections and servicing
- Tire rotations and balance
- Battery check and replacement
- Transmission fluid replacement
- Cooling system flush
- Air filter replacement
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Engine knocking or loss of power
- Airbag warning lights
- Transmission slipping or noise
- Unresponsive brakes
- Electrical system failures
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2010 Kia Forte at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.