2010 Kia Forte Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 31 Electrical System complaints for the 2010 Kia Forte, 14% of its 221 total complaints for the year. A related recall (campaign 13V114000) covers electrical system issues across several Kia models including the 2010 Forte. Median mileage at failure is 67,500 miles.
- Electrical System complaints
- 31
- 14% of 221 complaints
- All complaints this year
- 221
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 67,500 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Horn and alarm system fail together, in one case preventing a warning honk before a crash.
- Interior and exterior lights, including headlights and turn signal bulbs, intermittently fail to illuminate, sometimes traced to a bad bulb socket connection or a wiring harness ground problem.
- Brake lights stop working while cruise control and traction control buttons behave erratically, despite fuses testing fine.
- A sudden total loss of electrical power and power steering occurs while driving, with dashboard lights flickering before the car goes dead.
- Door locks open and close on their own, paired with an ignition switch that becomes very hot to the touch.
- A fire started from the engine bay while the car was idling, with a burning smell followed by flames and smoke.
When 2010 Kia Forte electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 23, 2012, latest Jun 29, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2010 Kia Forte
- NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
Electrical System complaints by Forte model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many 2010 Kia Forte owners reported electrical system problems?
- NHTSA lists 31 Electrical System complaints for the 2010 Forte, which is 14% of the 221 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for electrical problems on the 2010 Kia Forte?
- Yes. Campaign 13V114000, reported in 2013, covers the electrical system on the 2010 Forte along with several other Kia models from that era.
- At what mileage do electrical failures typically happen on the 2010 Forte?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 67,500 miles at the time of failure for electrical system complaints on this model year.
- What kinds of electrical failures do owners describe most?
- Owners describe headlight and turn signal bulbs failing intermittently, brake lights not working, sudden total loss of power and power steering, and self-activating door locks.