By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse
The Kia Forte is one of the easier compact sedans to do a brake pad job on. A DIYer with a jack, jack stands, and a socket set can finish the front axle in about an hour to ninety minutes. The rear axle follows the same pattern, with one caveat: on some model years the electronic parking brake must be put into service mode before the rear piston will compress, and some rear pistons are threaded and need a cube tool to wind them back.
Tools and Parts You Need
- Floor jack and two jack stands
- Wheel chocks
- Lug wrench or breaker bar
- Metric socket set and ratchet
- C-clamp or caliper piston compressor; cube tool for threaded rear pistons
- Brake cleaner
- Wire brush and shop rags
- High-temperature silicone caliper grease
- Torque wrench
- Hook or cord to hang the caliper
- Micrometer or rotor gauge
- An axle set of brake pads for the Kia Forte and a brake hardware kit with new abutment clips
Step-by-Step Instructions
- With the car on the ground, loosen each lug nut about a quarter turn. Chock the wheels that will stay down.
- Jack the corner at the factory lift point and lower it onto a jack stand placed under a solid structural member. Confirm it is stable before continuing.
- Remove the lugs and the wheel. Put the wheel under the rocker as a secondary support.
- Remove the caliper slide bolts from the back of the caliper, lift the caliper off the bracket, and hang it with the hook so the hose stays slack.
- Slide the old pads out and remove the abutment clips from the bracket. Lay the old and new pads side by side to confirm the shape and any wear-indicator orientation.
- Inspect the rotor for scoring, heat spots, and an edge lip. Measure the thickness and compare it with the minimum marked on the rotor. Replace it if it is at or under minimum or visibly grooved.
- Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap and watch the level. Front: compress the piston with the C-clamp against the old inner pad. Rear: if the Forte has an electronic parking brake, put it in service mode or retract the motor first; if the piston is threaded, rotate it in with the cube tool.
- Wire-brush the bracket ears, spray with brake cleaner, pull the slide pins, clean them, and coat them with silicone grease. Reinstall and check that they glide freely.
- Snap the new hardware clips onto the bracket, apply a light film of grease at the pad-to-clip contact points, and install the new pads.
- Set the caliper back over the pads, thread the slide bolts in by hand, and torque them per the service manual, using thread locker or new bolts if the manual requires it.
- Reinstall the wheel, lower the car, and torque the lug nuts in a star pattern to spec.
- Repeat on the opposite side of the axle.
- Pump the brake pedal until firm before the car moves, check fluid level, return the parking brake to normal mode, and bed in the pads following the pad maker's procedure.
Common Mistakes on a Forte Pad Job
| Mistake | What it causes | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Forgetting to open the reservoir cap | Pressure resists the piston; fluid can overflow later | Remove the cap before compressing any piston |
| Pressing a threaded rear piston | Damaged parking brake mechanism | Identify the piston type and use a cube tool when required |
| Reusing old clips | Pad drag, squeal, uneven wear | Install a new hardware kit with every pad change |
| Skipping slide-pin grease | Inner pad wears fast, caliper drags | Clean and grease both pins with silicone caliper grease |
| Guessing torque values | Loose or stripped caliper bolts | Use a torque wrench and the service manual figure |
Safety Reminders
Support the car on jack stands every time; the jack is only for lifting. Keep the removed wheel under the car as a backup. Wear eye protection and gloves. Brake dust should be wetted with cleaner and wiped, never blown into the air. Do not let the caliper dangle from its hose. Keep grease off the friction surfaces, and cap the reservoir promptly because brake fluid will damage paint. If a bolt or pin is rusted solid, soak it and work it loose rather than forcing it and snapping it off.
When to Call a Shop
Most Forte pad jobs go smoothly, but bring in a professional if the rear piston refuses to retract even in service mode, if a slide pin is frozen and will not free up, if you find fluid leaking at the caliper or hose, if the pedal will not firm up after pumping, or if the rotors are under minimum and you are not set up to replace them. An electronic parking brake warning that stays on after the job may need a scan tool reset that a shop can do quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my Forte's rear pistons are threaded?
Look at the piston face after the pads are out. A threaded piston typically has notches or a cross pattern designed to engage a cube tool. The service manual for your model year will also specify the retraction method. When in doubt, try rotating before pressing.
Do the front and rear pads need to be replaced together?
No. Replace whichever axle is worn, but always do both wheels on that axle as a set. Mixing a new pad with a worn one on the same axle causes uneven braking.
Can I reuse the rotors?
Yes, if they measure above minimum thickness and the surface is smooth without deep grooves or heat spots. If they fail either check, replace them with the pads so the new friction material has a proper surface to bed against.
What should the pedal feel like after the job?
After several pumps it should be firm and at its normal height. A pedal that stays low or spongy means the pistons are not fully seated, the fluid is low, or there is a leak, and the car should not be driven until the cause is found.
Skip the guesswork on part numbers. Use the Find Your Vehicle tool to see fitment-verified pads and hardware for your Forte's year and trim, and browse the rest of the brake parts catalog while you are there. Core Brake Parts ships fast, offers free shipping on orders over $75, and every order comes with 30-day returns.
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