2018+ Kia Forte Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

Is your Kia Forte brake feeling soft and weak? Learn how to fix the problem by replacing your vehicle’s front brake pads and rotor. This guide is a step-by-step procedure for replacing the front brake pads and rotor on a Kia Forte 2018-2022.

What you will need

• Kia Forte Front Brake Pads
• Kia Forte Front Rotor
  • The rotor must be replaced if warped or
  • Below MIN thickness:
    • 15-inch rotor: 21 mm
    • 16-inch rotor: 23.5 mm
• Lug Wrench
• Mechanic Metric Toolset
  • 14mm Wrench
  • 17mm Wrench
• Caliper Grease
• Hammer
• Philips Screwdriver
• Flathead Screwdriver
• Torque Wrench

Procedure

1. Park the vehicle on the flat-level ground surface.
2. Loosen the lug nuts of the front wheel using a lug wrench.
3. Jack up the vehicle’s front and support it with jack stands.
4. Pull the wheel out of the vehicle.
5. Remove the lower 14mm bolt on the caliper carrier by turning it counterclockwise using a 14mm wrench. Use another wrench to hold the guide pins when loosening the 14mm bolt.
6. Pull the piston caliper up to have access to the clip and brake pads on the carrier.
7. Remove the two clips on the brake pads by pulling them out.
8. Remove the outer brake pad by pushing it from the carrier using a flathead screwdriver.
9. Push the piston on the caliper using the old brake pad and the brake pad spreader.
10. Remove the upper 14mm bolt on the carrier caliper by turning it clockwise using a 14mm wrench. 
11. Place the piston caliper to where the brake cables won’t be stretched.
12. Remove the 17mm bolts on the carrier by turning them counterclockwise using a 17mm wrench.
13. Pull the carrier out from the rotor.
14. Remove the two set screws on the rotor by turning counterclockwise using a Philips screwdriver.
15. Tap the rotor using a hammer. Then carry the rotor out of the vehicle.
16. Pull the guide pins out of the carrier and wipe them clean using an oil absorbent cloth.
17. Add a little caliper grease on the guide pins and insert them back into the carrier.
18. Install the new rotor of the vehicle and reinstall the two set screws by turning them clockwise.
19. Place the carrier into the rotor and reinstall the two 17mm bolts.
20. Line up the brake pads into the carrier and press them to set them into place.
21. Insert the metal clips into the holes of the brake pads.
22. Line up the piston caliper back to the carrier and reinstall its 14mm bolts. Use another wrench to hold the guide pins and prevent them from spinning when installing the 14mm bolts.
23. Place the wheel back in the vehicle and reinstall its lug nuts by turning them clockwise.
24. Start the vehicle and press the brake pedal a few times to put pressure on the brake pads.

Torque Specifications

• Wheel Lug nuts: 120 Nm
• Brake caliper bolts: 30 Nm
• Carrier  bracket bolts: 98 Nm

We hope you find the 2018+ Kia Forte Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Kia.