Kia Forte Ignition Coil And Spark Plug Replacement

Kia Forte Spark Plugs & Ignition Coil Replacement Guide

ByRushit Hila, PE, ASE Certified Updated on

Reviewed/Verified by:

Rushit Hila
Rushit Hila

PE, ASE Certified

Rushit Hila is the founder of YOUCANIC and a passionate advocate for empowering car owners through knowledge. With a background in automotive diagnostics and years of hands-on repair experience, Rushit leads the YOUCANIC team in creating practical, easy-to-follow guides and tools that help drivers fix their own vehicles. His mission is simple: make car repair less intimidating and more accessible for everyone.

Is your Kia Forte engine idle rough, misfiring, and the check engine light on due to a faulty spark plug/ignition coil? Learn how to fix the problem by replacing your vehicle’s spark plugs and ignition coil.

At a Glance

  • Vehicle: 2018 to 2022 Kia Forte 2.0L four cylinder
  • Plug gap: 0.044 in, pre gapped
  • Torque: Spark plugs 25 Nm (18 ft-lb); coil bolts 11 Nm (8 ft-lb)
  • Tools: 10mm socket, 5/8 inch spark plug socket, torque wrench, pick tool
  • Symptoms: Rough idle, misfire codes P0300 to P0304
  • Time: About 1 hour

This guide is a step-by-step procedure for replacing the spark plugs and ignition coils on a Kia Forte model in 2018 to 2022. The tutorial may apply to other Kia and Hyundai vehicles with the 2.0L 4-cylinder D MPI engine.

Signs of a Bad Ignition Coil

  • Rough idle, shaking or stumbling, especially under load
  • Loss of power and poor fuel economy
  • Check engine light, flashing if the misfire is severe
  • Misfire codes P0300 (random) or P0301 to P0304 (the last digit is the cylinder number)

Confirm the Coil Before You Buy

  1. Read the codes to find which cylinder is misfiring.
  2. Swap the coil from that cylinder with a coil from another cylinder.
  3. Clear the codes and drive. If the misfire moves to the new cylinder, the coil is bad. If it stays put, check the spark plug, injector or compression on that cylinder.

A scan tool such as the YOUCANIC UCAN-II Pro shows live misfire counts per cylinder on supported models, so you can see the result of the swap test right away without waiting for the light.

What you will need

  • Kia Forte Spark Plugs
    • Gap: 0.044  pre-gapped
  • Kia Forte Ignition Coil
  • Pick Tool
  • Mechanic Metric Toolset
    • 10mm Socket
    • 5/8 Spark Plug Socket
  • Torque Wrench

Procedure

  1. Open the hood. Pull the hood release under the dashboard.The Hood Release Of The Kia Forte.Pulling The Hood Release Of The Kia Forte.
  2. Locate the hood latch on the vehicle’s front and press the tab to the left to unlock the hood latch.Unlocking The Hood Latch Of The Kia Forte.
  3. Pull the hood up and set the hood strut to hold the hood.Setting The Hood Strut To Hold The Hood.
  4. Remove the engine cover by pulling it up.Removing The Engine Cover Of The Kia Forte.
  5. Disconnect the electrical connector of the ignition coil. Pull the clip on the connector, then press the clip and pull the connector out to disconnect it.Pulling The Clip On The Ignition Coil'S Connector.
  6. Remove the 10mm bolt on the ignition coil by turning it counterclockwise using a 10mm socket.Removing The 10Mm Bolt On The Ignition Coil.
  7. Pull the ignition coil up and out of the vehicle.Pulling The Ignition Coil Out From The Vehicle.
  8. Loosen the spark plugs using a 5/8 spark plug socket. Turn the spark plug counterclockwise to loosen.Loosening The Spark Plug Using A Spark Plug Socket.
  9. Once the spark plug is loosened, pull the spark plug out using the spark plug socket or a magnet.Pulling The Spark Plug Out Of The Vehicle Using The Spark Plug Socket.
  10. Install the new spark plug, and use the spark plug socket or the magnet to place the new spark plug. Do not drop the spark plug because it might damage the gap on the spark plug.Installing The New Spark Plug Of The Kia Forte.
  11. Tighten the spark plug by turning it clockwise using the 5/8 spark plug socket.Tightening The Spark Plug Using The Spark Plug Socket.
  12. Install the new ignition coil, line it up in the vehicle, and press it in to set it in place.Installing The New Ignition Coil Of The Kia Forte.
  13. Reinstall the 10mm bolt on the ignition coil by turning it clockwise using the 10mm socket.Reinstalling The 10Mm Bolt On The Ignition Coil.
  14. Reconnect the electrical connector of the ignition coil and push the clip to lock the connector.Reconnecting The Electrical Connector Of The Ignition Coil.
  15. Line up the engine cover of the vehicle and push it in to lock the rubber grommets holding it.Reinstalling The Cover Of The Engine.

Spark Plug Gap

  • The spark plugs will come pre-gapped. They typically are gapped at 0.044″.

Torque Specifications

  • Spark plugs: 25 Nm (18 ft-lb)
  • Ignition coil bolt: 11 Nm (8 ft-lb)

Check Engine Light On

Youcanic Ucan2 Scanner

If the Check Engine Light is on after replacing the spark plugs and ignition coils, you can use the YOUCANIC UCAN-II Pro to reset the check engine light. This scanner can also read and clear fault codes in the engine and other control modules on supported vehicles.

Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Kia Forte.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the spark plug gap on a 2018 to 2022 Kia Forte 2.0?

0.044 inch. The plugs come pre gapped.

What is the spark plug torque on a Kia Forte?

25 Nm (about 18 ft-lb). The ignition coil bolts are 11 Nm.

How do I know if it is a spark plug or a coil?

Swap the coil from the misfiring cylinder to another cylinder. If the misfire moves, the coil is bad; if it stays, suspect the plug.

What socket do I need for Kia Forte spark plugs?

A 5/8 inch spark plug socket with an extension and a ratchet.

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