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The short version
- A Forte wheel bearing at the rear steps cleanly by generation: 512436 for 2010 to 2013, 512492 from 2014.
- The front is a different story, documented only for 2010 to 2013, as WE60977, shared with the Forte Koup.
- 2019 gets its own rear number, WE61903, shared with other Hyundai and Kia listings of the same era.
- Outside those spans, the catalogs go quiet, and the answer is to match the old part or the VIN.
Across 2010 to 2021, a Forte wheel bearing splits into two different stories, one simple and one thin. A sedan bought new in 2010 and one bought new in 2020 answer this question very differently.
The rear steps cleanly by generation. The front barely appears in the catalogs at all outside four early years.
The year decides the rear
512436 covers the rear from 2010 through 2013 and 512492 takes over from 2014. That single boundary is the whole story at the rear.
There is no ABS question, no drivetrain question and no trim question at the rear for those years.
A car sitting on the 2013 to 2014 boundary is the only rear case worth a second look. Lookups run through the cross reference page.
The front is thin outside 2010 to 2013
WE60977 covers the front for 2010 to 2013, and it is a shared listing with the Forte Koup, the two door version of the same car.
Nothing in the catalogs reaches the front from 2014 on. That gap runs all the way to the newest car this page covers.
A 2014 or newer Forte wheel bearing at the front goes by the old part or the VIN until the catalogs catch up.
The Koup is a separate model line, a two door body on the same platform. For 2010 to 2013 the two share this front listing. Nothing says the same is true after 2013.
Why the rest of the range is fussier
Other Kia compacts split their older rear listings by ABS fitment, and some Kia sedans share numbers with related Hyundai models.
Nothing equivalent complicates the rear here, but it is worth knowing if more than one Kia sits in the driveway.
The simplicity at this car’s rear is the exception on this site, not the rule. Do not assume it carries to a related model parked in the same driveway.
The Hyundai connection
Kia and Hyundai are one company and share hardware openly across the range.
WE61903, the 2019 rear number, is one of those shared listings, cited under more than one badge from the same era.
When a listing looks thin under one badge, running the number under the other costs nothing and can turn up a better price. The reverse search works just as well.
Forte wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2021 | Rear, past the catalogs | match old part or VIN |
| 2014 to 2021 | Front, past the catalogs | match old part or VIN |
| 2019 | Rear | WE61903 check price |
| 2014 to 2018 | Rear | 512492 check price |
| 2010 to 2013 | Rear | 512436 check price |
| 2010 to 2013 | Front, shared listing with Forte Koup | WE60977 check price |
Every model year this chart resolves: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. A 2020 or 2021 Forte sits past the catalogs entirely, and the front alone goes by the old part or the VIN from 2014 on.
WE60977 is the only front number the catalogs give for this car, and it stops at 2013. Nothing fills the front from 2014 through the end of demand in 2021.
The rear reaches further, through 2019, but 2020 and 2021 go by the old part or the VIN there too.
A light car, so impacts dominate
This is a light car, and light cars are gentle on bearings in ordinary use.
Most failures trace to an event rather than to accumulated mileage, so what the car hit matters more than how far it has gone.
That case is covered on the pothole page. The powertrain warranty for an original owner is worth a call before paying, covered on the warranty page. Curbs and deep potholes are the usual culprits.
Diagnosing a Forte wheel bearing
- Note the year and the position, since the front and rear resolve differently.
- Ask what it has hit, because impacts explain most failures here.
- Weave at road speed and note which side loads the noise.
- Rock the wheel at twelve and six, knowing a tight wheel proves little.
- Rule out the tires before buying a hub.
Those checks are on the checking page and the tire noise page. None of them need a lift.
Price links lead to Amazon searches for that number. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
Which Forte wheel bearing do I need?
At the rear, the year answers it: 512436 for 2010 to 2013, 512492 from 2014. At the front, only 2010 to 2013 resolves, as WE60977. Outside those spans, match the old part.
Does the front resolve for every year?
No. The front stops resolving after 2013, and nothing in the catalogs fills it back in through 2021.
Does ABS matter here?
Not on the rows this page documents. That question applies more to other Kia compacts than to this one. This car simply does not split that way.
Could it be under warranty?
Possibly, for an original owner. Ask before paying, since terms have shifted over the years. One phone call settles it either way.
Should I search Hyundai listings too?
Worth trying, especially for 2019. The two companies share hardware openly. It costs nothing to compare the price.