Kia RIOYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,293 NHTSA owner complaints across 23 model years, the Kia RIO years to avoid are 2001, 2002 and 2013, and the strongest years are 2004, 2010, 2017 and 2018. The RIO has 11 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoid'01 '02 '13Use caution: 2006 Best years'04 '10 '17 '18Fewest complaints for their age Owner complaints1,293Top: Air bags Safety recalls112001–2023 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Kia RIO years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the RIO median. Tap a year for its full report.

22312874 38 37 74 46 46 39 26 24 54 15352 52 80 31 28 22 27 15 12 12

'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

Complaints by system

Most common Kia RIO problems

All model years combined: 1,293 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

273Air bags122 crash/fire/injury

238Engine50 crash/fire/injury

158Engine and engine cooling16 crash/fire/injury

154Electrical system38 crash/fire/injury

126Service brakes, hydraulic15 crash/fire/injury

91Power train

62Seat belts

56Fuel system, gasoline

55Steering

43822 other systems58 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Air bags	273	122
Engine	238	50
Engine and engine cooling	158	16
Electrical system	154	38
Service brakes, hydraulic	126	15
Power train	91	11
Seat belts	62	23
Fuel system, gasoline	56	11
Steering	55	10
22 other systems	438	58

11 recalls

Kia RIO recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module23V-652 · 2012–2017 · Sep 25, 2023 · 1,730,192 vehiclesPark outside Trunk lid: latch23V-594 · 2016–2017 · Aug 24, 2023 · 319,436 vehicles Steering: column22V-304 · 2021–2022 · May 5, 2022 · 30 vehicles Foundation components: master cylinder21V-936 · 2020–2021 · Dec 1, 2021 · 87 vehicles Trunk lid: latch21V-622 · 2018–2019 · Aug 9, 2021 · 253,074 vehicles Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive12V-244 · 2006–2008 · May 31, 2012 · 72,568 vehicles Seat belts: rear/other06V-294 · 2003 · Aug 4, 2006 · 32,257 vehicles Child seat05V-557 · 2003–2005 · Dec 12, 2005 · 90,865 vehicles Wheels05V-159 · 2001 · Apr 20, 2005 · 24,119 vehicles Fuel system, gasoline: delivery04V-179 · 2001–2004 · Apr 9, 2004 · 187,790 vehicles Fuel system, gasoline03V-352 · 2001 · Sep 24, 2003 · 57,340 vehicles

8 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the RIO

Nov 17, 2023
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module FiresAQ23002 · 2012–2017 · still open
Open
Dec 22, 2021
Engine FiresEA21003 · 2012–2015 · closed Feb 5, 2024
Led to recall 23V-877
Jul 22, 2004
STEEL WHEEL FRACTUREEA04020 · 2001 · closed Apr 28, 2005
Led to recall 05V-159
Mar 24, 2004
STEEL WHEEL FRACTUREPE04030 · 2001 · closed Jul 22, 2004
No recall
Aug 28, 2003
FUEL RAIL LEAKAGEEA03015 · 2001 · closed Apr 30, 2004
Led to recall 03V-352
Apr 15, 2003
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESPE03016 · 2001 · closed Aug 28, 2003
No recall
Jul 2, 2002
AIR BAG NON DEPLOYEA02009 · 2001–2003 · closed Jul 2, 2003
No recall
Feb 12, 2002
AIR BAG NON-DEPLOYMENT FRONTAL CRASHPE02022 · 2001 · closed Jul 2, 2002
No recall