2021 KIA RIO

23 complaints filed with NHTSA.

23
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

NHTSA Safety Rating

Not Rated/5
Overall
Not Rated/5
Front Crash
Not Rated/5
Side Crash
Not Rated/5
Rollover

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
STEERING4
SERVICE BRAKES3
ENGINE2
POWER TRAIN2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING1
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST1
SEAT BELTS1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA1

Recalls (2)

22V30400005/05/2022

STEERING:COLUMN

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.

21V93600001/12/2021

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Rio vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance.

Recent Complaints

20251228UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Back up camera sometimes flips sides, so that obstacles on the right side of the car are shown on the left side of the camera screen. Sometimes the camera doesn't work at all.

20250514STEERING

Steering Gear Assembly completely broke at 81,000 miles. My daughter was backing up in a busy street at 5pm and lost 100 percent of steering control. Lucking cars dodged her and she didn’t get hurt or worse.

20231114POWER TRAIN

Placed car in park got out to open a gate. Car took off forward even when shifter was in Park Position and almost ran a child over.

20231114UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Placed car in park got out to open a gate. Car took off forward even when shifter was in Park Position and almost ran a child over.

20230824ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Center Console Display blank (screen black) upon startup unable to see cameras and backing up affected creating safety concern.

20230824BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Center Console Display blank (screen black) upon startup unable to see cameras and backing up affected creating safety concern.

20230502SEAT BELTS

seatbelts in rear are inoperable/anti theft not working. Kia dealership told me that its not their issue about the anti theft. I have been told on 3 separate occasions that my seatbelts have been ordered but they haven’t!!!! No one is following up with me, when I call I get told “until they can get in contact with the dealership Kia the corporate company cannot do anything” have 2 kids Kia the dealership as well as the corporate company knows about this and no one is doing anything!! NO ON

20230502UNKNOWN OR OTHER

seatbelts in rear are inoperable/anti theft not working. Kia dealership told me that its not their issue about the anti theft. I have been told on 3 separate occasions that my seatbelts have been ordered but they haven’t!!!! No one is following up with me, when I call I get told “until they can get in contact with the dealership Kia the corporate company cannot do anything” have 2 kids Kia the dealership as well as the corporate company knows about this and no one is doing anything!! NO ON

20230326UNKNOWN OR OTHER

At speeds over 20 miles per hours there is a “flapping” noise that sounds like a bag or piece of paper that is blowing in the wind. Although I don’t know were the noise originates, I can hear it clearly from the driver’s side b-pillar. It is incredibly annoying and greatly diminishes what is otherwise a solid entry, level vehicle.

20230320STEERING

On 3/19/23, as I was driving on a dry, straight, two lane road at the posted speed of 40mph, the car began to try to steer into oncoming traffic. I had to exert moderate force to keep the car in my lane. This continued continuously for about 1/2 mile. No low tire pressure indicator lights were illuminated, however the lane assist icon was on and green, indicating normal operation. Just as I was going to turn down a side street to check the tires manually, the steering returned to normal. However

20230320LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING

On 3/19/23, as I was driving on a dry, straight, two lane road at the posted speed of 40mph, the car began to try to steer into oncoming traffic. I had to exert moderate force to keep the car in my lane. This continued continuously for about 1/2 mile. No low tire pressure indicator lights were illuminated, however the lane assist icon was on and green, indicating normal operation. Just as I was going to turn down a side street to check the tires manually, the steering returned to normal. However

20230320LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST

On 3/19/23, as I was driving on a dry, straight, two lane road at the posted speed of 40mph, the car began to try to steer into oncoming traffic. I had to exert moderate force to keep the car in my lane. This continued continuously for about 1/2 mile. No low tire pressure indicator lights were illuminated, however the lane assist icon was on and green, indicating normal operation. Just as I was going to turn down a side street to check the tires manually, the steering returned to normal. However

20230107UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The contol post for lights, turn signal, and high beams is too sensitive. To control the lights, you twist the top of lever. To turn on turn signals, you flip the lever up or down. To turn on brights, the lever goes forward. To turn of lights, the lever is pulled back. The issue..... If you have brights on, when you pull lever back to dim lights, the top automatically twists to shut off the headlights entirely. DANGEROUS DANGEROUS DANGEROUS. My husband doesn't have this problem, but he ha

20221130CrashSERVICE BRAKES

Having been complaining about a noise from under the front right tire, I was initially told it was a little piece of plastic and that got cut off. I was still hear the scraping and squealing and I kept check the from right tire because I thought that's where it was coming from. I mentioned this to every mechanic at kia and was told "that's just how 2021s sound". Finally after months of complaining the noise got louder and you could hear it was clearly something in steering. They schedules an app

20221130CrashSTEERING

Having been complaining about a noise from under the front right tire, I was initially told it was a little piece of plastic and that got cut off. I was still hear the scraping and squealing and I kept check the from right tire because I thought that's where it was coming from. I mentioned this to every mechanic at kia and was told "that's just how 2021s sound". Finally after months of complaining the noise got louder and you could hear it was clearly something in steering. They schedules an app

20221029POWER TRAIN

I had driven my wife to her school about 5 miles and headed back to my work another 5 miles when i tried to accelerate pass car I lost almost all power barely making it up a slight hill I kept going trying to make it to my house barely going 10 miles an hour. I thought the transmission had let go cause while I had the gas peddle floored i went at best 10-15 miles an hour I eventually parked the car I knew it would never make it up another slight hill. It was rowed to a nearby dealer where t

20220819STEERING

The steering wheel column does not have a lock therefore someone broke into my car and tried to steal it and destroyed it, also no alarm went off when this happened.

20220819UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The steering wheel column does not have a lock therefore someone broke into my car and tried to steal it and destroyed it, also no alarm went off when this happened.

20220402ENGINE

I was driving 60-70 miles an hour for 45 minutes then car lost all acceleration and engine light came on. I pulled over immediately turned the car off. Turned it back on drove 1/4 of a mile and same thing happened. I pulled over turned car off and had it towed to the dealership.

20220119CrashSERVICE BRAKES

Vehicle failed to reduce speed effectively while trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle during a left turn, which then caused the vehicle to turn widely and collide with the curb.