Total Complaints
6 filings
KIA RIO5 · model year
2008 KIA RIO5
6 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2008KIARIO5 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2008 RIO5 is air bags with 3 filings, followed by exterior lighting:brake lights (1) and seat belts (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 2008 RIO5, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
6
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 3 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20160801CrashAIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNEDA 2008 KIA RIO5. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING.AS A RESULT, THE TIRES SPUN AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD AND OVER A CURB, SLIGHTLY STRIKINGTHE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL.THEAIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. UPDATED 09/29/16*LJ *TR
Mileage: 9,000
20160801CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNEDA 2008 KIA RIO5. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, IT ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING.AS A RESULT, THE TIRES SPUN AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD AND OVER A CURB, SLIGHTLY STRIKINGTHE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL.THEAIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. UPDATED 09/29/16*LJ *TR
Mileage: 9,000
20140723CrashAIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA RIO5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO TWENTY BALES OF HAY. THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO PROVIDE RESTRAINT. THE CONTACT WAS AIRLIFTED AND TRANSPORTED TO A TRAUMA HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.
Mileage: 22,000
20140723CrashSEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 KIA RIO5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO TWENTY BALES OF HAY. THERE WAS A DELAY IN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO PROVIDE RESTRAINT. THE CONTACT WAS AIRLIFTED AND TRANSPORTED TO A TRAUMA HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.
Mileage: 22,000
20140411AIR BAGS
WAS PULLED OVER BY LOCAL POLICE WHO NOTIFIED ME THAT RIGHT PARKING LIGHT WAS 'STUCK' ON; NOT PROBLEM DURING DAY BUT WHEN HEADLIGHTS USED PARKING BRAKE IS ALSO ILLUMINATED. ALSO NOTICED THAT DASH WARNING LIGHT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANYONE IS IN THE SEAT OR NOT. *JS
Mileage: 60,000
20140411EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
WAS PULLED OVER BY LOCAL POLICE WHO NOTIFIED ME THAT RIGHT PARKING LIGHT WAS 'STUCK' ON; NOT PROBLEM DURING DAY BUT WHEN HEADLIGHTS USED PARKING BRAKE IS ALSO ILLUMINATED. ALSO NOTICED THAT DASH WARNING LIGHT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANYONE IS IN THE SEAT OR NOT. *JS
Mileage: 60,000
Compare 2008KIARIO5 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2008 KIA RIO5 have?▼
The 2008 KIA RIO5 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 KIA RIO5?▼
The most-complained component for the 2008 KIA RIO5 is AIR BAGS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 2008 KIA RIO5 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.