2010 Kia Rio recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Air bagsCrash

  The contact owned a 2010 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle crashed head-on into a guard rail. During the crash, the front-end of the vehicle was severely damaged; however, no air bags were deployed. No injuries were reported; however, the contact was concerned that the air bags had not been deployed to provide protection to the driver or the front seat passenger. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.

  Jul 2, 2022 · 140,000 miles
• Fuel/propulsion system

  HAVING TO REPLACE AT LEAST ONE FUEL INJECTOR EACH YEAR. USUALLY NUMBER ONE PLUG.

  Oct 16, 2013 · 65,000 miles
• Unknown or other

  AFTER DRIVING TO WORK APPROXIMATELY A 25 MINUTES TO WORK I PARKED MY VEHICLE AND SMELT SOMETHING LIKE BURNT PLASTIC. ASSUMED IT WAS SOMETHING IN THE AREA I WORK. AFTER MY SHIFT ROUGHLY 8 HOURS I HEADED HOME AND SUDDENLY THE CAR WOULD NOT GO MORE THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR THEN COMPLETELY DEAD. AFTER THE TOW TRUCKED LIFTED THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO SEE SEVERE MELTING OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE PLASTIC. IT COULD HAVE BEEN SO MUCH WORSE. IT WAS TOWED TO LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP AND HAVE NO IDEA TO WHY YET THIS HAPPENED. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE DANGER TO JUST HAPPEN TO A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE RANDOMLY.

  Oct 3, 2018 · 100,100 miles
• Unknown or other

  SINCE JANUARY MY 2010 KIA RIO HAS STALLED AT TRAFFIC STOPS. IT USUALLY STARTS AGAIN AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, ALTHOUGH RECENTLY IT NEEDED A JUMP START. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THREE MECHANICS WHO ALL SAY THEY CAN'T FIND A CODE OR WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I'VE TRIED GAS ADDITIVE, NEW CRANK SHAFT SENSOR, TUNE UP. NOTHING WORKS. I'VE CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE. THERE ARE NO RECALLS BUT I STILL HAVE A CAR I THINK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I'VE STALLED IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON CITY STREETS AND STATE ROADS SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE A CASE NUMBER WITH KIA, AND PLAN TO TAKE IT TO KIA DEALERSHIP IN ONE MORE EFFORT TO FIND CODE OR WHAT'S WRONG. I DON'T HAVE REPAIR INVOICES HANDY BUT HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $500.

  Jan 19, 2018 · 131,000 miles
• Air bags

  AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON.

  Jan 1, 2015 · 62,000 miles
• Air bags

  AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON.

  Dec 6, 2016
• Unknown or other

  WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR STALLS FOR NO REASON (THERE IS FUEL IN THE CAR, HAS REGULAR OIL CHANGES, AND A BRAND NEW BATTERY). IT TAKES A COUPLE MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WILL RESTART. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN TURN RIGHT OFF, BUT THE RPM GAUGE STOPS WORKING EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL DRIVING. THERE IS A JERKING MOTION WHEN THAT HAPPENS. THIS HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS AND ON THE HIGHWAY. IT IS BECOMING UNSAFE AND THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT REPLICATE THE SITUATION. ALL THEY DO IS RUN THE CODE BUT NOTHING COMES UP. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER 2016 AND HAS HAPPENED EVERY DAY SINCE THEN.THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR COULD STALL ANYTIME WHILE…

  Nov 1, 2016 · 88,000 miles
• Service brakes

  I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH EXITING ON THE FWY OFF RAMP WHICH TURNS TO THE RIGHT. INITIALLY MY BRAKES WORKED AND THEN IT MADE A AWFUL WINDING SOUND. THE CAR WAS GAINING SPEED AS I MADE THE TURN AND I TOTALLY LOST MY BRAKES AND HAD TO USE MY HAND BRAKE TO STOP BEFORE ALMOST RUNNING INTO THE BACK OF A CAR. I HAD MY BRAKES CHECKED AND WAS TOLD THAT MY SHOES WERE VERY GOOD BUT I WEN AHEAD AND PUT NEW ONES ON ANYWAY. I AM STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ON THE FWY HAVING TO USE MY BRAKES AT SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH CAUSE THE SAME NOISE AND NO BRAKES UNTIL I HAVE SLOWED BELOW 40MPH.

  Dec 24, 2015 · 126,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.