Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Kia Rio problems

Owners filed 224 complaints about the 2001 Kia Rio with NHTSA between Oct 2000 and Jan 2017. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (51).

Complaints
224
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
21
Reported by owners
Fires
14
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling51
  2. Air bags33
  3. Wheels31
  4. Power train26
  5. Electrical system25
  6. Fuel system, gasoline23
  7. Suspension22
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic17
  9. Seat belts15
  10. Latches/locks/linkages11
  11. Equipment10
  12. Structure9
  13. Visibility9
  14. Tires7

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 29, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20003
200132
200251
200337
200446
200525
20067
20078
20085
20091
20101
20113
20122
20132
20140
20150
20160
20171

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

51 reports5 fires
“ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ONE RECALL NOTICE FROM KIA OR THE DEALER, ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2007, MY 2001 KIA RIO (WHICH WE BOUGHT NEW IN 1/2001) ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE CAR ENGINE HAD WARMED UP, AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH AND CHUG. IT STALLED AT A LIGHT AND RESTARTED WHEN I TURNED THE KEY. I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AND IT REVVED TO A HIGHER GEAR AND LUNGED FORWARD THEN IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STALL IN THE INTERSECTION. I NURSED THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. IT WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE THE CODE CLAIMED AN O2 CENSOR WAS BAD. WHAT WAS FOUND WAS A PLUG MISSING FROM A PANEL AREA (?). THOUGHT CAR WAS FIXED. WENT TO DRIVE IT HOME AND AGAIN THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM ONLY THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON, MY ONLY INDICATION OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE ATTEMPT AT STALLING AGAIN! THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP. SAME SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS ONLY NO WARNING ENGINE LIGHT. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING DANGER SINCE IT HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING AND KIA HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY US OF ANY RECALL NOTICES THEY HAVE ISSUED CONCERNING OUR VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD OUR ADDRESS FROM US PAYING THEM FOR THE CAR NOTE EACH MONTH! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10203567

Air bags

33 reports14 crashes
“I WAS INVOLVED IN A 45MPH HEAD ON COLLISION. THE OTHER CAR WAS A CHEVY COBALT. SHE HAD RUN A STOP SIGN AND HIT US IN THE FRONT. I WAS THE PASSENGER IN THE KIA BOTH ME AND THE DRIVER OF THE KIA WERE FORCED INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND HE HIT HIS OFF THE STEERING WHEEL AS WELL. NEITHER OF THE AIRBAGS IN MY CAR WENT OFF. BUT BOTH THE AIRBAGS IN THE COBALT DID. MY CAR WAS ALSO CALLED A TOTAL WITH DAMAGE DONE TO THE FRONT BUMPER AND FRAMING. TWO MECHANICS THAT LOOKED AT THE CAR COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2008Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10247514

Wheels

31 reports2 crashes2 fires1 related recall
“CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI CASE NUMBER: 10136024 COMPONENT: WHEELS GAS IGNITION? YOU TELL ME? WHEN ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR LEMONS KIA-2001 DETAILS: DT: THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND A TIRE BLEW OUT. AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED SPINNING, THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND IT BURST INTO FLAMES, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND THEY SAID FIRE STARTED FROM HEAT OF POWER EQUIPMENT AND THE IGNITION BURNED. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 6, 2005. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE RECALL REGARDING THE WHEELS. THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER COMPLAINED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED FROM THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE SAME TIRE THAT THE BLEW OUT WAS THE SAME ONE THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. *JB OCCURRENCES: 1 INJURIES: 0 FAIL DATE: 08/06/2005 DEATHS: 0 DATE ADDED TO DATABASE: 9/9/2005 [FILE] YOUR OWN COMPLAINT ON THIS MODEL CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 17, 2012Steering, Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system, Tires, WheelsCrash reportedFire reportedODI 10471283

Power train

26 reports1 crash
“VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE LIKE WHEELS WERE OUT OF BALANCE. TURNED INTO DRIVEWAY DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL FELL OFF WITH BRAKE DRUM STILL ATTACHED TO WHEEL . VEHICLE CAME TO STOP. KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE CONTACTED, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ACTIVE SERVICE BULLETIN OFFERED NO HELP. VEHICLE REPAIRED AT LOCAL FIRESTONE TIRE STORE. WHEEL SPINDLE AND INNER AND OUTER BEARINGS REPLACED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 23, 2008Suspension, Power trainODI 10225442

Electrical system

25 reports2 crashes6 fires
“IT IS DIFFICULT TO ENTER THE CAR WITH THE KEY AND WHEN I PULL THE DOOR HANDLE THE LOCK DROPS DOWN TO THE CLOSE POSITION AND I CAN'T GET OUT THIS HAPPENS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE,I HAVE TO HOLD THE LOCK ON THE UP POSITION WITH A PIECE OF METAL OR LEAVE THE REAR DOORS UNLOCKED IN CASE I HAVE TO JUMP OUT..THIS CAR IS A LEMON I HAVE REPLACED SENSORS ALTERNATOR, STARTER, AC PARTS AND MANY OTHER PARTS THE ONLY THING GOOD IS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE... *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 24, 2013Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkages, EquipmentODI 10545123

Fuel system, gasoline

23 reports2 crashes4 fires2 related recalls
“I BOUGHT A 2001 KIA RIO IN 2007 AND WITHIN 8 MONTHS MY FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. A YEAR LATER MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AND SHUTTING OFF RANDOMLY WHILE I DROVE IT. I ENDED UP HAVING TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP TWO MORE TIMES. I RECENTLY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WERE THEY INFORMED ME I NEEDED ANOTHER FUEL PUMP. IM SORRY BUT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG IF I HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER 4 TIMES IN A 2 YEAR TIME SPAN. NOW MY CAR DOES NOT EVEN RUN, AND I REFUSE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN WHEN I KNOW IT WONT DO ANYTHING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 13, 2011Fuel system, gasolineODI 10406167
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 29, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.