Problems · NHTSA complaints
2006 Kia Rio problems
Owners filed 74 complaints about the 2006 Kia Rio with NHTSA between Jun 2006 and May 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (50).
Complaints
74
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
14
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags50
- Engine and engine cooling6
- Steering4
- Structure3
- Electrical system3
- Equipment3
- Engine2
- Power train2
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Suspension1
- Service brakes1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Exterior lighting1
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 Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
6
3
6
4
7
15
10
1
6
2
3
1
2
4
2
0
0
0
0
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 7 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 | 2 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Air bags
50 reports11 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD A SEIZURE AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
6 reports1 crash
“ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON...DEALER HAS DONE NOTHING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM EXCEPT UNPLUG BATTERY AND PLUG IT BACK IN. LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MILEAGE PER GALLON IS VERY POOR. *TR”
Steering
4 reports1 crash
“I WAS DRIVING MY KIA RIO. I KNEW THERE WAS A STOP APPROACHING. I HIT THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND WHEN I TRIED TO TURN AWAY FROM TRAFFIC THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. I HIT A YUKON AND TOTALED MY CAR. THE AIRBAGS NEVER CAME OUT. *TR”
Structure
3 reports2 crashes
“This man purposely rammed my car. He saw me in the lane but came over anyway and hit my car.”
Electrical system
3 reports1 crash
“MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. THEN WHEN I GO TO GASBUDDY, IT STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL INVOLVING THE AIRBAG ON A 2006 KIA RIO THAT WAS MADE FROM FEBRUARY 20TH 2005 TO 2007. HOWEVER MY VIN NUMBER SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. I THINK IT'S MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE THAT THERE'S A RECALL AND MY SENSOR IS ON. IF SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SENSOR OH, I WILL BE SUING KIA, AND ANYONE ELSE THAT BLATANTLY DISREGARDED MY COMPLAINT”
Equipment
3 reports
“PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT RANDOMLY COMES ON WITH ADULT PASSENGER IN SEAT INDICATING THAT AIR BAG NOT FUNCTIONING. OCCURS APPROXIMATELY ONCE A WEEK. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION TWICE AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. DEALERSHIP IS NOT ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I FEAR AN ACCIDENT OCCURRING WITHOUT PROPER RELEASE OF AIR BAG RESULTING IN POSSIBLE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM. KIA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND RECALL ALL 2008 KIA RIO FOR THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. *TR”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.