2006 Kia Rio

Routine

Owners filed 74 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 1 time.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k

54 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,00075,000 miles; the median is 64,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags36
809
Air Bags › Frontal6
102
Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module5
000
Steering3
000
Unknown or Other2
000
Structure › Body2
201
Engine and Engine Cooling2
000
Engine2
000
Electrical System2
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Frontal › Sensor/Control Module-inactive12V244000
Filed May 31, 201272,568 vehiclesKia Motors Corporation

Defect. KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 RIO VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 20, 2005, THROUGH DECEMBER 9, 2007. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT SENSOR MAT CAN EXPERIENCE FATIGUE CRACKING. IF SUFFICIENT CRACKING OCCURS, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION SUCH THAT THE SYSTEM WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETECT WHETHER A CHILD PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT AND THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY DURING A CRASH NECESSITATING DEPLOYMENT.

Risk. AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITH A CHILD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO THAT CHILD.

Remedy. KIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OCS SEAT SENSOR MAT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Air Bags
Filed May 25, 2026AZ

Srs light turned on and is illuminated when starting and driving the vehicle.

Structure › BodyCrash
Filed Feb 22, 2026CO

This man purposely rammed my car. He saw me in the lane but came over anyway and hit my car.

Suspension › Front › Control Arm
Filed Aug 12, 2020174,000 milesOH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE FRONT CRADLE AND LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD SUSTAINED SEVERE RUSTING AND CORROSION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER TAYLOR KIA LOCATED AT 7870 MARKET ST. YOUNGSTOWN OH 44512, TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000.*DT CONSUMER STATED DEALER HAS AGREED TO PURCHASE VEHICLE FROM THE CONSUMER SINCE FRAME IS RUSTED.*JB

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 23, 2020175,000 milesTX

IGNITION WONT TURN WHEN KEY IS IN TO START THE CAR.AT A STOPPED POSITION. HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRY TO START THE CAR.

Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Dec 10, 2019145,000 milesFL

I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHERE I RENEDED TWO CARS. MY AIR BAG SID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS HYDROPLANE ON WET ROADS GOING ABOUT 55 WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Apr 1, 2019189,000 milesTX

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

Electrical System
Filed Mar 22, 2019NC

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

Air Bags
Filed Feb 7, 2019102,000 milesVA

THE AIRBAG LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF

Air Bags
Filed Nov 5, 201877,000 milesIL

AIR BAG LIGHT ON

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 17, 201855,000 milesMO

BRAKE LIGHTS IN REAR CAME ON DURING DRIVING AND REMAINED ON. AFTER BECOMING AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AND REPLACEMENT OF THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH WHICH DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE, AND AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION THE PROBLEM WAS A DESIGN DEFECT. THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH HAS A "BUTTON" WHICH WHEN DEPRESSED INTERRUPTS THE FLOW OF ELECTRICITY, THERE IS AN "EAR" ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH WHEN YOUR LET OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSES THE SWITCH BUTTON AND CUTS THE CURRENT. THE PROBLEM IS THE BUTTON ON THE SWITCH IS AROUND 1/16 IN DIAMETER, AND FOR SOME STRANGE REASON KIA DRILLED A 1/4" HOLE ON THE "EAR" OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WITHIN 1/16 OF AN INCH WHERE THE SWITCH BUTTON CONTACTS THE EAR, WHICH ALLOWS ONLY 1/16 OF A INCH OF THE EAR TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL, WHICH IN THIS CASE WITH MY CAR WITH 50 THOUSAND MILES, ALLOWED THE BUTTON OF THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH TO ENTER THE HOLE IN THE EAR ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOT DEPRESS THE BUTTON ON THE SWITCH, WHICH THEN ALLOWED THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO CONSTANTLY BURN. I SUSPECT THAT NORMAL WEAR OF THE BRAKE PEDAL BUSHING ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN, THE STRANGE THING IS THERE IS NO REASON FOR HOLE TO BE IN THE CONTACT AREA WHERE THE EAR AND THE SWITCH BUTTON MEET. AND WITH ONLY A MINOR AMOUNT OF THE SWITCH BUTTON MAKING CONTACT AND THE REST OVER THE HOLE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL "EAR" IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THIS WOULD BE THE RESULT. I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AND NOTICED THE SWITCH FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL WHICH REQUIRES THE CLUTCH BE DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO START THE ENGINE, IT WAS SET UP WI

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Jul 10, 2017115,486 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, AN UNKNOWN NISSAN VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE ROTATOR CUFF AND WAS PROVIDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (SOUTHWEST KIA LOCATED AT 39650 LYNDON B JOHNSON FWY DALLAS, TX 75237 877-363-9542), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED DUE TO DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,486.

Air Bags
Filed Nov 15, 2016IL

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR WENT OUT AT 170000 MILES AND THEY REPLACED IT FREE. NOW THE SAME SENSOR WENT OUT AT 70000 MILES AND THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WON'T REPLACE IT FOR FREE. THE SAME SENSOR SHOULDN'T GO OUT TWICE IN 10 YEARS. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SENSORS. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS WORK IF ONE SENSOR IF BROKEN. THE REPAIRS WOULD BE ABOUT $2000 AND WE DON'T FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY IF KIA HAS A SAFETY ISSUE.

Air Bags
Filed May 5, 201632,000 milesCA

I HAVE A 2006 KIA RIO . THE OCCUPANT AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THIS WAS FIX LONG TIME AGO. THIS NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN . DOES KIA STILL HONOR THERE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND FIX MY CAR? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Air Bags
Filed Feb 1, 2016140,000 milesNC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 21, 201598,000 milesNC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 22, 201551,660 milesAZ

KIA SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR TO THE SRS AIR BAG SYSTEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY PERFORMED THE RECALL WORK, BUT THE "AIR BAG" LAMP CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. ON FURTHER INSPECTION THEY TOLD ME THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT AT $800 WITH LABOR. THE MODULE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL, NOR BY THE EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER AT THE TIME THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT AND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED WITH NHTSA. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AND AFFECTED VEHICLES SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO OWNERS. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Oct 31, 2014WA

I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AFTER THE AIRBAG WAS REPAIRED AFTER THE RECALL IN 2012. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. MY BOYFRIEND AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT EVER SIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BOTH WEIGH MORE THEN THE NECESSARY WEIGHT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN TWICE BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY THE AIRBAGS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND THIS TIME THEY KEPT IT FOR THE WEEK AND WERE ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT TO STAY ON. THEY NOW CLAIM THAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE SEAT AND IT WILL COST ALMOST $800. I FEEL THAT ANOTHER RECALL IS NEEDED. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Oct 8, 2014NY

NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET BUT MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. GARAGE SAYS IT'S A DEALER ISSUE, HOWEVER I AM UNABLE TO PAY FOR IT NOR SHOULD I. *TR

Steering
Filed Apr 21, 201420,000 milesCA

WHEN I MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE BELL RING AND IT STAY ON I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS IN THE DOOR THE RIGHT TURN OR STEER WHEEL COLUMN. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Apr 3, 201478,000 milesCA

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN MY 2006 KIA RIO. ( NEVER BEEN IN ANY AUTO ACCIDENT OR HAD FRONT END DAMAGE) WHEN MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON.AS TO THIS COMPLAINT. KIA STATED IT IS APPROXIMATELY $ 400.00 TO $ 800.00 DOLLARS OUT OF CONSUMERS POCKETS TO FIX. I FEEL KIA CORP. SHOULD COVER THIS PART SINCE ITS A SAFETY ISSUE. OR AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY AND THERE IS ANOTHER CASE LIKE GM . LET'S GET ON THIS MAJOR ISSUE AND RECALL ALL KIA S.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

20 of 74 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2001
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202312000Routine
202211100Routine
202115200Routine
202027153Fatalities reported
201921110Routine
201828120Routine
201731260Routine
201677250Routine
2015521100Routine
201452180Routine
20131531180Routine
201254190Routine
201124000Routine
201026000Routine
200939000Routine
200846100Routine
200746111Fatalities reported
2006 — this page74100Routine
200536141Fatalities reported
200438220Routine
200374320Routine
2002128161Fatalities reported
20012233141Fatalities reported
20003000Routine

Compare every Rio year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 31, 2012. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.