2008 Kia Rio

Routine

Owners filed 46 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 1 time.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k

39 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 010,000 miles; the median is 46,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Air Bags23
607
Air Bags › Frontal4
202
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
100
Service Brakes2
000
Fuel System, Gasoline2
000
Visibility1
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Unknown or Other1
101
Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing1
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 Dec 4, 2021PR

AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD IS ALLWAYS ON EVER SENS THE CAR WAS PURCHASED.

Engine
Filed Oct 8, 2019103,000 milesMI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE AND CLUTCH CEASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PROVIDED A COST ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND OUT WHAT TYPE OF CLUTCH WAS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Feb 19, 2019GA

TAKATA RECALL. THE COMPUTER THAT TELLS THE TRANSMISSION TO SWITCH GEARS IS STUCK AND DOASNT WORK. MY CAR WILL ONLY STAY IN 3RD GEAR AND REVERSE. IT HAS NO POWER AND GOES IN LIMP MODE. I HAVE 3 SMALL KIDS AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE WITH IT LIKE THIS SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. PLZ HELP ME.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Jun 27, 2017125,000 milesOR

FOLLOWING A TIRE BLOWOUT THE VEHICLE WENT INTO THEN OUT OF A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45-50MPH. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE. THE DRIVER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID THE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT OPERATE.

Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing
Filed Nov 16, 201690,000 milesOH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY AND MADE A LOUD NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING FAILED. THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED APPROXIMATELY NINE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Oct 7, 201687,292 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SKIDDED AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSURANCE COLLISION LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,292.

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed May 9, 201630,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN IGNITION COIL FAILED AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 25, 2016196,000 milesNM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 196,000.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 8, 2016VA

AIR BAG LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED OVER NIGHT.(VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY) REJECTION INSPECTION STICKER BECAUSE OF AIR BAG LIGHT. KIA DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE "PASSENGER PRESSANCE MODULE" IS MESSED UP AND IS CAUSING AIR BAG LIGHT TO COME ON. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED, AIR BAGS HAVE NEVER DEPLOYED. CONCERN; OVER 72,000 '06- '08 KIA RIOS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE EXACT SAME THING. BUT MINE WASN'T? AND NOW MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WANTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX SOMETHING THAT I FEEL LIKE NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 8, 2016101,000 milesVA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 19, 201596,000 milesPA

BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. REPLACED BULBS AND CHECKED FUSE BUT STILL NOTHING. GOOD SAMARITAN PULLED UP NEXT TO ME AT A RED LIGHT TO LET ME KNOW, LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 17, 20153,500 milesHI

2008 KIA RIO-PURCHASED 10/2008, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES AT ALL TIMES WHILE CAR IS OPERATED, BEGINNG LATE 2009 EARLY 2010 PROBLEM AROSE. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED AT KIA SINCE 2009 AND THEY NEW OF THIS PROBLEM YET NEVER RESOLVED THE ISSUE.. 7/16/15 KIA MOTORS OF KAILUA-KONA HAWAII SCANNED CAR FOR CODE, CODE SHOWS B1448 OCS MAT DEFECT, THEY WANT ME TO PAY 1200$ FOR A TANAKA AIRBAG RECALL. WHY IS MY VIN# NOT SHOWING UP FOR RECALL? THEIRS OTHER VIN WITH SAME RECALL PROBLEMS? MY CAR WILL NOT PASS SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO THIS PROBLEM DONE BY WEST COAST DETAILINGS. CAR PASSED EVERY YEAR BEFORE WHY NOT NOW? DUE TO THIS OCS MAT DEFECT CODE B1448-AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES AT ALL TIMES WHILE CAR IS OPERATED, SAFETY OF LIVES ARE KEY FACTORS NOT PROFIT BEFORE PEOPLE OR REPUTATION OF KIA / HYUNDAI CORPORATION.

Air Bags
Filed Apr 3, 2015130,000 milesTX

THE RED AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. A SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT IS MALFUNCTIONING. THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2006 TO 2008 KIA RIOS FOR THIS SAME FATIGUE FAILURE ON THE AIR BAG SENSOR, BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. THE GENERAL FIX IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE SEAT COSTING APPROXIMATELY 1500 OR MORE. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Mar 11, 2015MD

2008 KIA RIO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER FRONT SEAT AIRBAG WARNING SYSTEM PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATING WHILE HIS WIFE WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT INDICATED THE AIR BAG WAS OFF. THERE WERE OTHER TIMES WHEN THE LIGHT INDICATED IT WAS ON. THE DEALER STATED THE PASSENGER WAS TOO LIGHT, AS THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. *JB

Air Bags
Filed Feb 12, 201590,000 milesMD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONLY WHEN AN OCCUPANT WAS PRESENT AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Air Bags
Filed Jan 20, 201533,256 milesHI

KIA HAS A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000) FOR YEAR 2006-2008 RIO VEHICLES, MY KIA RIO IS A 2008 HOWEVER IT IS NOT LISTED UNDER THE VIN DUE TO I'M GUESSING BEING MANUFACTURED AFTER THE CUT OFF DATE, HOWEVER THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS NOW COME ON AND THE PASSENGER WARNING LIGHT NO LONGER WORKS. I HAD MY CAR DIAGNOSED TODAY AND KIA INFORMED ME IT WAS THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT HAD CRACKED. FROM THE RECALL NOTIFICATION. 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. I'M ASKING/WONDERING HOW I CAN GET MY VEHICLE ON THE RECALL LIST IF POSSIBLE. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOW TELLING ME I NEED TO HAVE THE ENTIRE SEAT REPLACED AT $2500 TO FIX THE ISSUE. IS THIS HOW THE SENSOR WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL OR ARE THEY ABLE TO REPLACE JUST THE CRACKED SENSOR? ITS SOUNDING A LITTLE FISHY THAT THEY CANT REPLACE JUST THE SENSOR. MY VEHICLE IS STILL AT KIA SO I DON'T HAVE MY VIN# ON ME AT THE MOMENT. I WOULD LIKE A REPLY IF POSSIBLE AND CAN GIVE MY VIN AT THAT TIME. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Dec 17, 2014106,000 milesWA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 3, 2014110,125 milesVA

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED & WILL NOT GO OFF. AFTER HAVING A DIAGNOSTICS RUN ON IT I WAS TOLD I HAD TO REPLACE OCS MAT SENSOR. YOU CAN'T BUY JUST THE SENSOR, YOU HAVE TO BUY THE SEAT WHICH CONTAINS THE SENSOR FOR $800. WHEN I CALLED KIA $ QUESTIONED THE RECALL, I WAS TOLD MY VIN DID NOT QUALIFY. FUNNY HOW I SEE SO MANY COMPLAINTS THAT READ JUST LIKE MINE ABOUT A 2008 KIA RIO. I THINK THE RECALL SHOULD EXTEND FURTHER TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER FROM BEING RIPPED OFF. *TR

Air Bags
Filed Aug 4, 201446,000 milesTX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAG). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

Service Brakes
Filed Feb 19, 201486,000 milesOH

MY BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THANKFULLY, I HAD A FRIEND FOLLOWING ME TO NOTICE THE PROBLEM, OR ELSE THIS COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

20 of 46 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
2008 — this page46100Routine
200746111Fatalities reported
200674100Routine
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.