3 recalls covering model years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022. To check whether your vehicle is affected, look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls — a recall may apply only to some vehicles of a given year.
A bolt that holds the steering column to the steering gear may not have been tightened properly. If it comes loose, the steering column can come apart from the gear that turns the front wheels, and you could suddenly lose the ability to steer. A dealer will tighten that bolt at no cost. Kia mailed letters to owners on May 27, 2022, and calls this repair SC235.
The part that pushes brake fluid to your Kia's brakes, the master cylinder, may have been built with sharp edges inside. Those edges can cut the rubber seal within it, letting the system lose pressure. When that happens your brakes do not work as well: the pedal may sink farther toward the floor than normal, and the car needs more road to come to a stop. A dealer replaces the whole master cylinder with a good one.
Every car sold in the U.S. must have a handle inside the trunk so anyone shut in there can get out. On these Kias, the trunk latch can get damaged, and when that happens the inside release will not open the trunk. That matters most if a child climbs into the trunk while playing, or if someone is ever shut inside. The car drives normally otherwise. A dealer will replace the whole trunk latch assembly for free.
Complaints owners have filed with NHTSA about the Kia RIO. These are unverified reports; better-selling years collect more.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 28 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2019 | 21 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| 2020 | 27 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2021 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Recalls and complaint record for one model year at a time: