2002 Kia RIO CINCO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
21 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
56,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 13 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 21 complaints (14.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 4 | 19.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 14.3% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 14.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 9.5% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 4.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery | 2 |
| Power Train:Clutch Assembly | 2 |
Electrical System: 3; Air Bags: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor: 2; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery: 2; Power Train:Clutch Assembly: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 2 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 6 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 8 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 7 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
2004: 7; 2005: 6; 2006: 4; 2007: 3; 2012: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10072654 · 2004-05-15 (May 15, 2004)
I HAVE HAD MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION KIA RIO CINCO BACK TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES SINCE ITS PURCHASE (07/02) FOR THE SAME REASON. THE CLUTCH IN THIS CAR DOES NOT SEEM STRONG ENOUGH TO WORK. I DRIVE APROX 60 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK, AND RARELY USE THE CLUTCH. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS ALL MY LIFE, AND MY OCCUPATION IS A TRUCK DRIVER. THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN COMPLETLY REPLACED 2 TIMES (APROX. EVERY 30,000 MILES) AND THE DEALER HAS ACTUALLY TOLD ME ITS NORMAL FOR THE CLUTCH TO SLIP. THE CAR NOW HAS 75,000 MILES ON IT (PAST THE 60,000 MILE BUMPE…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072654 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10079270 · 2004-07-04 (July 4, 2004)
VEHICLES STALLS AFTER MOVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. VEHICLE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THE PROBLEM AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING. CAR HAS BEEN OWNED FOR A YEAR AND HAS BEEN SERVICED TOO MANY TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SINCE THE RECALL AS IF IT WERE NEVER FIXED. DEALER WANTS TO EXCHANGE THE CAR AT MY EXPENSE FOR THE PROBLEM. HOW IS THIS FAIR???? THEN THE CAR WILL BE PUT BACK ON THE MARKET FOR SOME OTHER SUCKER TO PURCHASE. SOME THING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND FOR THE BEST INTEREST IT SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN, WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10079270 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090536 · 2004-09-07 (September 7, 2004)
THIS VEHICLE HAS A HAZARDOUS STALLING PROBLEM THAT SURFACED WHEN THE MILEAGE WAS BETWEEN 49,986 AND 52,281. THE PROBLEM PROGRESSED FROM INTERMITTENT TO CHRONIC. THE VEHICLE STALLS AFTER STOPPING AT STOPLIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS OR UPON RESUMING DRIVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION (STALLING HAS OCCURRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION). THE PROBLEM BECAME CHRONIC WHEN THE MILEAGE WAS BETWEEN 73,241 AND 74,727. THIS IS WHEN THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN MORE THAN 20 MILES WITHOUT STALLING. THE PROBLEM WAS MORE PRONOUNCED IF ANY PART…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10090536 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10091720 · 2004-09-09 (September 9, 2004)
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 04V179000 CONCERNING FUEL DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY. DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THIS RECALL NOTICE BECAUSE CONSUMER DID NOT PURCHASE VEHICLE FROM THEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10091720 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10092243 · 2004-09-15 (September 15, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE DRIVER TRIED CORRECT THE VEHICLE AND COME BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY , THE VEHICLE ALMOST CRASHED INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER. TO AVOID CRASHING INTO THE BARRIER THE DRIVER MADE A HARD TURN AND OVER CORRECTED. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE GOING OFF THE EDGE OF THE BLACK TOP INTO THE BOTTOM OF A DITCH AND ROLLED OVER 3 TIMES. UPON IMPACT NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE ROOF CAVED IN ABOUT A FOOT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BRUISES TO HIS LEFT LEG, NECK PAIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10092243 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10099320 · 2004-10-27 (October 27, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED A ROTTEN EGG ODOR COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT THE SMELL WAS HYDROGEN SULFIDE (KIA RECALL SC034). *BF THE VEHICLE ALSO EXHIBITED DRIVER'S SEAT PROBLEMS , ENGINE PROBLEMS, THE ALLOY WHEELS RUSTED AND THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES PROBLEMS. *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10099320 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10100898 · 2004-12-01 (December 1, 2004)
VEHICLE REPEATED STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING, TOOK IT TO DEALER THE REPLACED HARNESS. DURING A SUDDEN STOP VEHICLES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, TOOK IT TO DEALER CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. ONCE AGAIN CAR SHUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD HAD THE CAR TOWED SPENT 24 HRS WITH DEALER, DEALER CANNOT FIND OUT THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSTIC TEST RUN AND CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH CAR. TOOK THE CAR HOME TODAY, DEC 1, CAR SHUTS OFF AGAIN AND WILL NOT START. CAR RUNS LIKE IT WANTS TO SHUT OFF
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10100898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10106100 · 2005-01-11 (January 11, 2005)
PURCHASED A 2002 KIA RIO CINCO ON NOVEMBER 30, 2004. AFTER THREE WEEKS IT BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. MAROONE KIA PELPACED A NUMBER OF THE BRAKE COMPONENTS ADFTER DECIDING THAT THE BRAKES WERE LOCKING UP. THE DAY AFTER GETTING IT BACK THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SAY THAT IT MUST BE THE TRANSMISSION, BUT SINCE IT IDS INTERMITTEN THEY CANNOT FIX IT. THEIR ADVICE WAS TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT "TEARS UP" AND THEN THEY CAN FIX IT. MY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW USES THE VEHICLE TO TRANSPORT HER 3 MONT…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,014 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106100 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V179000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery
Reported: 2004-04-09 (April 9, 2004)
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL INTAKE NIPPLE OF THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR IS SUBJECT TO FRACTURE OR CRACKING DURING REMOVAL OF THE QUICK CONNECT COUPLING SECURING THE MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLY TO THE FUEL INTAKE NIPPLE, OR WHEN FORCE IS ACCIDENTALLY APPLIED TO THE INTAKE NIPPLE DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS OR DURING ENGINE COMPARTMENT REPAIRS.
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR AND MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN JUNE 18, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
NHTSA campaign record ↗