2005 Kia RIO: complaints, problems and recalls

CAR STALLING, 15 MPG SHOULD GET 35MPG, RPM AT 3.5 GOING 65 MPH TOO HIGH, NO POWER. PURCHASED THE VEHICLE SATUDAY JULY 16, 2005 AND IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SINCE JULY 18, 2005. VEHICLE ONLY HAD 24 MILES WHEN PURCHASED BRAND NEW AT CHESROWN KIA IN COLUMBUS OHIO.. WASN'T INFORMED THAT THE CAR HAD ISSUES BEFORE PURCHASING IT.IT HAD WORK DONE TO IT BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. WHEN I GAVE THEM THE CONCERN AFTER TEST DRIVING IT THEY SAID IT WAS THE WAY I WAS DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE IT WAS A STICK SHIFT. ASSURED ME IT WAS A GREAT CAR. IT HAS BEEN BACK AT THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10129945 at NHTSA ↗

BOUGHT NEW CAR CHILD SAFETY LOCKS FAILED. DRIVER DOOR JAMMED CLOSED COULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THE DEALER MADE ME DRIVE WITH THE PROBLEM FOR THREE WEEKS BEFORE THEY WOULD EVEN LOOK AT IT. THAN TOOK A WEEK AND A HALF TO FIX IT. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 10,306 miles reported. Look up ODI 10132113 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA RIO SENCO. THE VEHICLE WILL STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. ALSO, THE CONTACT WAS THINKING ABOUT THE LEMON LAW. ON JULY 30, 2005 THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AT 65 MPH . THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, STEERING LOCKED, AND VEHICLE WAS IN THE PATH OF A TRACTOR TRAILER. THE CONTACT PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 1, 2005 AND AGAIN ON AUGUST 3, 2005 THE VEHICLE WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP,WHO REPLACED THE COMPUTER CHIP. THE VEHICLE FAILED THREE TIMES. THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10132647 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CALLER SAID THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER WHEN ACCELERATING. HEIT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATES FROM A STANDSTILL. NO LIGHTS COME ON TO LET HIM KNOW THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. VEHICLE DOES IT AFTER IT WARNS UP. HE SAID THE MORE HE DRIVES IT THE WORSE IT GETS. HTHE VEHICLE STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND WITH NO WARNING. HE HAS TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, AND IT WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER SAID IT NEEDSEDTO BE DUPLICATED BY AN AU…

Owner-reported narrative. 40 miles reported. Look up ODI 10134084 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THEN AGAIN AT A STOP SIGN WITH HER FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL WITH THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE GEAR SHIFTED INT NEUTRAL. THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS IN THE PARKING LOT. THE GEAR SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN A RAIN STORM THE VEHICLE MADE A NOISE AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CONSUMER PULLED OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, BACKED UP AND IT WORKED FINE. THE VEHICLE HAD 340…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140625 at NHTSA ↗

AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE PRESENT. VEHICLE IN QUESTION IS A 2005 BRAND NEW KIA RIO [XXX]. MYSELF & DAUGHTER WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON DEC 3RD 2005, WE RAN OVER A TIRE TREAD ON THE HIGHWAY, PROCEEDED MAYBE 1/2 A MILE & THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS FROM OUT OF NOWHERE. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP, IT TOOK THEM A WEEK TO DETERMINE THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WHICH IS AN OBVIOUS DEFECT. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER & TECHNICIANS THAT THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE VEHICLE & AIRBAG SHO…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10145062 at NHTSA ↗

AT ABOUT 5,000 MILES OR MAYBE EVEN SOONER I BEGAN TO DETECT AND HEAR SOMETHING THAT SOUNDED AND ACTED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION. EACH TIME TAKING VEHICLE FOR OIL CHANGE I TOLD THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION. IT JUMPED IN 2ND GEAR WHILE IN REVERSE. THEY FORGOT EACH TIME, AND DUE TO THE FACT THAT MY APPOINTMENT WAS EITHER CANCELLED OR NO OIL CHANGE PERSON WAS THERE WHEN I TOOK VEHICLE AT SCHEDULED TIME, IT WENT UNRESOLVED UNTIL THE OIL CHANGE ON JANUARY '6, 2006. DURING THE JANUARY 6, 2006 OIL CHANGE THE MECHANIC SAID…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10148544 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE HAVE BEEN MAKING LOUD SCREECHING NOISES EVERY TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT 10MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER FOR REPAIR WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE DISCS WERE SLIGHTLY OFF CENTER. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE NOISE CONTINUED. THE DEALER WAS CONSULTED AGAIN, AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10152111 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-12-12 (December 12, 2005)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, 'CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS.' CERTAIN CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORS WILL NOT FULLY LATCH ONTO THE LOWER LATCH ANCHORS LOCATED BETWEEN THE REAR SEAT BACK AND REAR SEAT CUSHION BECAUSE OF INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHILD SEAT ANCHORS AND A METAL WIRE LOCATED IN THE FRAME OF THE REAR SEAT BACK. UNTIL THE RECALL REPAIR IS COMPLETED, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED BY YOUR CHILD SEATS MANUFACTURER ON HOW TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE CHILD SEAT WITH YOUR VEHICLE'S REAR SAFETY BELTS RATHER THAN USING THE LATCH SYSTEM.

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, IF THE CHILD SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER ANCHORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.