2007 Kia RIO: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT. THE KIA DEALER HAS PERFORMED FOUR ALIGNMENTS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THERE MAY BE FAILURE WITH THE TIRES. THE TIRES WERE CHECKED AND NO FAILURES WERE DETECTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 4,080 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10190379 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED PERMANENTLY. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE INTERMITTENTLY AND BEGAN TO HAVE A CHEMICAL BURN SMELL 30 DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS A COMPUTER GLITCH, BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 1,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80. RETURNED USPS, 2ND ATTEMPT MADE 06/08/07 FAILED . *LJ

Owner-reported narrative. 80 miles reported. Look up ODI 10190818 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS THEN RETRIEVED BY KIA. AS OF OCTOBER 1, 2007, THE CAUSE OF FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE FOR THE ENGINE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 84,600.

Owner-reported narrative. 84,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10204570 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 AT 70 MPH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE INTO 3RD GEAR. THE SUDDEN SURGE ALMOST SENT ME INTO THE MEDIAN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR UNIT TWICE AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. DEALER KEPT OLD PARTS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 15,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206032 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH DOWNHILL, THE BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45-47 MPH WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR DURING A SUDDEN STOP, THE VEHICLE FISHTAILS OR SLIDES. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH HER CHILDREN ON BOARD. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,455.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,455 miles reported. Look up ODI 10211578 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. WHENEVER THE CONTACT STARTS THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS. SHE ALSO SMELLS GAS, WHICH REMAINS PRESENT AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS AND CLEANED THE TOP OF THE ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,267 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242857 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES MANY TIMES, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. FINALLY, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF HIS VEHICLE SUSTAINED OVER $5,000 IN DAMAGES. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DID NOT WORK. THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243041 at NHTSA ↗

ON OCTOBER 8, 2008. I WAS INVOLVED IN A MAJOR FOUR CAR ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED IN MY VEHICLE. MY CAR WILL NOT BE REPAIRABLE IT WILL BE A TOTAL LOSS VEHICLE. IT WAS A 2007 KIA RIO, AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 36,505 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245113 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2012-05-31 (May 31, 2012)

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.

Consequence: 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.