This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
My car had a recall because of stalling issues before also again when I had this problem the fuel injector was unplugged now it stalls all the time engine check light comes on had a airflow sensor light changed and it is still stalling even more check engine light comes on but goes off before I can get it checked and so I am getting nowhere and I am scared too death off having a accident because of this issue I think this is a real safety issue it is a 2001 Kia Rio can you help me I have contacted Kia already.
Two years ago when trying to get into my 2001 Rio the drivers side door lock stuck. I took it to the dealership and waited 2 weeks for the replacement part. Now I am having the same problem with my passenger door. Car is no longer under warranty, so I am unable to use my passenger side door. Also car stalls when it rains and shakes really bad when it does run. I have to get a ride when it rains, interior lights don't work, bumper has come loose....continual problems with spark plugs, and leaks oil.
01 Rio is a lemon & safety hazard. Many major repairs done including the timing belt & valves rebuilt, new cooling system, both control arms & boots. Wheel defect recently recalled caused excess wear/ tear on control arms, boots, alignment, tires, costing thousands of avoidable repairs. Fuel intake did come lose, nearly causing an engine fire due to defective part which was recalled. It continuously misfires, engine knocks, stalls. ECM was recalled but didn't fix the problem. Replaced spark plugs & wires (3 times in 6 months), ignition coil, sensors (oxygen, knock, crankshaft, temp). It stops for a 1-2 days, then comes back. Annoying & dangerous. Also has acceleration problem. At times, it won't go over 40 mph & also accelerates by itself. Brakes have completely failed, though there's no crack in the line, no leaking fluid. The car is a complete lemon. Online, there are hundreds of similar complaints. Dealers are aware but conveniently can't seem to diagnose the problems especially misfiring. Consumers get nickel & dimed doing needless repairs that don't fix the problem. The optima had similar problems w/crankshaft pos. Sensor which was recalled, but dealer denies any relation to problems with the Rio. Another problem - lack of availability & high cost of parts. Its bait/switch to sell a car with known problems, then guess at needless repairs & sell parts at an astronomical markup. It's cheap to buy, but repair costs make it very expensive. Research shows misfiring/engine knock has also led to engine fires. Also problems with air bags. My airbag light has been on since purchased, but dealer has yet to fix it. Also door locking problems, people being locked in vehicles. My drivers door locks by itself (manual locks). In case of engine fire or accident, a lock malfunction could cause unnecessary death/injury. These are known problems with hundreds of complaints, yet Kia has done nothing to address them. The 01 Rio is a lemon and safety hazard.
2 years ago I noticed that the car does not want to start when it has not been driven for a long period of time (12 hrs). I took the engine cover off and tried to start the car with the remote starter. I noticed that there were sparks coming from the distributor and the spark plug wires. Took car in to dealer and all was done was changed spark plug wire and problem still happens. Dealer just wants to change the wire and plugs.
Vehicle was taken to dealer to be serviced four times for the check engine light. Since last inspection it could not be determined as to why the check engine light came on.
- Englewood, OH, USA
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Owner was driving at approximately 50 mph and the engine stalled. The owner lost steering and brake power this defect has happened at least 3 times and the dealer has changed the compressor. Now the vehicle is still experiencing this defect. Owner says the oil was changed every 3000 miles. Provide further details.
Problem with 2001 Kia Rio engine stalled. The engine light had come on due to overheating, and the fuel pump stopped working due to water contamination in the gas tank. The temperature went up once the fuel box was broken due to an accident which caused the radiator fuse to blow.
2001 kio Rio. Purchased car new from dealer. Shortly after purchase of vehicle it shut itself off while slowed down in traffic. After the dealer checked the car, dealer said they would have to put in a new transmission. Problem keeps occurring and dealer kept offering different reasons this is happening: Type of gas used, gas cap not completely on correctly. Numerous times we have brought it into the dealer, they keep telling us they can not find a problem with it when there obviously is.
Oil leaks at the bottom and the top of the engine. Gasket cyl head and head cover slips out. All seal from top and bottom of the car leaks. Steering shakes very bad when the ac is running. (head gasket & cam seals leaks)
I have a 2001 Kia Rio - I have had nothing but problems with it since I bought it. The engine shakes ( causing the whole car to shake ) intermittently and it does not shift into gear properly ( it is an automatic transmission ) causing the car to hesitate when I accelerate onto highways. I feel this is a real safety issue as I am afraid of getting into an accident because of this problem. I have taken it to the dealer repeatedly, even while it was actually shaking violently and they have the same answer every time...the computer does not tell them that anything is defective on the car - therefore, they can not fix it. I have asked them to replace the computer chip as it obviously is defective if it can't find anything wrong with a car that is running this poorly...but they refused to do so. It has also had other problems. The car has stalled several times for no reason as I go around a corner ( also a very dangerous problem ) and they were unable to find anything wrong on those occassions either. The airconditioning had to be totally replaced when the car was only 9 months old. The engine mounts collapsed and had to be replaced after only one year. The molding inside the car is constantly coming off. I know of 4 other Kia Rio owners who have all had similar problems with their cars and all of them have traded in the Rios at a great loss rather than put up with the continuous problems. I also want to get rid of my Rio but the value of the car is so much less than what I owe on it ( after 3 years of paying on it ) that I can not afford to do so. I have seen many other similar complaints on your website, yet Kia denies that there have been any problems with the Rio.
Vehicle fire originating from the vehicle fuel lines. As the consumer was driving, she noticed that something smelled hot in the interior of the vehicle. The consumer then turned the engine off, discovered the smoke coming out of the hood, and saw flames within the engine compartment of the vehicle that continued to grow. Prior to the fire, the consumer noticed that the vehicle decreased in power while driving and the check engine light illuminated. The consumer attempted to get the vehicle repaired the next day and the dealer couldn't get to it until the following week, and was told that driving the vehicle wouldn't harm the vehicle. (a similar occurrence of the check engine light happened a year prior to this event) the fire began in the passenger side of the engine near the bulkhead area of the two metal fuel lines that ran along the bulkhead.
Consumer is reporting premature wear of the engine mounts and a rattling noise coming from the engine area, while idling or driving. Dealer notified and had replaced them. Nlm the consumer has traded this vehicle in due to all of the mechanical problems and is requesting her money back because when she had taken the vehicle the dealer, they didn't repair the problem which was to be covered by warranty. The vehicle has no power and very poor shifting. The ABS and check engine light is on. The left front mirror is not working. The spark plugs are faulty/breaking down. The inner/outer bearing with seals on left rear and right rear-replaced, and the right rear hub assembly-replaced due to over tightening of the spindle nut. There's a noise in the tire(s) the dealer performed a recall that replaced the cooler hose.
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- Milton, VT, USA