Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Kia Rio submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 53 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 53, in the owner's own words
PARKED CAR AT WORK CAME BACK OUT AND THE DOOR LOCK WAS DOWN TRIED TO PULL UP BUT IS STUCK OR CAUGHT ON SOMETHING. THE WAY THE SCREWS ARE IN THE DOOR 2 OF THEM CANNOT BE TAKEN OUT WITHOUT HAVING THE DOOR OPEN. WITH LONG LEGS ITS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET IN AND OUT OF VEHICLE!!! ALSO TROUBLE WITH THE ENGINE MISFIRING OF SPARKPLUG WITH SOME LOSS OF POWER. *TR
ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ONE RECALL NOTICE FROM KIA OR THE DEALER, ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2007, MY 2001 KIA RIO (WHICH WE BOUGHT NEW IN 1/2001) ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE CAR ENGINE HAD WARMED UP, AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH AND CHUG. IT STALLED AT A LIGHT AND RESTARTED WHEN I TURNED THE KEY. I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AND IT REVVED TO A HIGHER GEAR AND LUNGED FORWARD THEN IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STALL IN THE INTERSECTION. I NURSED THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. IT WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE THE CODE CLAIMED AN O2 CENSOR WAS BAD. WHAT WAS FOUND WAS A PLUG MISSING FROM A PANEL AREA (?). THOUGHT CAR WAS FIXED. WENT TO DRIVE IT HOME AND AGAIN THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM ONLY THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON, MY ONLY INDICATION OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE ATTEMPT AT STALLING AGAIN! THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP. SAME SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS ONLY NO WARNING ENGINE LIGHT. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING DANGER SINCE IT HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING AND KIA HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY US OF ANY RECALL NOTICES THEY HAVE ISSUED CONCERNING OUR VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD OUR ADDRESS FROM US PAYING THEM FOR THE CAR NOTE EACH MONTH! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THEIR LACK OF NOTICE TO OWNERS AND WARM ENGINE STALLING PROBLEMS. I HAVE NO WAY OF GETTING THE CAR TO A DEALER SINCE IT WILL NOT STAY RUNNING! *TR
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. *TR
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. *JB
2001 KIA RIO WITH ENGINE FAILURE**NAR**CC *JB
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. *JB
PURCHASED CAR, 2001 KIA RIO, IN OCTOBER OF 2000. WITHIN A FEW DAYS AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A ONE YEAR PERIOD AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR AT LEAST FOUR TIMES. RECALL WAS RECEIVED FOR FUEL SYSTEM. THIS WAS REPLACED WITHOUT PROBLEM. NEXT PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH WHEELS, WHICH WAS ALSO A RECALL. I HAD TO ORDER THE WHEELS WHICH TOOK AT LEAST A MONTH TO COME IN LEAVING ME TO DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK, 65 MILES EACH WAY, ON VIOLENTLY VIBRATING WHEELS. WHEELS WERE FINALLY REPLACED. PROBLEM OCCURRED IN WINTER 2005 WITH DOOR LATCH. DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD LOCK AND STAY LOCKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ORIGINAL DEALER FOR REPAIR ONLY TO HAVE OLD PART REPAIRED WHILE BEING CHARGED FOR NEW PART AND LABOR. WITHIN A FEW DAYS, DOOR LATCH FAILED AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO ORDERED NEW PART. IN THE MEANTIME I WAITED FOR PART TO ARRIVE, AND DROVE AROUND IN A CAR WHOSE DOOR DIDN'T LOCK, LEAVING MY CAR PREY TO THIEVES, WHO STOLE THINGS CONSTANTLY FROM ME. FINALLY THIS WAS FIXED BUT, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK DID THE SAME THING. I LOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX IT SINCE MY WARRANTY WAS UP AND TO FIX IT WOULD COST ME $700 OR MORE. I'VE ALSO NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STALLING IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM. EXAMPLE: I STOP TO GET GAS, START THE CAR AND TURN OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR SHUTS DOWN. DURING THE WINTER OF 2005 WHILE WAITING FOR DOOR LOCKS TO COME IN, MY DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT. THIS WAS REPAIRED BUT SUBSEQUENTLY THE NEXT DAY AFTER REPAIR WHILE DRIVING INTO WORK, WHEEL BEARING LITERALLY CRUMBLED. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT AN OLD PART WAS MISTAKENLY PUT BACK ON THE CAR. THIS WAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW PART. THESE ARE ALL SAFETY AND QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES. *JB
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SELDOM GOES OFF. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM, LIGHT WENT BACK ON IN LESS THAN 100 MILES AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP. SAME THING HAPPENED LAST TIME I TOOK IT IN. *NM
(1) THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE ENGINE FAILURE (2) FOR NO REASON WHAT SO EVER, THE ENGINE JUST SEIZED WHILE I WAS SITTING AT A STOP SIGN. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL AND WATER IN THE ENGINE. ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED. I AM NOW BEING TOLD I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. I AM 14,000 MILES OVER THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY. I HAVEN'T EVEN OWNED THIS CARE AN ENTIRE YEAR. *JB
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. *JB
DT: THE CALLER SAID THE DEALER MADE NEW HOLES IN THE FRAME TO PUT THE BOLTS IN. THE DEALER CUT THE FRAME TO PUT SMALLER BOLTS AND NUTS IN. ANOTHER DEALER SAID DOING THAT RUINED THE INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME. ALSO, THERE WAS AN EXHAUST LEAK INTO THE VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION BRACKET WAS BENT AND IT WOULD NOT HOLD THE TRANSMISSION IN PLACE. WHEN THE DEALER FIXED IT THE BOLTS FELL OUT. THE CALLER HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON CONSTANTLY. VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE LIGHT ON. DEALER SAID IT WILL PASS INSPECTION WITH THE LIGHT ON. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP THE CALLER BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CALLER SAID FUSES BLEW OUT. HE REPLACED THE FUSES OVER 200 TIMES. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS,HEADLIGHTS AND OTHER EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT. *AK
DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2001 KIA RIO AND IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE CONSUMER SMELLED AN ODOR COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. SHE HAS REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THE HANGER UNDER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM BROKE AND NOW THERE IS A NOISE. IT WAS WELDED BACK TOGETHER THREE TIMES AND IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN. *JB
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.*AK
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. *NM
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT TURNED ON AND OFF MUTIPLE TIMES WITHIN THE YEAR. ENGINE FINALLY NO LONGER OPERATED. *AK
THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT FLUID WAS LEAKING FLUID FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME. PLEASE PROVIDED FURTHER DETAILS. *NM
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD CLINKING SOUND COMING FROM THE TRUNK AREA. CONSUMER THOUGHT THAT HE WAS HIT. HOWEVER, WHEN TURNING AROUND TO PROCEED, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE STARTER WAS GONE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *JB
PROBLEM WITH 2001 KIA RIO ENGINE STALLED. *MR 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. *SC *JB
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. *JB
I HAVE HAD MY KIA FOR 3 YEARS NOW (BOUGHT ON APRIL 24,2001), AFTER ONLY HAVING IT ONE YEAR(APRIL 25, 2002) MY TWO FRONT TIRES WERE SHREDDED ALL THE WAY TO THE METAL. THE DEALER SAID THAT MY TIRES WERE ONLY COVERED FOR A YEAR SO I HAD TO REPLACE THEM, COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE ALIGNMENT THAT SHOWED NO SIGN OF BEING OFF. RIGHT AFTER THAT THE COOLING FAN SHORTED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SMOKE AND THE CAR TO BE IN THE SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS BECAUSE KIA COULDN'T ORDER THE RIGHT PART. SOON AFTER THAT BOTH OF MY SUNVISORS BROKE TO THE POINT THEY ARE NOT USABLE. KIA TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE $35 EACH TO REPLACE, NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. MY ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN FIXED 4 TIMES IN 3 YEARS WITH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THE SHIFTER ( AUTOMATIC) HAS GONE OUT TWICE. ONCE RESULTING IN KIA HAVING TO REPLACE THE WHOLE SHIFTER. THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY VIBRATING, REALLY BAD WHEN A/C IS ON. THE BRAKES HAVE ALWAYS MADE NOISE AND OCCASIONALLY "STICK" DEALER SAID THERE MAY BE A RECALL COMING OUT, THAT WAS 3 YEARS AGO, HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING YET. *JB
CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED. ALSO, A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *AK
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME AND THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO IN TO OVERDRIVE. *PH EVEN AFTER THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPROGRAMMED, THE VEHCILE CONTINUED TO STALL. *PH
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)
THE CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND LEFT THE ENGINE RUNNING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO FIND THE VEHICLE ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
CHRISTMAS DAY, 2003 IMMEDIATE AND ENGULFING ENGINE FIRE WHILE MY CAR WAS IDLING FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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