Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. 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. 12 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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
IT IS DIFFICULT TO ENTER THE CAR WITH THE KEY AND WHEN I PULL THE DOOR HANDLE THE LOCK DROPS DOWN TO THE CLOSE POSITION AND I CAN'T GET OUT THIS HAPPENS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE,I HAVE TO HOLD THE LOCK ON THE UP POSITION WITH A PIECE OF METAL OR LEAVE THE REAR DOORS UNLOCKED IN CASE I HAVE TO JUMP OUT..THIS CAR IS A LEMON I HAVE REPLACED SENSORS ALTERNATOR, STARTER, AC PARTS AND MANY OTHER PARTS THE ONLY THING GOOD IS THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE... *JS
BOTH DOOR LOCKS GET STUCK ON BOTH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVERS SIDE. WE HAVE HAD TO CLIMB IN THE BACK SEAT TO EXIT THE CAR. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE DEATH OR INJURY IF A FIRE AND COULD NOT EXIT THE CAR. *TR
FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK IN 2004. REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP AT COST TO ME OF $300. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK IN 2007. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS RARELY USED AS THERE IS ONLY ONE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. *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
I OWN A 2001 KIA RIO, I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR, THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH ANY OF THEM. I NO LONGER HAVE USE OF MY FRONT DOORS AND HAVE TO CLIMB THROUGH THE BACK DOOR TO GET INTO THE CAR. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK KEEP DEFRAYING AND ARE NOT SAFE. AND THE SEAT HAS METAL IN IT THAT HAS CUT THROUGH THE FABRIC ON THE SEATS. *NM
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
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
THE FIRST TIME I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR AND THOUGHT IT WAS EITHER MY BRAKES OR A PVC BOOT GOING OUT ON MY CAR. DECEMBER 4, 2003. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND MY WHEEL-RIM WAS SERIOUSLY CRACKED. IT WAS CRACKED ALMOST THE ENTIRE WAY AROUND JUST ABUT AN INCH FROM THE HOLES FOR THE LUGS. IF IT WOULD HAVE BROKE COMPLETELY WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM ARIZONA TO FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, MY PASSENGER AND I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I DO TAKE AROUND 6-8 LONG DISTANCE TRIPS PER YEAR. WE WERE LUCKY. THE WHEEL-RIM WAS REPLACED WITH ONE PURCHASED FROM A USED AUTO PARTS GARAGE. THE SECOND TIME THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WAS JULY 1, 2004 ON THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. AGAIN I HEARD THE NOISE AND THOUGHT OF OTHER POSSIBLE PROBLEMS, BUT WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED WHEN THE TIRE REPAIRMAN CHECKED AND TOLD ME THAT I HAD A CRACK IN MY RIM. I CALLED SEVERAL KIA DEALERS, ONE NEVER RETURNED MY CALL AND THE OTHER SAID THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL BEING DONE FOR THAT PROBLEM. I THEN WENT TO A USED AUTO PARTS STORE AN PURCHASED ANOTHER RIM AND HAD IT REPLACED AT THE TIRE REPAIR SHOP WHERE I DO BUSINESS. AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT I WENT BACK AND BOUGHT A SPARE RIM JUST IN CASE THIS PROBLEM SHOULD ARISE AGAIN. THIS TIME I KEPT THE BROKEN RIM. ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE IS THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR WON'T UNLOCK AS IT HAS COME APART INSIDE THE DOOR. THE INSIDE DOOR PANEL WILL HAVE TO BE TAKEN OFF TO GET TO THE INSIDE IT TO REPAIR IT. THESE ARE PROBLEMS WHICH I FEEL SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALERS BUT OF COURSE ARE NOT BEING DONE.
CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO ENTER THE VEHICLE BY USING THE KEY. WHEN THE CONSUMER ENTERED VEHICLE FROM THE UNLOCKED BACK DOOR IT WAS STILL NOT POSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOORS FROM INSIDE. *AK
WHILE TRYING TO GET OUT OF A PARKING SPACE STEERING WHEEL MADE A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN EVER TURNING STEERING WHEEL REAL HARD. TOOK TO DEALER. DEALER REPLACED BALL JOINT AND HUB. NEXT MORNING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, STEERING CAME LOOSE. BALL JOINT AND HUB DISINTEGRATED. *AK TAPE PLAYER INOPERATVE. VEHICLE RUNS ROUGH IN MORNINGS. TRUNK HARD TO UNLOCK, DEALER REPLACED TRUNK LOCK. RIGHT REAR DOOR LOCK STUCK. RATTLE WAS PRESENT DUE TO DASH RUBBING AGAINST CARRIER FRAME, DEALER ADDED INSULATION, NOISE CEASED. *SLC
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH FRONT HOOD THAT COVERS MOTOR AND ENGINE FLEW UP AND BUSTED FRONT WINDOW. CONSUMER AND FAMILY FELT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.*AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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