Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest May 25, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 128 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Kia Rio submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.
Owner reports naming electrical
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
ElectricalFuel system
Filed May 25, 2007
Fire reported1 injury reported
2002 KIA RIO, PURCHASED NEW AND MAINTAINED IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE. HAD 61,000 MILES AND WHILE DRIVING, MY DAUGHTER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND AT THE SAME TIME, SMOKE WAS COMING IN THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. SHE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, STOPPED THE CAR AND REMOVED HER KEYS. THE IGNITION STARTED ON ITS OWN AND THE CAR ENGINE ERUPTED INTO FLAMES. THE CAR IS TOTALLY DESTROYED. FIRE AND HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTS WERE TAKEN AT THE SCENE AND CAR WAS TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP IN CLOVIS CA. SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE HAD TAKEN PICTURES AND BECAME INVESTIGATION. WHEN I WENT IN TO SEE THE CAR AND TAKE PICTURES, THE SERVICE TEAM WAS COMPLETELY APATHETIC AND RUDE. I MADE A CALL TO KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AND FOUND THAT THE REPORT HAD NOT BEEN SUBMITTED. THE INDIVIDUAL AT KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP AS WELL. HER CALLS WERE NOT RETURNED. MY DAUGHTER WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY AND ONLY SUFFERED FIRST DEGREE BURNS TO THE FACE, AND SMOKE INHALATION THAT EXACERBATED HER ASTHMA. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE INVESTIGATOR, THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN OVER-FILLING OF TRANSMISSION FLUID BY 1 QUART. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE SAW THE VEHICLE THE DAY AFTER, THERE WAS NO FLUID ANYWHERE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE POSSIBLY RELATED TO A RECALL, WHICH WAS SUPPOSEDLY HAD BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AT THE DEALERSHIP. *JB UPDATED 06/21/07. *JB
NHTSA ID
10191739
Incident
May 23, 2007
Mileage
61,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 22, 2007
Fire reported
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. NO POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER. THE PURCHASE DATE AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000.
NHTSA ID
10191423
Incident
May 17, 2007
Mileage
60,000 mi
Body & structureBrakesElectrical+2 more
Filed Sep 9, 2005
DT: THE CONSUMER PURCHASED TWO 2002 KIA RIOS, THE FIRST VEHICLE WAS FINE. THE OTHER VEHICLE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE AT APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES, DIED. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AT ANY CERTAIN SPEED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP OVER 14 TIMES AND THEY HAVE NOT REPLACED ANYTHING . THEY HAVE REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WILL WORK FOR AWHILE, NO SPECIFIC TIME, AND THEN DIE AGAIN. CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER ACTUALLY DROVE VEHICLE WHICH WAS LOCATED IN SOUTH CAROLINA.*AK THE VISOR WAS REPLACED. THE INTERIOR LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF, THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A PINCHED WIRE. THE LIFTGATE LATCH WAS REPLACED AND THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ADJUSTED. *JB
NHTSA ID
10131673
Incident
Jun 1, 2003
Mileage
100 mi
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Jun 6, 2005
2002 KIA RIO STALLING DURING DRIVING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY. THREE TIME COMPLIANT TO EL CAJON MAZDA KIA, FIRST TIME THEY SAID(NOTHING WRONG) 2ND (THE COMPUTER NEED REPROGRAM) TODAY AGAIN BACK TO DEALER, I AM AFRAID FOR MY SAFETY
NHTSA ID
10124375
Incident
Jun 6, 2005
Electrical
Filed Feb 28, 2004
CAR LOSES POWER. BELT CONTINUOUSLY BURNS AND SNAPS. DEALERSHIP REPLACED ENGINE, ALTERNATOR, TWO TRANSMITTIONS, 10 BELTS AND NOTHING FIXED THE PROBLEMS. I JUST GOT MY CAR BACK ON FRIDAY, TUESDAY OT BROKE AND IS NOW SITTING WORTHLESS IN MY YARD. I STILL HAVE THREE MORE YEARS OF PAYMENT ON IT. AM NOW GOING THROUGH LEMON LAW PROCESS.*AK
NHTSA ID
10059984
Incident
Feb 28, 2004
Mileage
36,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 17, 2003
Fire reported
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WAS A LOT SMOKE AND FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. *AK
NHTSA ID
10051669
Incident
Dec 17, 2003
Mileage
5,500 mi
Electrical
Filed Mar 20, 2003
DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THE DEALER HAD MY VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 DAYS. THE CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN. DEALER PLACED FOUR FUSIBLE LINKS ON LINE THAT LEADS TO FUSE #13. THE DEALER HAD SPLICED INTO WIRING HARNESS, AND THEY A DID SLOPPY JOB. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO CORRECT THIS DEFECT. MY WIFE AND FAMILY ARE NOW FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE DUE TO UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF DEFECT AND POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO US. *JB
NHTSA ID
10010816
Incident
Feb 18, 2003
Electrical
Filed Sep 15, 2002
THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED ON 9/2 AND 9/6 DUE TO THE CAR SHUTTING DOWN THEY SAID FIRST IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR AND FUEL PUMP NOW THEY SAY IT IS THE BATTERY CABLE TODAY IS THE 15TH OF SEPT. AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE THE NEW CAR I BOUGHT PLEASE HELP BEFORE IT SHUTS DOWN IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND I GET KILLED. NLM
NHTSA ID
767204
Incident
Sep 2, 2002
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own