2006 Kia Rio Owner Complaints

srs light turned on and is illuminated when starting and driving the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11739941

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

This man purposely rammed my car. He saw me in the lane but came over anyway and hit my car.

NHTSA ID

11719703

Incident

Feb 22, 2026

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE FRONT CRADLE AND LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD SUSTAINED SEVERE RUSTING AND CORROSION. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER TAYLOR KIA LOCATED AT 7870 MARKET ST. YOUNGSTOWN OH 44512, TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000.*DT CONSUMER STATED DEALER HAS AGREED TO PURCHASE VEHICLE FROM THE CONSUMER SINCE FRAME IS RUSTED.*JB

NHTSA ID

11348884

Incident

Jul 12, 2020

Mileage

174,000 mi

IGNITION WONT TURN WHEN KEY IS IN TO START THE CAR.AT A STOPPED POSITION. HAPPENS WHEN YOU TRY TO START THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11341068

Incident

Jul 4, 2020

Mileage

175,000 mi

I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHERE I RENEDED TWO CARS. MY AIR BAG SID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS HYDROPLANE ON WET ROADS GOING ABOUT 55 WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES.

NHTSA ID

11288270

Incident

Dec 9, 2019

Mileage

145,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD A SEIZURE AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

11193061

Incident

Mar 26, 2019

Mileage

189,000 mi

MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. THEN WHEN I GO TO GASBUDDY, IT STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL INVOLVING THE AIRBAG ON A 2006 KIA RIO THAT WAS MADE FROM FEBRUARY 20TH 2005 TO 2007. HOWEVER MY VIN NUMBER SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. I THINK IT'S MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE THAT THERE'S A RECALL AND MY SENSOR IS ON. IF SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SENSOR OH, I WILL BE SUING KIA, AND ANYONE ELSE THAT BLATANTLY DISREGARDED MY COMPLAINT

NHTSA ID

11190978

Incident

Feb 22, 2019

THE AIRBAG LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF

NHTSA ID

11174943

Incident

Jul 11, 2018

Mileage

102,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT ON

NHTSA ID

11149519

Incident

Nov 2, 2018

Mileage

77,000 mi

BRAKE LIGHTS IN REAR CAME ON DURING DRIVING AND REMAINED ON. AFTER BECOMING AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AND REPLACEMENT OF THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH WHICH DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE, AND AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION THE PROBLEM WAS A DESIGN DEFECT. THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH HAS A "BUTTON" WHICH WHEN DEPRESSED INTERRUPTS THE FLOW OF ELECTRICITY, THERE IS AN "EAR" ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH WHEN YOUR LET OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSES THE SWITCH BUTTON AND CUTS THE CURRENT. THE PROBLEM IS THE BUTTON ON THE SWITCH IS AROUND 1/16 IN DIAMETER, AND FOR SOME STRANGE REASON KIA DRILLED A 1/4" HOLE ON THE "EAR" OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WITHIN 1/16 OF AN INCH WHERE THE SWITCH BUTTON CONTACTS THE EAR, WHICH ALLOWS ONLY 1/16 OF A INCH OF THE EAR TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL, WHICH IN THIS CASE WITH MY CAR WITH 50 THOUSAND MILES, ALLOWED THE BUTTON OF THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH TO ENTER THE HOLE IN THE EAR ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOT DEPRESS THE BUTTON ON THE SWITCH, WHICH THEN ALLOWED THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO CONSTANTLY BURN. I SUSPECT THAT NORMAL WEAR OF THE BRAKE PEDAL BUSHING ALLOWED THIS TO HAPPEN, THE STRANGE THING IS THERE IS NO REASON FOR HOLE TO BE IN THE CONTACT AREA WHERE THE EAR AND THE SWITCH BUTTON MEET. AND WITH ONLY A MINOR AMOUNT OF THE SWITCH BUTTON MAKING CONTACT AND THE REST OVER THE HOLE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL "EAR" IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THIS WOULD BE THE RESULT. I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, AND NOTICED THE SWITCH FOR THE CLUTCH PEDAL WHICH REQUIRES THE CLUTCH BE DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO START THE ENGINE, IT WAS SET UP WITH A HOLE VERY CLOSE TO WHERE THE SWITCH BUTTON MAKES CONTACT. THE ABOVE HAPPENED WHILE WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK.

NHTSA ID

11112032

Incident

Jul 16, 2018

Mileage

55,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, AN UNKNOWN NISSAN VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER WAS NOT INJURED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE ROTATOR CUFF AND WAS PROVIDED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (SOUTHWEST KIA LOCATED AT 39650 LYNDON B JOHNSON FWY DALLAS, TX 75237 877-363-9542), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED DUE TO DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,486.

NHTSA ID

11003958

Incident

Feb 1, 2008

Mileage

115,486 mi

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR WENT OUT AT 170000 MILES AND THEY REPLACED IT FREE. NOW THE SAME SENSOR WENT OUT AT 70000 MILES AND THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WON'T REPLACE IT FOR FREE. THE SAME SENSOR SHOULDN'T GO OUT TWICE IN 10 YEARS. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SENSORS. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS WORK IF ONE SENSOR IF BROKEN. THE REPAIRS WOULD BE ABOUT $2000 AND WE DON'T FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY IF KIA HAS A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10926233

Incident

Nov 4, 2016

I HAVE A 2006 KIA RIO . THE OCCUPANT AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THIS WAS FIX LONG TIME AGO. THIS NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN . DOES KIA STILL HONOR THERE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND FIX MY CAR? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10863410

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

32,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10823470

Incident

Jan 19, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

NHTSA ID

10735490

Incident

Mar 10, 2015

Mileage

98,000 mi

KIA SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR TO THE SRS AIR BAG SYSTEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY PERFORMED THE RECALL WORK, BUT THE "AIR BAG" LAMP CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. ON FURTHER INSPECTION THEY TOLD ME THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT AT $800 WITH LABOR. THE MODULE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL, NOR BY THE EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER AT THE TIME THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT AND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED WITH NHTSA. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AND AFFECTED VEHICLES SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO OWNERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678313

Incident

Jun 3, 2013

Mileage

51,660 mi

I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AFTER THE AIRBAG WAS REPAIRED AFTER THE RECALL IN 2012. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. MY BOYFRIEND AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT EVER SIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BOTH WEIGH MORE THEN THE NECESSARY WEIGHT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN TWICE BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY THE AIRBAGS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND THIS TIME THEY KEPT IT FOR THE WEEK AND WERE ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT TO STAY ON. THEY NOW CLAIM THAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE SEAT AND IT WILL COST ALMOST $800. I FEEL THAT ANOTHER RECALL IS NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651557

Incident

Oct 11, 2014

NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET BUT MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. GARAGE SAYS IT'S A DEALER ISSUE, HOWEVER I AM UNABLE TO PAY FOR IT NOR SHOULD I. *TR

NHTSA ID

10643261

Incident

Aug 12, 2014

WHEN I MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE BELL RING AND IT STAY ON I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS IN THE DOOR THE RIGHT TURN OR STEER WHEEL COLUMN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10583900

Incident

Apr 17, 2014

Mileage

20,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN MY 2006 KIA RIO. ( NEVER BEEN IN ANY AUTO ACCIDENT OR HAD FRONT END DAMAGE) WHEN MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON.AS TO THIS COMPLAINT. KIA STATED IT IS APPROXIMATELY $ 400.00 TO $ 800.00 DOLLARS OUT OF CONSUMERS POCKETS TO FIX. I FEEL KIA CORP. SHOULD COVER THIS PART SINCE ITS A SAFETY ISSUE. OR AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY AND THERE IS ANOTHER CASE LIKE GM . LET'S GET ON THIS MAJOR ISSUE AND RECALL ALL KIA S.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10577020

Incident

Feb 22, 2014

Mileage

78,000 mi

MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON. DID NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF ACCIDENT. HAD IT LOOKED AT BY MECHANIC. MECHANIC STATED THE CRASH SENSOR WAD BAD. KIA PART ONLY. CALLED KIA THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AROUND $487.00TO REPLACE IT. AS A SAFETY FEATURE , THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT FREE. NOW MY AIRBAGS WON'T DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. I'LL NEVER BUY A KIA AGAIN. THEY NEED TO FIX THE CRAPPY SAFETY PARTS THEY USE FOR FREE. AS A PARAMEDIC, AIRBAGS SAVE LIVES. THEY NEED TO FIX THIS ISSUE FREE. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ONLINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562766

Incident

Feb 19, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND ANOTHER VEHICLE MERGED INTO MY LANE. I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THE VEHICLE BUT TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND HIT THEIR REAR END WITH MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT BUT MY FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY KNEE JAMMED UNDER THE WHEEL. THE IMPACT KNOCKED MY CAR INTO NEUTRAL BUT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE EMTS WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE VERY SURPRISED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SAID THEY THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN 2007 AND HAD NEVER BEEN WRECKED, SO I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10562360

Incident

Nov 5, 2013

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,304.

NHTSA ID

10504627

Incident

Mar 26, 2013

Mileage

94,304 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. A LOCAL MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE BELT TENSIONER BENT AND CAUSED THE BELT TO SEPARATE FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

NHTSA ID

10458850

Incident

May 11, 2012

Mileage

65,000 mi

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, I HAVE A 2006 KIA RIO LX AND AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. MY FATHER ALSO HAS THE EXACT SAME CAR AND IT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. AFTER REVIEWING CONSUMER REPORTS ON THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED THAT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE AND IT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. I NOTICED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE KIA OPTIMA AIRBAGS FOR THAT YEAR BUT NOT FOR THE RIO LX. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND GET BACK TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10457659

Incident

Oct 12, 2009

Mileage

60,000 mi