RoadVitals

2006 Kia Rio Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine 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 Mar 26, 2013
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.
11%
of 74 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

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 2006 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 engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Mar 26, 2013

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
Engine
Filed May 17, 2012

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
Engine
Filed Jul 17, 2011

ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON...DEALER HAS DONE NOTHING TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM EXCEPT UNPLUG BATTERY AND PLUG IT BACK IN. LIGHT STILL COMES ON. MILEAGE PER GALLON IS VERY POOR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10413180
Incident
Jan 1, 2011
Mileage
36,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 7, 2010
Crash reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER ALMOST REAR ENDED HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED, IT WOULD ONLY COAST VERY SLOWLY. THE FAILURE HAPPENED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP WAS RUDE AND WAS BANGING HIS FIST ON THE COUNTER. SHE STATED THAT SHE FELT VERY INTIMIDATED BY THE ORDEAL. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 74,000. UPDATED 01/12/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OF OWNING OF THE VEHICLE SHE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALSO, THE RADIO/CD PLAYER DID NOT WORK, AND THE SHIFTER LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 04/15/11

NHTSA ID
10354151
Incident
Jun 1, 2008
Mileage
74,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed May 8, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL UPON DECELERATING AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. TYPICALLY, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE ABNORMALLY WHEN IN FIFTH GEAR WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-60 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND THE FUEL PUMP, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SHORTLY AFTER THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY REMEDIED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANAGER OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A RESPONSE REGARDING THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 43,997.

NHTSA ID
10268196
Incident
Mar 8, 2009
Mileage
42,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Jan 14, 2008

THE 2006 KIA RIO WHICH I BOUGHT AT KIA MOTORSPORT IN TALLAHASSEE, FL LAST YEAR IS BEING RETURNED FOR WARRANTY SERVICE FOR 3RD TIME IN 18000 MI. ALL 3 TIMES HAD TO DO WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND PRECEDING A BREAKDOWN. THE 1ST TIME WAS DUE TO AN UNKNOWN FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEM. THE LIGHT WAS RESET, AND 100 MILES LATER IT OCCURRED AGAIN AND THE KIA SAID THERE WAS A BULLETIN MANDATING REPLACEMENT OF INJECTORS AND INTAKE MANIFOLD. 3D TIME TODAY, CE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I WAS 23 MI FORM HOME. DECIDED TO DRIVE IT HOME AS IT WAS STILL RUNNING OK. AT ABOUT 20 MI, IT LOST POWER OVERHEATED AND DIED. WHEN THE CE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH I KEW THE PROBLEM WAS SEVERE BUT IT ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY DIED. THE ROW DRIVE TOLD ME THERE WAS A LOSS OF COMPRESSION, POSSIBLY A BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR CRACKED HEAD, OR BLOCK. CAR IS BEING TOWED TO DEALER ON 1/14/08. D*TR

NHTSA ID
10214690
Incident
Jan 13, 2008
Mileage
18,800 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 27, 2006

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE EVERYTHING TURNS OFF IN CAR AND JERKS AND STARTS HEADING TOWARDS THE RIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE ON HIGHWAY 395 AND ONCE ON INTERSTATE 15. ALSO WHILE THE CAR IS IN A DRIVE THROUGH THE CAR HAS STALLED MORE THAN TWICE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10171998
Incident
Sep 18, 2006
Mileage
3,098 mi
Heating & air conditioningEngine
Filed Jul 19, 2006

CONSUMER 2006 KIA RIO AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS HOT AIR, HEAVY WHITE SMOKE COMES FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD. *TS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE RADIATOR CAP WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10163708
Incident
Jul 11, 2006

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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .