RoadVitals

2013 Kia Rio Steering Problems

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

Data refreshed

Steering 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.
10
Latest Feb 2, 2026
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.
7%
of 153 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.
0
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 steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Kia Rio submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 steering

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

ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Feb 2, 2026

Case numberODI11697241

NHTSA ID
11715067
Incident
Jul 22, 2025
BrakesElectricalSteering
Filed Jan 15, 2026

Vehicle showed all defect warnings as described in recall #23v652 .To include loss of all hydraulic components. Your reference Claim # [XXX]. I would like to know the status of this claim as the dealer still has my vehicle and now claims needs chassis repair , even though they earlier did an undercoat of vehicle in July per another recall. The dealer now estimates the repairs at over $5800 . Since they have had vehicle over 6 months and all my quote s to repair and held because of further defects, I wonder if this is a scam to defraud people thru your recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11711183
Incident
Jul 22, 2025
AirbagsSteering
Filed Feb 14, 2021

BOUGHT CAR USED IN NOVEMBER OF 2020 FROM A USED CAR LOT MADE NOTE OF AIRBAG LIGHT ON AND NO HORN THEY SAID THEY WILL SCAN IT AND THEY DID SAID IT WAS THE CLOCK SPRING AND THEY WERE GONNA ORDER ONE. NEVER GOT IT ABOUT A MONTH LATER CALLED LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP THEY SAID MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL FOR AIRBAGS AND DID NOT FIX IT WHEN I HAD THEM LOOK AT IT. VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND CAN BE DEADLY AS I HAVE NO HORN OR AIRBAG TO PROTECT ME IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
11396175
Incident
Nov 6, 2020
Mileage
162,236 mi
AirbagsSteering
Filed Jun 26, 2020

THE CLOCK SPRING LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR IS NOW HAVING ISSUES WITH THE STEERING. I WAS TOLD BY KIA DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR MY CAR AND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SAFETY OF DRIVING SINCE IT EFFECTS THE AIRBAG. IF IT GET STOPPED I CAN GET A TICKET FOR THE LIGHT BEING ON. *TR

NHTSA ID
11331106
Incident
Jun 20, 2020
Mileage
11 mi
Steering
Filed Oct 26, 2018

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING MAKING IT VERY HARD TO STEER THE CAR AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
11142881
Incident
Oct 23, 2018
Mileage
42,500 mi
AirbagsSteering
Filed Jun 5, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (DCH KIA IN TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL IN THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ID
10993295
Incident
May 25, 2017
Mileage
85,000 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 31, 2014

MY POWER STEERING IS CUTTING IN AND OUT INTERMITTENTLY. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY A NUMBER OF INDICATOR LIGHTS TURNING ON. THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT TREATING MY ISSUE WITH ANY URGENCY, AND IS CONTENT TO HAVE ME CONTINUE DRIVING MY VEHICLE FOR 6 DAYS WHILE THE POWER STEERING HAS BEEN CUTTING IN AND OUT. I WANT TO FILE A FORMAL RECORD OF THIS ISSUE IN CASE IT CAUSES A SEVERE ACCIDENT. *JS

NHTSA ID
10669377
Incident
Dec 31, 2014
Mileage
24,800 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 13, 2014

REQUESTING THAT NHTSA PLEASE AMPLIFY AND INVESTIGATE. STEERING WHEEL ON MY KIA RIO 2010 CAR STARTED SQUEAKING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT. POWER STEERING FLUID IS NORMAL AND THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE MAY BE A CONNECTION IN REGARDS TO THE "CURRENT" RECALL IN REGARDS TO "AN IMPROPER APPLICATION OF THREAD-LOCKING ADHESIVE" THAT THE KIA SOULS HAVE. THERE IS "NUMEROUS" POSTINGS ON WEB SITES OF OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME STEERING WHEEL SOUND ISSUE. THE STEERING WHEEL SOUND, IS NOT NORMAL AND IT IS WAY TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE TO IGNORE. PLEASE PURSUE "DUE DILIGENCE" IN REGARDS TO THIS. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
10622159
Incident
Jul 1, 2014
Steering
Filed Jan 15, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE SENSOR LIGHTS FOR THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED BUT THE DEFECT WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,215.

NHTSA ID
10560124
Incident
Sep 12, 2013
Mileage
9,215 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 16, 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT END FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ABRUPTLY VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT END ALIGNMENT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME FAILURE THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

NHTSA ID
10556245
Incident
Jul 5, 2013
Mileage
100 mi

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 .