2020 Kia Rio Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while coming to a stoplight, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle did not need to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer that the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 28,000.

NHTSA ID

11725043

Incident

Mar 17, 2026

Mileage

28,000 mi

Upon stopping at a red light and or stop sign, when applying brakes, the car continues to move forward, even after pumping the brakes. Vehicle has been diagnosed by a certified auto mechanic. The findings and recommendation for the Brake Master Cylinder to be the reason the vehicle continues to creep forward, when brake are applied and held. This issue has on two separate occasions near collision, because the vehicle wouldn't stop.

NHTSA ID

11690648

Incident

Sep 13, 2025

I was driving up a hill and it would not go past 20-30 mph, and the rpm will sometimes go up when not accelerating. The transmission does not shift when driving and will sometimes make the car stop and go stop and go continuously. Tried accelerating but the rpm would go up while the mph would not.

NHTSA ID

11665742

Incident

May 26, 2025

I went into a rural King store to shop when I came back out my car was completely filled with smoke. I opened the front passengerdoor and the smoke hit me in the face it was so thick and green it was just it took my breath. It took me 10 minutes to locate what had happened and down on the door frame of the passenger side of the front seat where the wiring is there was a whole melted all the way through that panel and you could see the wiring was exposed so I assume that the wiring had caught on fire. I'm not sure about this it has been looked at and it is at Jeff Wilder Toyota in Clarksville Indiana. They want me to pay $1,000 deductible for this but I feel like if it was a wiring issue key is should be responsible. I am going through a flood right now in my home and now I have to deal with that and I don't think I'm even responsible for the payment I think he is at the cover it.

NHTSA ID

11653010

Incident

Mar 2, 2025

I came out of a store last week and there was smoke inside my car and when I opened the door there was a hole down by the door frame on the passenger side that it burned all the way through to the frame of the car and now my lights are flashing on and off and sometimes a passenger headlight works sometimes the driver had light works but it's either one or the other it's doing all kinds of crazy stuff with the lights now I'm thinking it has to be in the electrical fire because it got hot enough to melt all the way through the plastic part of the bottom of my door I do have pictures

NHTSA ID

11647263

Incident

Mar 4, 2025

Recall SC223 Brake master cylinder. Rough metal edges can pinatrate Seals causing leaks poor braking functionality. NHTSA Capaign ID# 21V936000. Nov.30th.2021, 87 vehicles effected. Clay Cooley kia refused to honor the recall and fix the problem with my vehicle on 10/25/2024. Recall on the catalytic converters. Recall SC176 , Carbon monoxide poisoning due to exhaust systems malfunctioning and exhaust coming through the AC system. When I took my 2020 Rio S to Vanguard Kia Arlington Texas. Vanguard kia refused to honor the recall because my vehicle had over 80,000 miles and that's why Vanguard Kia service advisors wouldn't replace the catalytic converters. Or Vanguard kia would have replaced them! Even though it was a Safety issue. My wife and I recently was admitted to Parkland hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning levels of tests taken at the hospital blood gas tests were above level 9 for carbon monoxide poisoning. My level was 13. So now we're having to drive our 2020 rio s with the windows down and the ac vents closed. To keep from getting carbon monoxide poisoning again!! Please help us get these 2 SAFETY RECALL ISSUES FIXED. We cannot afford it out of pocket. Kia Should honor their recalls. vehicle owners.

NHTSA ID

11622150

Incident

Oct 8, 2024

When I first purchased the car less than 90 days the engine light came on rook back to the dealership and notified Kia they didn't know why the engine light came on they said just drive it then I later told then engine light came on again and it act to over heat they said they had no signs when they did a diagnostic test they. I reported when the ac is on the engine light comes on and the car hesitates as if to stall they still saying they see nothing to indicate any problems there is problems also the back up camera stopped working the Kia customer service representative suggested to take it to another dealership the car has been to 2 different dealerships Langdale Kia Valdosta Georgia and Roundtree Moore Lake city Florida

NHTSA ID

11545350

Incident

Jul 5, 2023

I believe my Kia Rio S falls victim to the recall 2020 Kia Rio models have faced. Brake performance has been severely degraded on my vehicle over the past few weeks despite doing all recommended maintenance. When I first got my 2020 Kia Rio S I could brake with 5% pressure applied to the brakes, now it takes about 25-30% pressure and it seemingly is increasing every day. I have contacted the manufacturer and they advised me it would be a $2000 service charge minimum.

NHTSA ID

11543523

Incident

Sep 1, 2023

My vehicle driver rear window was broken, steer column and stolen case # [XXX] I also own a vin # [XXX] and [XXX] . Please contact me [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11542585

Incident

Sep 3, 2023

My car acted like it haD a dead battery. This happened once before and after about 10 minutes when I tried starting it it started with no problems. this happened a couple of months the ago. This time, as I was sitting in the car the seat belt light came on but I couldn't wait for the issue to resolve.

NHTSA ID

11537330

Incident

Aug 9, 2023

I was driving at just over 20,000 miles, when cylinder 4 decided to go out of the bottom of my engine. They had to put a completely brand new motor in my car. So, what's stopping it from doing it again. There's other cars listed in a Kia/Hyundai settlement, but the Kia Ria is not listed.

NHTSA ID

11533629

Incident

May 6, 2022

There has not been an incident yet but i don’t know who else to talk to. I am a FedEx Delivery driver and driver the largest Delivery truck made for FedEx and am fine with it ask day. However, the steering on my car is down right dangerous. My car drifts all over the road. It is ten times harder to keep my little cat on the road than my big work truck. So hard in fact that i have resorted to this. I am a good driver never even a ticket so i know how to drive. It’s not my driving please listen when i tell you something is WAY wrong with the steering or suspension or both on this vehicle. Just drive one and you will see very quickly what i am saying i promise!

NHTSA ID

11521447

Incident

May 1, 2023

The Passenger Headlight has water inside it, and water vapor. The connections for the light blubs is corroding.

NHTSA ID

11486648

Incident

May 2, 2022

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Rio. The contact stated the vehicle was parked at her residence, when entering inside the cab, she noticed the gear shaft was melted. The contact stated she did not visibly see fire. The police did come to her residence and informed the cause of the fire was an electronic failure but they do not file any fire reports. The contact did not contact the fire department. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to a local dealer and was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed back to her residence. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11464361

Incident

May 2, 2022

Yes my son bought this car last year I have been checking since January there has still been no recalls on his particular car he was in a car accident and unfortunately him and his passengers were all killed. I have contacted an attorney who has sent an inspector they said initial look it look like something to do with a rod in the engine and it catching fire but from other things it’s possible he could’ve had other problems dealing with the brakes the emergency assistance. So they think possible electrical and what else they have not said. They are getting with Kia to get his car moved there so they can have one of their people take it apart to preserve evidence to find out which or if many of the recalls had happened to his more happened to his car

NHTSA ID

11462852

Incident

Jan 15, 2022

marker lights on the right side won't work both went off line and licence light same side is out same time and bulbs ,fuse replaced and still not working the kia service will not fix in kia of manharttan in kansas andi have 68,000 miles and they didn't offer a basic warrantty to be long when online for my my car and suppose to be under warranty for 110;00

NHTSA ID

11446245

Incident

Dec 9, 2021

Rear ended a car at 60 mph on black ice and the air bags did not deploy

NHTSA ID

11445666

Incident

Dec 27, 2021

My Kia Rio 2020 had the check engine light come on today. The engine coolant temperature gauge went all the way to the Hot mark. The car is one year old and and has 60093 miles on it. The dealership Demontrond Kia refused to repair it under warranty. I called Kia corporate and was told the same thing. This is unacceptable. My expectation is that they will repair this issue for no cost. As all maintenance has been done at the dealership. I have not noticed any fluid leaks nor have I been told when at the dealership about any fluid loss.

NHTSA ID

11426190

Incident

Jul 23, 2021

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Rio. The contact stated that he was a former service technician and that while driving and stopping at a stoplight, the traffic light turned green and the contact depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle idled and stalled for a few seconds before inadvertently accelerating and crashing into the vehicle in front. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently on several occasions. The contact attempted to take the vehicle to the local dealer to be inspected however, the dealer was unable to inspect the vehicle for a month. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,714.

NHTSA ID

11425950

Incident

Mar 3, 2021

Mileage

41,714 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Rio. The contact stated while driving through an intersection, another vehicle ran a red light and crashed into the left front passenger side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the seat belt detached from the base. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained broken teeth, a split tongue, a broken hand, a concussion, and an abdominal contusion that required medical attention. The vehicle was not drivable and was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,000.

NHTSA ID

11418755

Incident

May 25, 2021

Mileage

5,000 mi

my 2020 kia rio pulls to the left. it is not the tires the wheel alignment or the brakes. it has electronic power steering. other 2020 kia rios built after mine were fixed with a download. the car is dangerous so i drive in the right lane.

NHTSA ID

11417988

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

WHILE DRIVING, MY 2020 KIA RIO HAS STALLED WHEN ACCELERATING WHILE TURNING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TP PASS A CAR ON INTERSTATE. ALSO SEVERAL TIME WHEN JNUST DRIVING. VERY SCARY FEELING.

NHTSA ID

11395702

Incident

Feb 10, 2020

Mileage

300 mi

MY CAR WAS PARKED AT MY PLACE AFTER GETTING OUT OF IT AROUND 8:30AM. I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE AT 12PM AND THE INSIDE WAS BURNT BECAUSE A FIRE STARTED IN THE MIDDLE CONSUL.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11395163

Incident

Dec 28, 2020

Mileage

19,333 mi

WIND SHIELD FLUID DISAPPEARS WHEN DRIVEN WITHOUT USE. CONTINUALLY FILLING RES. AND WITHIN 10-15 MILES FLUID DISAPPEARS. WE CANNOT TELL IF THERE IS FLUID IN THE TANK IF NEEDED AND COULD CAUSE VISIBILLITY PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING..

NHTSA ID

11391146

Incident

Jan 20, 2021

Mileage

25 mi

I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT MY BRAKE PROBLEM FIVE DAYS AGO ABOUT THE BRAKES GOING DOWN TO THE FLOOR ALMOST I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE SO HE GAVE ME THEIR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE NUMBER YOBE PICKED UP THEY DID ON FRIDAY MORNING 9/25/20 THE CAR WAS DELIVERED AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD CALL ME THAT DAY ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM I COULD ONLY GET RECORDING ABOUT MAKING AN APPOINTMENT I TALKED TO THE FINANCE MANAGER ABOUT THE BRAKES CAUSING A FIRE ON OTHER SAME BRAND VEHICLES HE TOLD ME TO WAIT FOR THE SERVICE REPORT THE CAR WAS MOVING AFRIEND ALSO COMMENTED ON THE BRAKES ALSO AFTER THE CAR WENT TO DEALERSHIP SHA CHECKED ON IT AND CAME UP WITH THE NEWS REPORT IN HOUSTON ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE

NHTSA ID

11361468

Incident

Sep 24, 2020

Mileage

560 mi