RoadVitals

2022 Kia Rio

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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 Mar 10, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest May 5, 2022
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
2
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 10 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2022 Kia Rio, most frequently naming the interior & seats, brakes and driver assistance categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 20 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Interior & seats220.0%
  • Brakes110.0%
  • Driver assistance110.0%
  • Engine110.0%
  • Fuel system110.0%
  • Exterior lighting110.0%
  • Steering110.0%
  • Body & structure110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

STEERING:COLUMN

May 5, 2022
30 units potentially affected
The defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
The risk: Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC235.
Kia Motors AmericaManufacturer number SC235View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Interior & seats
Filed Mar 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the contact heard an abnormally loud bang and believed that the vehicle had been struck in the rear by an object. The contact opened the trunk and became aware that the trunk shocks had become detached from the latch. The contact was able to open and close the trunk lid, but the lid failed to remain open after being raised. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who advised the contact that the trunk latch spring had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was advised that the spring and latch mechanism were on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

NHTSA ID
11723220
Incident
Oct 6, 2025
Mileage
69,000 mi
Filed Aug 27, 2025
1 injury reported

While attempting to raise the passenger side window slightly, the automatic window mechanism malfunctioned. Instead of stopping when lightly engaged, the window rolled all the way up and trapped my right wrist between the glass and the frame. When I pressed the window down button, the window continued to roll upward, increasing the pressure on my wrist. I was unable to release my hand on my own and had to call for assistance to pry my wrist free. This put my safety at risk by causing a crush injury to my wrist. The vehicle’s anti-pinch safety feature did not activate. The issue has not yet been reproduced or inspected by a dealer or manufacturer. No warning lights, messages, or other indicators were displayed prior to the incident. The component is available for inspection upon request.

NHTSA ID
11683479
Incident
Aug 25, 2025
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 9, 2025
Crash reported

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Rio. The contact stated that the rearview camera would intermittently turn on while driving at various speeds. The contact also stated that while in reverse(R), the camera would intermittently display a blank or distorted image. Recently, the contact stated that the rear-view camera had failed to operate as needed. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the head unit would need to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the vehicle was out of warranty and was given an estimate for the repair. As a result of the camera failure, the contact stated that while backing out of a parking spot, she crashed into a parked vehicle located in her blind spot. No injuries were reported and a police report was not filed; however, the contact did state that she suffered mental anguish as a result of the incident. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

NHTSA ID
11665837
Incident
Apr 1, 2024
Mileage
72,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 25, 2025

When my car is running it makes a knocking noise from engine I have taken it th the dealer they heard it but said they can figure out where it's coming from. The engine runs hotter than normal. The rods I think are the cause

NHTSA ID
11644932
Incident
Feb 25, 2025
Brakes
Filed Nov 12, 2024

When traveling 60 mph and slowing to try to stop, brake pedal went all the way to the floor and vehicle would not brake. Had to engage emergency brake to stop vehicle during normal operation on multiple occasions. Once while stopped at a red light, vehicle was completely stopped, then the brake pedal lowered to the floorboard and the vehicle started rolling forward. I had to turn the steering wheel and engage the emergency brake to avoid colliding with traffic. No dashboard lights came on, no warning lamps or messages. No other symptoms. I went to the Kia Dealership immediately. There was a hole in my front brake line and all of the fluid had leaked out. Vehicle was less than 2 years old, less than 100,000 miles on it.

NHTSA ID
11624698
Incident
Nov 7, 2024
Visibility
Filed May 15, 2024

The windshield wipers only work consistently on the last two settings. When you push the wiper gear down to the initial setting where you can adjust the speed with the dial, it struggles to move or doesn’t move at all. I can hear the wiper gear trying to lift the wipers, but nothing happens.

NHTSA ID
11588832
Incident
Dec 20, 2021
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 3, 2024

This is neither a failure nor a malfunction but on several occasions I have had the light switch turn off at night while driving. I can reach over and push a button to the left of the steering wheel under the ac/heat vent and in doing so my arm has rolled the headlight switch off. I have to hurry up and turn them back on. The switch should lock somewhat in place as to take a purposeful twist for it to turn. The headlight switch turns too easy and it could cause an accident at night.

NHTSA ID
11575186
Incident
Mar 1, 2024
Fuel systemSteering
Filed Apr 13, 2023

Issue 1) Power steering wheel stopped working after practicing parking in preparation for a drivers test. Issue 2) Fuel indicator did not worked as expected, takes 3 to 5 min (in motion) to get the indicator in the right position. I took the vehicle to the dealership, it was scanned and according to them, no DTC was stored, I got videos when both issues came up.

NHTSA ID
11516967
Incident
Jan 15, 2023

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB_ELE422

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for supported vehicles (2021-2026MY All Models).

PS797

BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGS

PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane film of the ultrasonic sensor is used for object detention and can be damaged by stone chips or foreign substances while driving. Damage to the cover of the ultrasonic sensor can also lead to damage to the internal circuit. As a result of this external damage, the PDW system may not receive the proper signal from the ultrasonic sensor. In some cases, the system may cause a false alarm, no alert, or phantom warnings by a “Warning Lamp’ to be displayed on the cluster. The ultrasonic sensor membrane film should be always inspected for external damage and if any part replacement should be treated as a general repair, not as a warranty claim repair for this concern. (Please note that this Pitstop only applies to models/trims that are equipped with the ultrasonic sensors.)

TSB_TRA046_R5

POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced, and the transmission oil cooler is transferred to the new transmission.

TSB_ELE378

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The affected vehicles may encounter the following issues: remote Start/Climate Control function not working, vehicle Status on the Kia Access App not updating, connected routing not functioning properly.

TSB_ELE338_R1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0/AVN5WSOFTWARE UPDATE (SA569) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to update the software on Display Audio 2.0 (D2V) and AVN 5.0 Wide (AVN5W) head units on certain 2022-2023MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 9). The affected vehicles may experience various concerns related to Apple CarPlay®/Android Auto™ phone projection connectivity.

TSB_ELE347_R1

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0V/AVN5W SOFTWARE UPDATE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to update the software on Display Audio 2.0 (D2V) and AVN 5.0 Wide (AVN5W) head units on certain 2021-2023MY Kia vehicles (refer to pages 5 and 16). The affected vehicles may experience Apple CarPlay®/Android Auto™ phone projection connectivity-related concerns.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Kia Rio by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2023120029.3
2022Viewing101055.0
2021152050.9
2020261051.2
2019211056.4
2018281059.5
2017312167.1
2016772161.7
2015521258.7
2014521260.0
20131531256.6
2012531261.6
2011240039.4
2010260046.7
2009390041.1
2008461048.1
2007461047.1
2006741051.0
2005361046.6
2004382048.9
2003743155.6
20021281153.5
20012233662.7
2000300

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.