IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH HAD AN ACCIDENT HITTING A DEER. AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED, NOR SEAT BELTS HOLD THE PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION:: MR
2002 Kia Rio
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Rio years
Owner complaints for the 2002 Kia Rio are substantially higher than the model-year median of 38.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rio years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
230–25K
1025–50K
1050–75K
1075–100K
10100–150K
1150K+
64 reports with mileage · 64 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
25 crash reports6 fire reports18 injury reports
What owners actually said
128 reportsCONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT, THE RUBBERS ON THE BACK DOORS WERE DAMAGED,CLANK,ALSO THE LAST THINGS WERE THE CARTEPILLAR WERE WEARD OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND HAVE FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS. MR
WHILE IN MOTION CONSUMER WAS HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. VEHICLE SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES. DURING THIS INCIDENT, SAFETY DEVICES FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK; THEREFORE, CONSUMER WAS THROWN FORWARD. SEAT BELT IN THE BACK SEAT WHICH SECURED THE CHILD SEAT DID NOT LOC…
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WHILE IN MOTION CONSUMER WAS HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE. VEHICLE SPUN AROUND THREE TIMES. DURING THIS INCIDENT, SAFETY DEVICES FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK; THEREFORE, CONSUMER WAS THROWN FORWARD. SEAT BELT IN THE BACK SEAT WHICH SECURED THE CHILD SEAT DID NOT LOCK, THROWING THE SEAT FORWARD AND OUT OF ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. *JG ...*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR
CAR STALLED NUMEROUS TIMES AT ANY SPEED. DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES. AND THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
BACK WINDOW ON DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE IS LEAKING, INTERIOR SMELLS LIKE MILDEW. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY DEALER, ON OCTOBER 18TH CONSUMER NOTICED IT LEAKING AGAIN. TS
THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE BRAKES WENT OUT AND THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. THE CLOSED VALVE CAUSED A THUMPING IN THE VEHICLE AND AIR HAD COME IN CAUSING A LOUD WHISTLING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BECOMES HARD TO STEER. *SCC
MR
2002 KIA RIO. *PH *JB **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**768044
THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN IT WAS REAR ENDED AT A SPEED OF 30-35 MPH AND NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FROM THE FIRST COLLISION, TNE 2ND CRASH OCCURED WHEN THE LEFT TIRE BLEW OUT (NO TIRE INFO WAS GIVEN). *SCC
Official recalls
104V179000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
Apr 9, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL INTAKE NIPPLE OF THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR IS SUBJECT TO FRACTURE OR CRACKING DURING REMOVAL OF THE QUICK CONNECT COUPLING SECURING THE MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLY TO THE FUEL INTAKE NIPPLE, OR WHEN FORCE IS ACCIDENTALLY APPLIED TO THE INTAKE NIPPLE DURING THE VEHICLE ASSEMBLY PROCESS OR DURING ENGINE COMPARTMENT REPAIRS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR AND MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN JUNE 18, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA02009 · Air Bag Non Deploy
Opened Jul 2, 2002 · Closed Jul 2, 2003
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
THIS INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 82 REPORTS ALLEGING NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DUAL FRONT AIR BAGS.OF THE 82 REPORTS, ONLY ONE INCIDENT, THE FATAL CRASH THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR OPENING THE INVESTIGATION, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A MODERATE TO SEVERE CRASH IN WHICH THE AUTOMOTIVE RESTRAINT CONTROLLER ISSUED A COMMAND TO DEPLOY BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SEE ATTACHED SUMMARY REPORT