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2005 Kia Rio

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Kia Rio do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

24 reports with mileage · 12 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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

3 reports
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52,000 miles · Mar 15, 2014
EngineVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE A 2005 KIA RIO (VIN PROVIDED LATER) PURCHASED 2006, LOW MILES. SUMMER 2011 CAR STALLED, STOPPED & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST SHOP, NTB. REPLACED TIMING BELT & NO DAMAGE TO MY MOTOR. I FOUND OUT THE TIMING BELT NEEDED CHANGING AT 60K MILES (MINE WAS LOWER). THE MECHANIC WASN'T ABLE TO DETERMIN…

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I HAVE A 2005 KIA RIO (VIN PROVIDED LATER) PURCHASED 2006, LOW MILES. SUMMER 2011 CAR STALLED, STOPPED & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST SHOP, NTB. REPLACED TIMING BELT & NO DAMAGE TO MY MOTOR. I FOUND OUT THE TIMING BELT NEEDED CHANGING AT 60K MILES (MINE WAS LOWER). THE MECHANIC WASN'T ABLE TO DETERMINE A REASON FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ANOTHER SUGGESTED A BAD SENSOR & WIPED SOMETHING OFF UNDER THE HOOD. THE LIGHT WENT OFF AFTER DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MILES. REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR APRIL 2013 (NEW ALTERNATOR, BELT & PARTS STILL UNDER WARRANTY). JUNE 2013 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED COMING ON WHEN PARKED UPWARD ON AN STEEP HILL, ESP WHEN OUTSIDE TEMP WAS VERY HOT (TX). THE LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ON UNTIL AFTER PARKING IT IN A COVERED GARAGE & DRIVING HRS LATER. JULY 2013 MANDATORY CAR INSPECTION. WEEK OR 2 LATER, PROBLEMS W/ RPM STARTED; DURING TAKE AFTER IDLE. ABOUT 2WKS LATER, AC SPEED SUDDENLY SLOWED & BECAME WARMER. 2DAYS LATER CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON & A STRANGE NOISE NEAR THE DRIVER'S SIDE. AGAIN, TOWED TO THE NEAREST SHOP, THE SAME NTB. ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WAS STILL WORKING. AT THE SHOP THE CAR STARTED BUT NOT LONG. THEY WERE PUZZLED. AFTER 2DAYS I WAS TOLD MY MOTOR WAS BAD & NEEDED REPLACED. NO ONE HAD AN EXPLANATION.I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR, ONLY TRANSPORTATION FOR ME & MY KIDS TOWED HOME. I TALKED TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT AGREE I HAVE A BAD SENSOR & CATALYST WHICH CAUSED MY MOTOR TO LOCK (PRE-IGNITION). THERE ARE SEVERAL BLOGS/ARTICLES W/THIS SAME PROBLEM. HOWEVER, KIA HAS NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THE 2005 RIO FUEL PROBLEMS, ONLY THE 2004 & SUPPOSEDLY CORRECTING IT. BUT IT WASN'T & MECHANICS CAN'T DIAGNOSE IT. SOMETHING IS WRONG & NEEDS INVESTIGATING. A FATAL ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE HWY. KIA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOST $ AND TIME BC THEY ONLY BANDAGED THE PROBLEM & NOT ACTUALLY FIXING IT.

NHTSA ODI #10572593

3,400 miles · Oct 24, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THEN AGAIN AT A STOP SIGN WITH HER FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL WITH THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE GEAR SHIFTED INT NEUTRAL. THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS IN THE PARKING LOT. THE GEAR SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN A RAI…

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DT: THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THEN AGAIN AT A STOP SIGN WITH HER FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL WITH THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND THE GEAR SHIFTED INT NEUTRAL. THE PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING AT VERY LOW SPEEDS IN THE PARKING LOT. THE GEAR SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH IN A RAIN STORM THE VEHICLE MADE A NOISE AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CONSUMER PULLED OFF OF THE FREEWAY AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, BACKED UP AND IT WORKED FINE. THE VEHICLE HAD 3400 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM STARTED AT 2000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CHECKED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SENSORS WERE FINE. *AK (11/29/05) THE OVERDRIVE WOULD SHUT OFF AT 65 MPH. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10140625

Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA RIO SENCO. THE VEHICLE WILL STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. ALSO, THE CONTACT WAS THINKING ABOUT THE LEMON LAW. ON JULY 30, 2005 THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AT 65 MPH . THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, STEERING LOCKED, AND VEHICLE WAS IN THE PATH OF A TRACTO…

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DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 KIA RIO SENCO. THE VEHICLE WILL STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. ALSO, THE CONTACT WAS THINKING ABOUT THE LEMON LAW. ON JULY 30, 2005 THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AT 65 MPH . THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, STEERING LOCKED, AND VEHICLE WAS IN THE PATH OF A TRACTOR TRAILER. THE CONTACT PICKED UP THE VEHICLE FROM DEALERSHIP ON AUGUST 1, 2005 AND AGAIN ON AUGUST 3, 2005 THE VEHICLE WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP,WHO REPLACED THE COMPUTER CHIP. THE VEHICLE FAILED THREE TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT OCCURRED ON AUGUST 11, 2005 THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR AWHILE. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS ALL THIS HAPPENED WITHIN LESS THAN 30-35 SECONDS. THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH, THE SECOND AND THIRD IT WAS BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. THE ENGINE RESTARTED RIGHT BACK. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP SHE WAS UNSURE OF WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH VEHICLE THEY TOLD HER THEY WHERE GOING TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10132647

Official recalls

1

05V557000 · Child Seat

Dec 12, 2005

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, 'CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS.' CERTAIN CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORS WILL NOT FULLY LATCH ONTO THE LOWER LATCH ANCHORS LOCATED BETWEEN THE REAR SEAT BACK AND REAR SEAT CUSHION BECAUSE OF INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE CHILD SEAT ANCHORS AND A METAL WIRE LOCATED IN THE FRAME OF THE REAR SEAT BACK. UNTIL THE RECALL REPAIR IS COMPLETED, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED BY YOUR CHILD SEATS MANUFACTURER ON HOW TO PROPERLY INSTALL THE CHILD SEAT WITH YOUR VEHICLE'S REAR SAFETY BELTS RATHER THAN USING THE LATCH SYSTEM.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, IF THE CHILD SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER ANCHORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.