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2006 Kia Rio

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2006 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

55 reports with mileage · 19 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. 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.

12 crash reports0 fire reports11 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

3 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2019
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. THEN WHEN I GO TO GASBUDDY, IT STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL INVOLVING THE AIRBAG ON A 2006 KIA RIO THAT WAS MADE FROM FEBRUARY 20TH 2005 TO 2007. HOWEVER MY VIN NUMBER SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. I THINK IT'S MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE THAT THERE'S A RECALL AND MY SENSOR IS ON. IF SOMEONE …

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MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. THEN WHEN I GO TO GASBUDDY, IT STATES THAT THERE IS A RECALL INVOLVING THE AIRBAG ON A 2006 KIA RIO THAT WAS MADE FROM FEBRUARY 20TH 2005 TO 2007. HOWEVER MY VIN NUMBER SHOWS THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY CAR. I THINK IT'S MORE THAN A COINCIDENCE THAT THERE'S A RECALL AND MY SENSOR IS ON. IF SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS SENSOR OH, I WILL BE SUING KIA, AND ANYONE ELSE THAT BLATANTLY DISREGARDED MY COMPLAINT

NHTSA ODI #11190978

70,000 miles · Jul 5, 2011
Electrical System

BOUGHT OUR 2006 KIA RIO IN 2010, WE HAVE 70000 MILES ON IT. THE STARTER WENT OUT. THERE IS NO AFTER MARKET STERTER FOR THIS CAR. THE ONE THAT IS SPECIFIED WILL NOT FIT. THE REPAIR SHOP FOUND ONE THAT FIT HOWEVER AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A MONTH THE CAR WILL NOT EVEN TURN OVER. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10410490

74,000 miles · Sep 7, 2010
Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingCrash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER ALMOST REAR ENDED HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED, IT WOULD ONLY COAST VERY SLOWLY. THE FAILURE HAPPENED TWICE. THE VEHICLE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER ALMOST REAR ENDED HER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS BARELY ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PICK UP SPEED, IT WOULD ONLY COAST VERY SLOWLY. THE FAILURE HAPPENED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP WAS RUDE AND WAS BANGING HIS FIST ON THE COUNTER. SHE STATED THAT SHE FELT VERY INTIMIDATED BY THE ORDEAL. A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 74,000. UPDATED 01/12/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED LESS THAN TWO WEEKS OF OWNING OF THE VEHICLE SHE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALSO, THE RADIO/CD PLAYER DID NOT WORK, AND THE SHIFTER LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 04/15/11

NHTSA ODI #10354151

Official recalls

1

12V244000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE

May 31, 2012

KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 RIO VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 20, 2005, THROUGH DECEMBER 9, 2007. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANT SENSOR MAT CAN EXPERIENCE FATIGUE CRACKING. IF SUFFICIENT CRACKING OCCURS, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION SUCH THAT THE SYSTEM WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETECT WHETHER A CHILD PASSENGER IS IN THE SEAT AND THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY DURING A CRASH NECESSITATING DEPLOYMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITH A CHILD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO THAT CHILD.

Remedy: KIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OCS SEAT SENSOR MAT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 26, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER 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.