SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

2007 Kia Rio

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2007 Kia Rio do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.5.

About this comparison →
46Owner complaints

Model-year median: 38.5

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
38
200436
200574
200646
200746
200839
200926
2010
Compare all Rio years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
21Electrical System
8Service Brakes, Hydraulic
5Exterior Lighting
3Power Train
3
All reported categories
Seats
3Service Brakes
3Engine And Engine Cooling
2Fuel/propulsion System
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Steering
2Tires
2Unknown Or Other
2Engine
1Equipment
1Seat Belts
1Structure
1Visibility/wiper
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

34 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

Power Train complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
9,158 miles · Dec 5, 2012
Power Train

AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, 6 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY BRAND NEW 2007 KIA RIO, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT MY CAR LURCH SIMULTANEOUSLY, AS IF I HAD BEEN HIT BY A CAR. WHEN I TRIED TO RESUME BACKING UP MY CAR HAD POPPED OUT OF REVERSE. ALTHOUGH IT DOESN'T HAPPEN FREQUENTLY, IT DOES HAPPEN I HAVE HAD PEOPLE IN THE CA…

Read full complaint

AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, 6 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED MY BRAND NEW 2007 KIA RIO, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT MY CAR LURCH SIMULTANEOUSLY, AS IF I HAD BEEN HIT BY A CAR. WHEN I TRIED TO RESUME BACKING UP MY CAR HAD POPPED OUT OF REVERSE. ALTHOUGH IT DOESN'T HAPPEN FREQUENTLY, IT DOES HAPPEN I HAVE HAD PEOPLE IN THE CAR WHEN IT HAPPENS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THEY "COULDN'T DUPLICATE IT". *TR

NHTSA ODI #10487506

12,000 miles · Mar 26, 2010
Power TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS BENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS, …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA RIO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS BENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT ROTORS, AXLE, AND VELOCITY JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 12,000.

NHTSA ODI #10322374

15,900 miles · Oct 17, 2007
Power Train

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 AT 70 MPH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE INTO 3RD GEAR. THE SUDDEN SURGE ALMOST SENT ME INTO THE MEDIAN. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR UNIT TWICE AND PROBLEM CONTINUES. DEALER KEPT OLD PARTS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10206032

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.