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2010 Kia Rio

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Kia Rio do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.5.

About this comparison →

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

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

9 crash reports0 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

26 reports
9,000 miles · Oct 14, 2011
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD ENGAGE WHENEVER SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTAC…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD ENGAGE WHENEVER SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10430168

8,000 miles · Oct 12, 2011
Tires

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO EQUIPPED WITH HANCOOK OPTIMOS TIRES, SIZE P185/65/R14/85H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BOUNCING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS OUT OF ROUND AND WAS UNABLE TO BE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO EQUIPPED WITH HANCOOK OPTIMOS TIRES, SIZE P185/65/R14/85H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BOUNCING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS OUT OF ROUND AND WAS UNABLE TO BE BALANCED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,000.

NHTSA ODI #10429583

7 miles · Nov 23, 2010
Steering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO 5. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED MERGING INTO THE LEFT LANE. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN AND HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO CONTROL IT FROM MERGING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THERE WAS N…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO 5. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED MERGING INTO THE LEFT LANE. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN AND HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO CONTROL IT FROM MERGING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD ALSO TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ALIGNMENT MALFUNCTIONED. THE ALIGNMENT WAS REPAIRED BUT THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING TO THE LEFT MORE CONSISTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AGAIN AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7 MPH.

NHTSA ODI #10367310

50 miles · Oct 26, 2010
Air Bags

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONED. WHENEVER SOMEONE WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED BUT WHEN BOOKS WERE PLACED IN THE SEAT THE AIR BAG WAS ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER BUT THE MANUFACTURER …

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MALFUNCTIONED. WHENEVER SOMEONE WAS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED BUT WHEN BOOKS WERE PLACED IN THE SEAT THE AIR BAG WAS ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER BUT THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT. THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT VERIFY THE WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG. THE CONTACT STATED THIS WAS A MAJOR ISSUE AND FEARS THAT SOMEONE COULD BE KILLED IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH DUE TO THE AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AS 50 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #10362431

3,000 miles · Aug 5, 2010
Air Bags

1) THE PASSENGER "AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT ON MY NEW 2010 KIA RIO STAYS ON EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT. THIS WITHIN FOUR WEEKS OF MY PURCHASE. 2) IT OCCURS DAILY, NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. 3) THE KIA DEALER HAS REFUSED TO HELP, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS 4000 MILES ON IT. THEY SAY THAT IT IS ONLY HAPPENING BECAUSE WE…

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1) THE PASSENGER "AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT ON MY NEW 2010 KIA RIO STAYS ON EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT. THIS WITHIN FOUR WEEKS OF MY PURCHASE. 2) IT OCCURS DAILY, NUMEROUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. 3) THE KIA DEALER HAS REFUSED TO HELP, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAS 4000 MILES ON IT. THEY SAY THAT IT IS ONLY HAPPENING BECAUSE WE ARE SITTING ON IT INCORRECTLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10347585

Mileage unknown · Mar 15, 2010
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

CAR ACCIDENT ON JAN 01, 2010 INVOLVING A RENTAL VEHICLE KIA RIO 2010 I AM CONVINCED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WHICH AS A RESULT I CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. I SUFFERED INJURIES OF WHICH I AM STILL RECOVERING FROM. ALAMO DOES NOT WANT TO COVER ANY OF THE MEDICAL BILLS. I NEED HELP IF ANY INFO IS AVAILABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10319614

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.