2021 Kia RIO

15 complaints on file, page 1 of 1.

1. Filed Dec 28, 2025Failure Dec 31, 2024Firestone, COUnknown or other

   Back up camera sometimes flips sides, so that obstacles on the right side of the car are shown on the left side of the camera screen. Sometimes the camera doesn't work at all.

   NHTSA complaint 11707375
2. Filed May 14, 2025Failure May 1, 2025Johnson City, TNSteering

   Steering Gear Assembly completely broke at 81,000 miles. My daughter was backing up in a busy street at 5pm and lost 100 percent of steering control. Lucking cars dodged her and she didn’t get hurt or worse.

   NHTSA complaint 11660866
3. Filed Nov 14, 2023Failure Nov 14, 2023New Lebanon, OHPower train, Unknown or other

   Placed car in park got out to open a gate. Car took off forward even when shifter was in Park Position and almost ran a child over.

   NHTSA complaint 11555136
4. Filed Aug 24, 2023Failure Aug 24, 2023North Port, FLCamera, Electrical system

   Center Console Display blank (screen black) upon startup unable to see cameras and backing up affected creating safety concern.

   NHTSA complaint 11540589
5. Filed May 2, 2023Failure Apr 14, 2023Matthews, NCSeat belts, Unknown or other

   seatbelts in rear are inoperable/anti theft not working. Kia dealership told me that its not their issue about the anti theft. I have been told on 3 separate occasions that my seatbelts have been ordered but they haven’t!!!! No one is following up with me, when I call I get told “until they can get in contact with the dealership Kia the corporate company cannot do anything” have 2 kids Kia the dealership as well as the corporate company knows about this and no one is doing anything!! NO ONE CARES

   NHTSA complaint 11520150
6. Filed Mar 26, 2023Failure Mar 26, 2023Florence, KYUnknown or other

   At speeds over 20 miles per hours there is a “flapping” noise that sounds like a bag or piece of paper that is blowing in the wind. Although I don’t know were the noise originates, I can hear it clearly from the driver’s side b-pillar. It is incredibly annoying and greatly diminishes what is otherwise a solid entry, level vehicle.

   NHTSA complaint 11513877
7. Filed Mar 20, 2023Failure Mar 19, 2023Grand Junction, COWarning, Assist, Steering

   On 3/19/23, as I was driving on a dry, straight, two lane road at the posted speed of 40mph, the car began to try to steer into oncoming traffic. I had to exert moderate force to keep the car in my lane. This continued continuously for about 1/2 mile. No low tire pressure indicator lights were illuminated, however the lane assist icon was on and green, indicating normal operation. Just as I was going to turn down a side street to check the tires manually, the steering returned to normal. However, the lane assist icon was now white, and as I drove the remaining approximately 2 miles home, the icon would change from white to green every 20 seconds or so. The car now operates normally. We took the car to the dealer today to be checked and they reported they could not replicate the issue. Attached is their report.

   NHTSA complaint 11512905
8. Filed Jan 7, 2023Failure Jan 7, 2023Springfield, OHUnknown or other

   The contol post for lights, turn signal, and high beams is too sensitive. To control the lights, you twist the top of lever. To turn on turn signals, you flip the lever up or down. To turn on brights, the lever goes forward. To turn of lights, the lever is pulled back. The issue..... If you have brights on, when you pull lever back to dim lights, the top automatically twists to shut off the headlights entirely. DANGEROUS DANGEROUS DANGEROUS. My husband doesn't have this problem, but he has longer fingers and his fingers hit the lever more at the base where nothing twists. I have shorter women's fingers and they can't reach all the way down the lever. I have since adjusted how I dim the brights by reacing under the lever, (close to steering column), to pull the lever back. This is very uncomfortable and tends to cause me to make the turn signal come on, which could cause its own traffic accident. My remedy would be to make the headlights twist in the opposite direction for on off, or make the switch for headlights have a little more resistance.

   NHTSA complaint 11500633
9. Filed Nov 30, 2022Failure Nov 28, 2022Pocatello, IDService brakes, SteeringCrash

   Having been complaining about a noise from under the front right tire, I was initially told it was a little piece of plastic and that got cut off. I was still hear the scraping and squealing and I kept check the from right tire because I thought that's where it was coming from. I mentioned this to every mechanic at kia and was told "that's just how 2021s sound". Finally after months of complaining the noise got louder and you could hear it was clearly something in steering. They schedules an appointment for Dec 7th on Mon Nov 28th. Said it was safe to drive when that night while working I was turning a corner, I heard a loud spring noise, the tire and wheel jerked. It was snowing, so the car slide, only sliding into the curb. The front right break seemed to be locked and when you turn the steering wheel makes even more noise. Haven't been told the issue, but I'm certain it is not safe and definitely shouldn't be on the streets until it's fixed.

   NHTSA complaint 11495434
10. Filed Oct 29, 2022Failure Jun 16, 2022Silver Spring, MDPower train

    I had driven my wife to her school about 5 miles and headed back to my work another 5 miles when i tried to accelerate pass car I lost almost all power barely making it up a slight hill I kept going trying to make it to my house barely going 10 miles an hour. I thought the transmission had let go cause while I had the gas peddle floored i went at best 10-15 miles an hour I eventually parked the car I knew it would never make it up another slight hill. It was rowed to a nearby dealer where they could find no problem telling me it was just some bad gas. This sounds like what I read about today with a couple of other models of Kia.

    NHTSA complaint 11491460
11. Filed Aug 19, 2022Failure Aug 11, 2022Cincinnati, OHSteering, Unknown or other

    The steering wheel column does not have a lock therefore someone broke into my car and tried to steal it and destroyed it, also no alarm went off when this happened.

    NHTSA complaint 11480234
12. Filed Apr 2, 2022Failure Mar 17, 2022Crowley, TXEngine

    I was driving 60-70 miles an hour for 45 minutes then car lost all acceleration and engine light came on. I pulled over immediately turned the car off. Turned it back on drove 1/4 of a mile and same thing happened. I pulled over turned car off and had it towed to the dealership.

    NHTSA complaint 11459319
13. Filed Jan 19, 2022Failure Jan 17, 2022Beaumont, TXService brakesCrash

    Vehicle failed to reduce speed effectively while trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle during a left turn, which then caused the vehicle to turn widely and collide with the curb.

    NHTSA complaint 11448123
14. Filed Jan 3, 2022Failure Dec 11, 2021Staten Island, NYEngine, Fuel/propulsion system

    Vehicle has less than 4000 miles and throttle body had to be replaced

    NHTSA complaint 11446051
15. Filed Jul 23, 2021Failure Jul 23, 2021Sandusky, OHService brakes

    On the way to work, I had the brake pedal pressed waiting for a traffic signal to change. After it changed to green, I released the brake pedal and depressed the gas pedal, only for the vehicle not to move forward - as if the brake was still being applied. I took my foot off the gas pedal, waited a second or two, then tried the gas pedal again and it still did not move. I was at the traffic signal for nearly 10 seconds with nothing touching the brake pedal and unable to drive forward. The vehicle did not turn off, display any warning lights, or any signs of other trouble. The parking brake was not applied and the vehicle was in Drive. After putting the vehicle in reverse and back into drive while still stopped at the traffic signal, the car resumed normal operation. The vehicle has less than 200 miles, bought brand new from the dealership a few days prior and has only gone for a car wash at the dealership aside from normal daily commute. The problem has not been reported to the dealership or manufacturer at the time of this report.

    NHTSA complaint 11426082