NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Kia Rio. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
1) REPLACED OX SENSOR@ 35000 MILES 2) REPLACED RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING @ 45000 MILES 3) REAR WINDOW IS TOO SMALL TO SEE SAFELY. BLIND SPOT IS LARGE. 4) HEADLIGHT AUTO-SENSOR SETTING DOES NOT INITIATE LIGHTS IN DAYLIGHT RAIN CONDITIONS. 5) SEAT DESIGN DOES NOT PROVIDE LUMBAR SUPPORT AND HEADREST IS PERMANETLY ANGLED TO CAUSE NECK PAIN DURING A LONG DRIVE.
WHEN WE PULLED UP TO THE RED LIGHT, THE IDLE STOP AND GO SYSTEM ENGAGED AND STOPPED THE ENGINE. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I RELEASED THE BRAKE AND, AS WE WERE ON A DOWNSLOPE, WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN ROLLING INTO THE INTERSECTION. UNFORTUNATELY THE GO PART DIDN'T WORK AND THE ENGINE DIDN'T RESTART. THE LIGHT HAD TURNED RED AGAIN BEFORE I COULD FIGURE OUT THAT I HAD TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO RESTART IT WITH THE KEY. *TR
DEFECTIVE ENGINE OVERHEAT WARNING SYSTEM THIS VEHICLE, 2013 KIA RIO, 1.6L GDI, 6-SPEED MANUAL, DOES NOT HAVE A COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE. IT SUPPOSEDLY RELIES ON ONE WARNING LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO INDICATE AN OVERHEATED ENGINE, A LIGHT WHOSE CORRECT OPERATION CANNOT BE VERIFIED. THIS SUPPOSED ENGINE OVERHEAT WARNING LIGHT NEVER COMES ON DURING THE LIGHT BULB CHECK PHASE, SO THAT THE OPERATION OF ITS LIGHT BULB CANNOT BE VERIFIED. NOTE THAT THE OTHER WARNING LIGHTS, OIL PRESSURE, BRAKES, ETC COME ON DURING THIS PHASE AND THEIR WARNING SYSTEMS CAN BE VERIFIED. IF THE OVERHEAT LIGHT BULB FILAMENT BURNS OUT (THIS FREQUENTLY HAPPENS WITH ANY BULB), THEN THE DRIVER IS NEVER GIVEN A CHANCE TO VERIFY THE BULBS OPERATION, AND THIS ENGINE OVERHEAT WARNING SYSTEM BECOMES USELESS AS THERE CANNOT BE ANY WARNING INDICATION EVER GIVEN TO THE DRIVER IF THE ENGINE DOES OVERHEAT. A LIKELY RESULT OF THIS DEFECTIVE ENGINE OVERHEAT WARNING SYSTEM MAY BE A VEHICLE CRASH AT HIGH SPEED, WHEREBY THE DRIVER IS NEVER GIVEN AN OVERHEATED ENGINE WARNING IF ITS WARNING SYSTEMS LIGHT BULB BURNS OUT, THE ENGINE SHATTERS FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT, THE HOOD AND ENGINE FLUIDS FLY INTO THE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING THE DRIVERS VIEW, THE DRIVER LOSES CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE KIA VEHICLE CRASHES OFF THE ROAD OR INTO OTHER VEHICLES. THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS THE 2013 KIA RIO, AND ALSO 2012 AND POSSIBLY 2011 KIA RIOS AS WELL.