There are 32 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2013 Kia Rioin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
UNKNOWN Was clearing my car of snow and had the defroster on when I smelled a burning smell coming from I assume the engine.
Vehicle has just over 110,000 miles and the vehicle burns oil like crazy. Piston rings typically last 150,000 miles. Started running low on old 5,000 miles ago. I’ve looked online and found more incidences like mine and are happening around the same mileage. This can cause major engine damage if left untreated. I feel it’s worth an investigation to save people from future issues like this. Vehicles should last well over 100,000 miles without major engine repair like piston rings. Unfortunately I have no documentation to prove this I have no money to take it to the shop but I’ve changed the oil about 4 times in the past 3 months. It sounds like maintenance needs to be carried out but I can assure you that something this major should not be happening at 110,000 miles. Thank you for your time
a few months last year took my car in for regular oil change and within about 3 weeks after the oil change the car was out of oil from the point had to start adding oil once a month and then more recently the car just would stop oil would be practically empty have to jump the car recently the car just started smoking and almost stopped on the highway I never saw where the oil was leaking from looked it up and the exact same engine in Hyundai cars was recalled
This complaint is in regard to a safety recall (NHTSA Recall# 23V652) of our 2013 Kia Rio. On November of 2023, we received an interim notice in the mail about a Kia Rio recall. The recall occurred in September 2023, two months earlier. The notice detailed that the Rio had a safety risk of an engine fire while parked or driving. Owners were advised to limit their driving and park their cars outdoors away from other cars or buildings until the part is available. This is not an option for us. The part is still not available, five months after the recall. Our Rio has been sitting in our driveway, next to the house, since November 2023 and we're still paying auto insurance on it. We do not feel safe driving it, nor keeping it parked close to the house. It has been a hardship for our family to have one less vehicle to drive. I have written a complaint to Kia corporate and have not heard anything back from them. So far Kia's only resolution to this delay is for consumers to just wait for the part. That is unacceptable.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Rio. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. After shifting to park and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. The contact stated that the failure once occurred while driving approximately 50 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 150,000. The contact called to make an appointment with Quirk Kia in Manchester. After explaining the problem they refused to make an appointment
I have 2013 Kia Rio with I have been putting oil into it for months. MONTHS! At the end of my work week, before I drive to work on Monday I check the oil. If I drive more than usual on a weekend, I check the oil on Sunday. It’s crazy ! My mechanic told me I need to replace the engine I don’t understand why I take very good care of my car. But Kia needs to a recall on all these vehicles
I own a 2013 Kia Rio While driving my regular speed limit, my car stopped working. I heard a loud knocking sound coming from the engine compartment and it also sounded like something was lose. I tried having the car jumped but it would not start. I had to get it towed to a mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle as the starter needed replacement, oil was leaking, and oil pan gasket need to be replaced. It was also noted there was internal engine damage, but I was not notified about this before the other repairs were done & approved by me. I also had my car in the shop for the same issue on January 24, 2022 and had an oil changed then but the issue was not fixed. The repair work was completed both times but the issues was not fixed. I was informed that I needed a new motor/engine. I only have 87,000 miles on my car.. All other models have been recalled already due to engine knocking because of carbon build up. I need Kia Corporate to right the wrong & do a Recall on 2013 Kia Rio or approved me for a free engine replacement. The engines are faulty. The AC is inoperable & need to be replaced. The tech. noted on piece of paper that both cv axle boots are torn, ECM codes, PO335 Crankshaft Position Sensor, PO011 Intake Crankshaft Position Sensor, PO014 Exhaust Crankshaft Sensor, PO441 Evap Purge Valve Soildroid. The engine wasn't replaced & no further work was completed. Engine failure 87,000 miles.
100000 - low oil out (2liters) when service was completed : NO LOW OIL LIGHT WARNING 105000 - low oil out (1.5liters) when service was completed : NO LOW OIL LIGHT WARNING 110000 - low oil out (1.5liters) when service was completed : NO LOW OIL LIGHT WARNING 120000 - low oil out (1liters) when service was completed : NO LOW OIL LIGHT WARNING 120409 - Engine making knocking sound : was taken to 3 different mechanics all diagnosed with same issue of MAIN CRANK SHAFT BEARING FAILURE. Had to buy a new engine to replace. just over 100000 miles starting having issues and no warning lights. Engine is a LEMON
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted but stalled again. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the radiator, transmission, and other parts were melted. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Rio. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, she heard a loud knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle as having no oil in the engine. The contact stated that the oil was topped off and the contact was informed to return after one-month. The contact returned to the mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle as having no oil. The mechanic determined that the oil had entered the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. Additionally, the contact stated that the air conditioning system was inoperable. The mechanic diagnosed that the A/C system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Engine is knocking because of carbon build up caused by KIA installing faulty engines . Most all other models have been recalled already .
I was driving the car and heard something explode/pop. I was on the right lane and was able to pull over. Smoke was coming out of the car and oil was dripping from the bottom. The motor seems to have combusted and cracked. A mixture of oil and water continue to drip from the bottom of the vehicle.
CAR HARDLY EVER INDICATED LOW OIL. HAD TO ADD OIL CONSTANTLY BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. NO PROBLEMS UNTIL THE CAR GOT OVER 100K MILES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WE CHECKED THE OIL IT WAS 2 QUARTS LOW. ADDED OIL ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. MECHANIC SAID WE HAD TOO MUCH OIL. GOT AN ENGINE FLUSH AND ANOTHER OIL CHANGE ENGINE WAS STILL KNOCKING AND OIL WAS VERY DIRTY. MECHANIC INDICATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MOST KIAS WITH THE GDI ENGINES. 2 WEEKS AFTER OIL CHANGE THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY OUT OF OIL. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO SAID THE ENGINE SHOULD BE RECALLED AND HE DIDNT UNDERSTAND WHY IT WASNT. HE SAID MY ENGINE WAS DOING WHAT ALL THE OTHER ENGINES HAVE DONE ON THE OTHER MODELS RECALLED. I CALLED THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME THAT I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 2014 AND IT WAS JUST OLD. THEY WONT BE RECALLING. I TOOK GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR HARDLY EVER WENT TOO FAR PAST AN OIL CHANGE THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AND I HAD TO GET A NEW CAR. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED LIKE ALL THE OTHER KIAS IT'S UNFAIR THEY SELL CARS THAT BREAK ONCE YOU GO PAST 100K MILES.
THE CAR HAS BEEN USING ALOT OF OIL LAST 12 MONTHS , OIL IS CONSTANTLY LOW EVERYTIME IT HAS BEEN CHECKED , SERVICED , MY DAUGHTER HAS HAD TO ADD OIL TO THE VEHICLE AND CHECKED FREQUENTLY , THE ENGINE LOCKED UP ON HER ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE COMING HOME FROM A TRIP . 2 HOLES IN THE MOTOR NOW, ESTIMATE OF MOTOR REPLACEMENT FROM KIA 4,000 PLUS
WHILE RUNNING THE ENGINE BURNS THROUGH OIL VERY QUICKLY. ENGINE DOES NOT WARN THAT OIL IS LOW BUT BEGINS TO RUN 'ROUGHLY' WHEN OIL IS NEEDED. I ADD OIL EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS IN BETWEEN ACTUAL OIL CHANGES. I ONLY DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR MAINTENANCE AND MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS ZERO OIL IN IT AND HE WAS SURPRISED THAT THE ENGINE WAS EVEN RUNNING AT ALL.
AS I WAS DRIVING TO LAUNDRYMAT MY ENGINE STARTS MAKING NOISE AND THEN THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON, ALL THE OIL HAD BURNED OUT OF CAR, THE CAR STALLED AND I WAS STRANDED. THERE WASNT ANY OIL OR ENGINE WARNING SIGNS AT ALL B4 THIS HAPPENED, IM HEARTBROKEN AND STILL HAVE 2 YEARS TO PAY, THIS ENGINE IS FAULTY! MY AUNTY WHO IS A POLICE OFFICER OWNS A 2014 KIA AND SAME HAPPENED TO HERS! PLEASE TAKE ACTION AGAIST KIA TO CORRECT THIS MODEL ALSO, THE 201E KIA RIO
SELF DESTROYING. CAR CYLINDER CAN GET IMPACTED TO THE CEILING. KNOCK SENSOR NOT WORKING CORRECTLY IT IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY BUT NOT WORKING CORRECTLY, CAUSING AN ENGINE TO DETERIORATE AT A RAPID RATE NON-INTENDED USE, HAS SAME ENGINE AS OTHER KEY IS IN HYUNDAIS IN THIS ONE IS NOT ON THE RECALL AND IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE SAME ISSUES AS THE RECALLS. KNOCK SENSOR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. FOR THE DATE OF THE START OF THE ISSUE IT WAS WELL BEFORE THEN DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE. CAR WILL NOT DRIVE SMELLS LIKE THE ENGINES GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE
SITTING AT A RED LIGHT IN CITY TRAFFIC, PRESSED THE GAS TO GO WHEN GREEN LIGHT OCCURRED AND CAR STALLED. LIGHTS, POWER WINDOWS, RADIO ALL STILL WORKED, BUT THE ENGINE WAS DEAD. LET CAR SIT FOR 30 MINUTES, IT STARTED UP COMPLETELY FINE. CAR STALLED AGAIN AT RED LIGHT WHILE AT IDLE IN CITY TRAFFIC. LET CAR SIT FOR A FEW MOMENTS, STARTED IT UP AND DROVE HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO BATTERY LIGHT, NO LOW OIL LIGHT. TOOK CAR TO NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC, WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE IN GREAT WORKING ORDER, GROUND CONNECTIONS WERE FINE. THEY TOOK CAR ON 20 MILE RIDE WITH NO STALLING. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP, THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG EITHER. TOLD ME TO COME BACK WHEN I HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, OTHER THAN THAT, THEY CAN NOT HELP ME. CAR CONTINUES TO STALL WHILE IDLE WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
AFTER ONLY 70000 MILES I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE HAS SLUDGE BUILD UP AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CAR WAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE OIL WAS CHANGED ON A REGULAR, TIMELY BASIS THROUGH THE DEALER. THE DEALER RECORDS WERE SENT TO KIA WHO WOULD NOT GAURANTEE TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE, THEY MAY OR MAY NOT COVER IT. IF ITS NOT COVERED I AM ON THE HOOK. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THE OIL HAD METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL, THIS WAS ALSO SENT TO KIA BY THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD KIA NEEDED A PICTURE THAT ONLY COULD BE OBTAINED BY TEARING DOWN THE ENGINE AND THAT ONCE THIS HAPPENED THE ENGINE COULDN'T BE PUT BACK TOGETHER. AT THIS POINT I WAS COMMITTED TO A NEW ENGINE, EITHER KIA WOULD PAY OR I WOULD. AT THIS TIME I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING. I KNOW KIA HAS THIS ISSUE WITH OTHER KIA MODELS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN IMMEDATELY WHEN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON,
CAR BURNS THROUGH OIL. NO LEAKS, JUST BURNS OIL. WHEN OIL IS EMPTY, NO CHECK OIL LIGHT COMES ON. MUST ADD OIL CONSTANTLY. MY MECHANIC SAID I HAD 'NO OIL' IN MY ENGINE DURING MY LAST CHECK. HE FILLED IT UP AND THEN I DECIDED TO CHECK IT MYSELF A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER AND THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING.
Showing 1–20 of 32 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026