2014 Kia RIO
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2014 Kia RIO has 74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (32% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2014 kia rio. the contact stated that the vehicle emitted a strong antifreeze and fuel odor and the engine warning indicator illuminated. the dealer stated that the engine was leaking. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the vin was unavailable. the. ⚠️ 11 fire reports filed.
74
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.9x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ENGINE
24 complaints- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A STRONG ANTIFREEZE AND FUEL ODOR AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETECT A TROUBLE CODE
- • HI MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE!! THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING THICK WHITE SMOKE THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING AND WHEN WE PULLED OFF THE STREET AND OPENED THE HOOD THE CAR WAS IN FIRE. I REALLY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THAT CAR. THIS WOULD BE THE 4TH TIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. FIRST 3 TIMES WAS FOR THE AIR CONTAINER NO
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A STRONG ANTIFREEZE AND FUEL ODOR AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BRAKES
10 complaints- • WAS HAVING AN ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM, ENDED UP HAVING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT MY FRONT BRAKES ARE LIKE NEW AND MY REAR BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED? I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AND I WAS TOLD IT IS ODD AND NOT LIKELY BUT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM. THERE
- • UNRESPONSIVE BRAKING AND AIRBAGS HAVE NOT DEPLOYED IN TWO SEPARATE COLLISIONS WHERE I RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED ON CITY STREETS WHERE I WAS DRIVING 25 MPH IN THE FIRST COLLISION AND 35 MPH IN THE SECOND.
- • MANUAL TRANSMISSION SO I SET THE PARKING BRAKE WHENEVER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE. BRAKES STICK DUE TO RUST WHENEVER IT SITS A LONG TIME OR WHEN IT GETS WET DUE TO HEAVY RAIN OR SNOW. VEHICLE IS PARKED. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN. DEALER CAN CLEAN AND OIL BRAKE BUT CANNOT KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
“WAS HAVING AN ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM, ENDED UP HAVING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT MY FRONT BRAKES ARE LIKE NEW AND MY REAR BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED? I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AND I WAS TOLD IT IS ODD AND NOT LIKELY BUT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM. THERE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
AIR BAGS
7 complaints- • A 2014 KIA RIO INVOLVED IN A HORRIFIC CRASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY? WHY? *TR
- • RIO SLID TERRIBLE AFTER TRYING TO GO AROUND A STOPPED VEHICLE AND THE STEERING WAS LOOSE AND WHEN WE HIT THE TRAILER ON THE SIDE. THE AIR BAG ON DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE PASSENGER BAG BUSTED THE PASSENGER'S STERNUM AND A SHARP METAL PIECE APPEARS TO BE IN HER LEG AS SOME WERE REMOVED. IN
- • I WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT TO REAR CAR ACCIDENT. MY KIA DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BRAKE WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME (A HONDA) STOPPED SUDDENLY. DURING THE INCIDENT MY KIA HIT THE HONDA'S REAR TWICE (TWO IMPACT MOMENTS) - AFTER THE FIRST IMPACT IN A MOMENT OF PANIC I HIT THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF
“A 2014 KIA RIO INVOLVED IN A HORRIFIC CRASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY? WHY? *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BODY/STRUCTURE
6 complaints- • A 2014 KIA RIO INVOLVED IN A HORRIFIC CRASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY? WHY? *TR
- • I WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT TO REAR CAR ACCIDENT. MY KIA DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO BRAKE WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME (A HONDA) STOPPED SUDDENLY. DURING THE INCIDENT MY KIA HIT THE HONDA'S REAR TWICE (TWO IMPACT MOMENTS) - AFTER THE FIRST IMPACT IN A MOMENT OF PANIC I HIT THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF
- • I WAS DRIVING DOWN A SUBURBAN STREET WHEN MY CAR ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP AND GET OUT OF THE CAR SAFELY. ALTHOUGH I HAD PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, IT ROLLED DOWN THE STREET UNTIL IT HIT A TELEPHONE POLE, WHICH IT SET ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS PRIMARILY ON THE D
“A 2014 KIA RIO INVOLVED IN A HORRIFIC CRASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY? WHY? *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
OTHER
6 complaints- • HI MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE!! THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING THICK WHITE SMOKE THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING AND WHEN WE PULLED OFF THE STREET AND OPENED THE HOOD THE CAR WAS IN FIRE. I REALLY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THAT CAR. THIS WOULD BE THE 4TH TIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. FIRST 3 TIMES WAS FOR THE AIR CONTAINER NO
- • ON MANY OCCASIONS, SINCE WE PURCHASED THIS 2014 KIA RIO, IT HAS HAD A HORRIBLE, INTENSE ODOR OF GASOLINE THAT IS SO STRONG IT OVERWHELMS ANYONE NEAR IT. IT STARTS AFTER 20-30 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 4 OR 5 TIMES AND THE WORKERS CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. ONE ON
- • WAS HAVING AN ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM, ENDED UP HAVING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT MY FRONT BRAKES ARE LIKE NEW AND MY REAR BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED? I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AND I WAS TOLD IT IS ODD AND NOT LIKELY BUT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM. THERE
“HI MY CAR CAUGHT FIRE!! THE CAR BEGAN SMOKING THICK WHITE SMOKE THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING AND WHEN WE PULLED OFF THE STREET AND OPENED THE HOOD THE CAR WAS IN FIRE. I REALLY DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THAT CAR. THIS WOULD BE THE 4TH TIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. FIRST 3 TIMES WAS FOR THE AIR CONTAINER NO”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 74 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A STRONG ANTIFREEZE AND FUEL ODOR AND THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: WAS HAVING AN ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM, ENDED UP HAVING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT MY FRONT BRAKES ARE LIKE NEW AND MY REAR BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED? I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN AND I WAS TOLD IT IS ODD AND NOT LIKELY BUT I NEEDED TO REPLACE THEM. THERE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐AIR BAGS: A 2014 KIA RIO INVOLVED IN A HORRIFIC CRASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY? WHY? *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: A 2014 KIA RIO INVOLVED IN A HORRIFIC CRASH. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY? WHY? *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Kia RIO — Year Comparison
How does 2014 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 74
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 11
- Crash reports
- 11
- Injury reports
- 5
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2014 Kia RIO