2012 Kia Rio problems and complaints
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Rio. The most-reported areas: Engine (24), Air Bags (12), Fuel/Propulsion System (7).
Key takeaways
- 54 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 3 involve a crash, 9 a fire, 4 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 24 | 44% |
| Air Bags | 12 | 22% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 7 | 13% |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 11% |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 | 9% |
| Hydraulic | 3 | 6% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 6% |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Kia Rio 5 HB FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2012 Kia Rio 4 DR FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-08-13
I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2012 Kia Rio, which currently has approximately 150,000 miles. I first became aware of these problems at approximately 120,000 miles. The vehicle has excessive oil consumption despite being consistently and properly maintained. I have been meticulous about maintenance becaus...
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-08-06
I went to honk my horn as someone was backing up and didn’t see me as we were on an incline . This vehicle sits low and they were in a jeep. Due to the failure of my horn, I was unable to give a warning and they hit my car. No airbag was deployed and my seatbelt/airbag light is on. No injuries reported thankfully. I wa...
Air Bags,service Brakes - filed 2026-05-28
The airbag warning light and the ABS warning light turned on simultaneously while driving. This is a severe safety hazard as both critical, life-saving safety features are currently compromised. I have already contacted Kia Customer Care regarding this issue, but I am filing this official complaint with the NHTSA to en...
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More for the 2012 Kia Rio
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.