2016 Kia Rio problems and complaints
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Rio. The most-reported areas: Engine (39), Service Brakes (18), Unknown Or Other (16).
Key takeaways
- 80 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 8 involve a crash, 6 a fire, 5 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 39 | 49% |
| Service Brakes | 18 | 23% |
| Unknown Or Other | 16 | 20% |
| Hydraulic | 12 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 9 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 5 | 6% |
| Power Train | 5 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 5% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 | 5% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 3 | 4% |
| Steering | 3 | 4% |
| Structure | 2 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2016 Kia Rio
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Engine oil
- Wiper blades
- Headlight bulb
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Kia Rio 4 DR FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| 2016 Kia Rio 5 HB FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-11-01
Trunk latch failed after 2 years cannot open trunk with key or latch by front seat tried to open trunk and latch will not engage to open,
Air Bags - filed 2026-10-22
ON 9/21/2026 AT 3:18AM WAS GETTING OFF TURNPIKE Becker rd. 128 CAME TO A STOP LIGHT WHEN a truck plowed in the back of me then took off. hit me so hard the car shut off. i started the car back up after a few minutes did not see anyone and drove home.
Electrical System,engine - filed 2026-10-19
While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly began bucking, lost power, and lost oil. The engine compartment immediately caught fire. The fire was entirely non-collision related and required immediate extinguishing. The incident was logged by the Washington State Patrol. The vehicle was towed and subsequently...
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More for the 2016 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.