What are the most common problems on the 2019 Kia Rio?

NHTSA has 21 owner complaint(s) on record for the 2019 Kia Rio. Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2019 Kia Rio, cited in 6 of 21 filed complaints (29%).

Problems › Kia › 2019 Rio

2019 Kia Rio Problems & Owner Complaints

21 NHTSA owner complaints

4 crash 1 fire 4 injury

Age-normalised, this year draws ~2.6 complaints per year on the road — ranking 10 of 14 Kia Rio years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2019 Kia Rio, cited in 6 of 21 filed complaints (29%).

Air Bags is next (3 complaints, 14%), followed by Power Train (2), Steering (2), Back Over Prevention (1).

Across all complaints, 4 report a crash, 1 report a fire, 4 report injuries.

The most safety-critical cluster is Air Bags: 3 crash, 3 injury report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Rio, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 21.

Unknown Or Other 8 1 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN I APPROACHED A GREEN LIGHT IT TURNED YELLOW I MASH DOWN ON MY BRAKE IT ENGAGED FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND IT GAVE ON ME AND I COULD NOT GET THE BRAKE TO ENGAGE AGAIN I COULD NOT STOP FOR THE LIGHT AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT.”
NHTSA complaint #11309662, 2020 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“Unknown of specifics. I was driving up a hill. I heard a loud pop. I pulled off the side of the road. The battery light, oil light, and one other came on. I turned my car off. Tried to start it, again however it sounded like the starter wasn't working. Then smoke started to come out of the car. Within 10 minutes my entire car was consumed in flames. A bystander stated the same thing happened to someone she knows- same make & model of car... about two weeks prior. Police believe there was something faulty within the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11462323, 2022 · fire

“There was no accident the radio/backup camera shuts down completely on the inside of the car when the car is too hot inside”
NHTSA complaint #11744013, 2026

Engine 6 1 fire

“On the morning of October 15th, the oil light of my 2019 Kia Rio came on, immediately followed by extreme engine noise, just before the engine locked. I had the vehicle towed to a nearby service center. They checked and reported that all oil had leaked out and motor had locked. I then had vehicle towed to Kia dealer and requested a motor replacement. They not only charged me for a diagnostic test that determined the motor had locked but also refused to replace the engine without me paying $12,000. The vehicle's motor has the same problems as the motors in 2011-2019 kia Engine Defect Settlem…”
NHTSA complaint #11710569, 2025

“The engine experienced a rod bearing failure resulting in internal engine damage and sudden loss of normal engine operation. The vehicle and failed engine components are currently available for inspection upon request. The engine failure occurred while the vehicle was traveling at high speed on the freeway, resulting in sudden loss of engine power. This created a significant safety risk, as loss of power at freeway speeds increases the likelihood of collision with surrounding vehicles and posed a danger to myself and other motorists. The failure was diagnosed and confirmed by a Kia dealershi…”
NHTSA complaint #11705721, 2025

Air Bags 3 3 crash 3 injury

“Victim was hit head on by a truck. Victim was going 10-15mph truck faster. Victim was t-boned on the driver side at the front tire. The entire front fender and frame were damaged. Victim sub-stained a bad shoulder injury and ptsd. Air bags did not deploy.”
NHTSA complaint #11533077, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA RIO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 42 MPH, WHILE IN THE LEFT LANE TO GO STRAIGHT. ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS IN THE TURNING LANE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE MADE A RIGHT TURN INSTEAD AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE LEFT FRONT TIRE CAUSING THE TIRE TO EXPLODE WITH IMPACT. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE OTHER VEHICLE PUSHED THE VEHICLE AT HIGH SPEED, THE VEHICLE LANDED INTO A DITCH AND CAME TO A STOP. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER HIT HER HEAD AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK, ARM H…”
NHTSA complaint #11377300, 2020 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2019 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE, ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED FROM THE CENTER LANE AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK, SHOULDER, RIGHT FOOT, AND LEFT KNEE INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED CAVENAUGH KIA (LOCATED AT 3315 STADIUM BLVD, JONESBORO, AR 72404, (870) 933-8888) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE CRASH AND AIR BAG FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE…”
NHTSA complaint #11205794, 2019 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Power Train 2

“The oil light flashed in the car once after an oil change, so I took the car back the very next day to the mechanic and he said there was no oil in the car at the time. He filled the car back up with oil, and by the end of the week, the car needed oil again, but no light indicated the car was low on oil. Months went by with constant oil changes and the car needing oil, so the mechanic told me to take the car to the dealership because he couldn't find a leak. Took the car to the dealership, they couldn't find a leak either. Took the car back to the main mechanic who said the car was consuming t…”
NHTSA complaint #11622905, 2024

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHILE CHANGING GEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF STOCKTON LOCATED AT (6215 HOLMAN RD, STOCKTON, CA 95212) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11315702, 2020

Steering 2

“STEERING HAS AN INTERMITTENT PULL TO THE LEFT.”
NHTSA complaint #11277536, 2019

Back Over Prevention 1

“There was no accident the radio/backup camera shuts down completely on the inside of the car when the car is too hot inside”
NHTSA complaint #11744013, 2026

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Electrical System 1

“My car had been broken into and was attempted to be stolen on December 22, 2022. A few months ago, a neighbor left a note on my car stating that someone was looking through the windows suspiciously. Today, December 12, 2023, my car was stolen from a paid for parking garage at my apartment complex with no cameras. The issue should have been resolved considering my boyfriend and co-owner of the vehicle went to the Kia dealership on November 28, 2023 to have the "anti-theft software update" installed. Apparently, this doesn't work as my car was stolen even with the "alert" sticker on the window.”
NHTSA complaint #11559775, 2023

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 1

Other/I Am Not Sure 1

“360 car seat will not click lock will steady spin around”
NHTSA complaint #11694519, 2025

Service Brakes 1 1 crash 1 injury

Structure 1

“2019 Kia Rio Hatchback trunk latch failure buzzing actuator but won't open emergency release does not work dealer says not covered under recall #21V622000 which covers the trunk for 4 door 2019 Kia Rio and this appears to be the same or similar issue with the trunk emergency release not opening creating a safety risk”
NHTSA complaint #11732793, 2026

Suspension 1

Vehicle Speed Control 1

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2019 Kia Rio draws about 2.6 complaints per year on the road, ranking 10 of 14 among the Kia Rio model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.