What 153 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Rio

On July 17, 2025, shortly before 4am, my son's 2013 Kia Rio caught fire, while sitting in the driveway turned off, and was totally destroyed. The car was parked in the driveway at his house and there were not any warning signs before it happened. On June 10, 2024 we had the HECU fuse replaced through a recall that could cause a fire. After we had it "fixed" we had no idea that it could still catch on fire! My son could have been in the car when this happened or other structures could have caught on fire! The fire department was called to put the fire out and the car was inspected by Kia and by our insurance company. Kia does not care that we had the part replaced and that the car STILL caught on fire. They have stated that they will not do one thing about it. They didn't offer a rental car, removal of the burned car or any money to replace the car. I do not know how they get away with this especially when the fire inspector for Kia told me that they knew that changing the fuse wasn't a "fix" but it would hopefully short the fuse before a fire would start! So they knew it was still possible! Kia should not be allowed to manufacture cars!! As of the past week, Kia will not even return my phone calls.

NHTSA ODI 11684896

Engline starting smoking and the car was engulfed in flames.

NHTSA ODI 11640306

Fire under the hood. It's available for inspection. I opened the hood after seeing smoke and the fire blew up but I wasn't hurt. The fire department put the fire out and wrote report. I called my insurance company and got a claim for it. They said it's most likely going to be a total loss after they examine it every where. I took it to Kia for servicing on September 11,2023 and I told them I had a little whining noise but they didn't say it was anything that could be fatal. Did this car have a recall for anything?

NHTSA ODI 11553660

Engine caught fire , oil consumption, miss firing, knocking brought to dealer they found nothing wrong with it back in December 2022. Car stopped working on March 11,2023 had fire underneath police had vehicle towed to the house. Insurance company will be here Monday. Will also be contacting Kia dealer in alliance Ohio on Monday. The engine light was on and checked missing firing cylinder one

NHTSA ODI 11511413

I was driving home one night and my brakes stopped working, then all the lights on my dashboard came on. Thankfully I was able to pull over safely off the freeway exit and another car pulled over next to me to let me know my car was on fire. The fire looked like it was in the center bottom of the car. I lifted the hood to the front of the car. There were two bystanders who were able to get a bucket of water and put the fire out before it got too big. There is no visible damage to the outside of the car.

NHTSA ODI 11484287

Driving car home Going about 35 Smelled car in front of me, that car smells, seems it was my own car try to do brake To pull over. No breaks loose able to coast into parking lot use emergency brake, stop flames shut up through Car into car got out people tried to help put it out fire trucks were called.

NHTSA ODI 11476493

On 04/07/22, I took my vehicle into Covina Valley KIA to replace a fuel line that had melted being constructed too close to the engine. About a month before the line, I noticed smoke was coming from under the hood. Other parts were too close to the GDi engine and were melting, and/or burning. For instance, the ignition coil/engine wire(s) cluster plastic holder which is mounted on the engine, was melting, breaking, and burning. Also the foam from the engine cover had caught fire. My car had also been throwing a knock sensor code p0326 every year. Replace it each time. Then the last time I fixed it, I got another p0326 that changed into fuel too rich code p2192. I inquired to KIA Management about the 2015 Service Bulletin: SB-10089747-5448 concerning the constant codes. But manager said that a ECU Upgrade may not help and to come down just to clear the codes to see if that helped. The car has been maintained, oil/filter changes 3,000 miles and I am the second owner. But these problems occurred without warning. Bad manufacturing, had to also replace the Fuel Pressure Regulator Valve, Fuel Feed Pipe, and all four Injectors due to melted plastic making it into the Delivery Rail from the melted Fuel Line which is plastic. Will attached my service bill and main receipts for parts bought to rectify this problem.

NHTSA ODI 11467019

ON 06/12/2018, MY 2013 KIA RIO HAD A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT TOTALED THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT OR RECENT MAINTENANCE. THE CAR SIMPLY BURST INTO FLAMES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11113386

I WAS DRIVING HOME WORK ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 15 MINUTES. IT WAS RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND HAD MY WINDOW DOWN WHEN I NOTICED AND ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE FROM FROM SOMETHING OUTSIDE AND KEPT DRIVING. THE SMELL GOT STRONGER AND STRONGER. AFTER JUST A COUPLE MINUTES OF FURTHER DRIVING SMOKE STARTED POURING IN FROM MY DEFROST VENTS. I GOT THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND JUST AS I GOT OUT FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND IT WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN SECONDS. THE CAUSE OF YET UNKNOWN AND UNDER INVESTIGATION FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER NEEDED ANY WORK DONE TO IT AND JUST PASSED THE MARYLAND STATE INSPECTION FOR REGISTRATION 6 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ODI 11040984

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WITH ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE VEHICLE, WHEN THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF WHIRRING, CLICKING, AND BANGING SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. AS WE PULLED OFF ON THE EXIT IT SOUNDED AS IF PARTS WERE FALLING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD. WHEN WE PULLED INTO THE REST AREA AND PARKED THE CAR TO CHECK IT OUT AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF GETTING A TOW TRUCK BEFORE THE CAR HAD US STRANDED AND BROKE DOWN, SMOKE BEGAN OMITTING FROM THE HOOD AND IT GOT THICKER AND FLAMES BEGAN COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD MAINLY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR UNTIL IT HAD SPREAD TO BOTH SIDES AND BEGAN TRAVELING INTO THE CABIN OF THE CAR. CAR WAS IN GOOD SHAPE, WITH ONLY A NEED FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE PROBLEM AND FIRE BEGAN. FIRE CREWS ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. ENGINE LIGHT DID TURN ON AND AND START BLINKING AS WE GOT ON THE EXIT RAMP. CAR WAS TURNED OFF AT THE TIME THE SMOKE AND FIRE BEGAN. MOST OF THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED WAS ON THE DRIVES SIDE OF THE CABIN AND ALL OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND ENGINE AREA. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THIS COULD BE SOMETHING UNRELATED TO A MANUFACTURER DEFAULT, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE TAKE THE CORRECT STEPS SINCE A CAR THAT WAS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD DID BURST INTO FLAMES.

NHTSA ODI 10991038

JUST BOUGHT A 2013 RIO WITH 28,000 MILES ON IT ON 9/2/16. THE CAR SAT IN OUR DRIVEWAY ALL LAST WEEK BECAUSE WE WERE ON VACATION, SO WE MAYBE PUT 100 MILES ON IT AND DROVE IT 4 TIMES. DROVE 20 MINUTES ROUND TRIP TO THE POST OFFICE YESTERDAY, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND WENT BACK INTO HOUSE TO WORK. WIFE CAME HOME FROM WORK ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER AND CAME RUNNING IN THE HOUSE SAYING THE NEW CAR IS ON FIRE. CALLED 911 AND BEFORE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO GET THERE, THE FLAMES WERE AS HIGH AS OUR SECOND FLOOR WINDOWS. CAR WAS PARKED ABOUT 10-15 FEET AWAY FROM HOUSE, BUT THE HEAT DAMAGED PART OF OUR HOUSE AS WELL. I HAVE CONTACTED INSURANCE, BUT I REALLY FEEL THIS IS A KIA ISSUE / PROBLEM, AND WE REALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO USE INSURANCE TO REPLACE THE CAR. THIS CAR IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY, AND THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THEN LAST NIGHT AFTER THE TOW COMPANY CAME, WE STARTED RESEARCHING THIS AND HAVE FOUND MANY, MANY 2012-2014 KIA'S DOING THIS. I LOGGED A COMPLAINT ON YOUR KIA'S WEBSITE, BUT HAVE NOT GOT A RESPONSE BACK YET, AND YES, I FEEL I SHOULD GET A RESPONSE OVER THE WEEKEND. OUR CAR BURST INTO FLAMES, DAMAGED PART OF OUR HOUSE FROM THE HEAT, AND IT COULD OF BEEN MUCH WORSE, ESPECIALLY IF I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE YESTERDAY. WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM KIA, OR OTHER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT WITH ALL OF THE GOOGLE HITS ABOUT KIA'S CATCHING FIRE, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON ANY OF THE MODELS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND GET THEM EITHER FIXED, OR OFF OF THE ROAD, AT KIA'S EXPENSE.

NHTSA ODI 10907339

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AND SLOWING DOWN AT A STOP LIGHT, THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LIFTED THE HOOD AND OBSERVED FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 9,175. UPDATED 09/01/2015*LJ UPDATED 10/14/2015*JS

NHTSA ODI 10701992

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT UNLATCHED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 10694206