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What 51 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Rio

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (51)Crash / fire / injury (15)Engine (24)Brakes (10)Airbags (7)Body & structure (6)Transmission & drivetrain (6)Electrical system (5)Fuel system (4)Wheels (2)Equipment Adaptive/mobility (1)Lights (1)

4 of 51 complaints match · Fuel system · clear filters

Jul 2, 2021EngineFuel system

Catalytic converter has failed at 80,000 miles

NHTSA ODI 11423186

Sep 6, 2016Fuel system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A STRONG FUEL ODOR WAS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE PASSENGER ON MANY OCCASIONS HAD TO BE RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL DUE TO THE FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

NHTSA ODI 10903853

May 23, 2016Fuel system

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 ONE OCCASION, THE MECHANICS CHANGED SOMETHING CALLED THE PURGE CANISTER BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I READ ON THE NHTSA THAT AT LEAST TWO OTHER CAR OWNERS COMPLAINED OF THE SAME. I HAVE A NEW BORN AND A 7 YEAR OLD AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR.THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO HAS TWO

NHTSA ODI 10870330

May 19, 2014Fuel system

PUMPING GAS INTO GAS TANK AND THE GAS WAS ON THE GROUND BECAUSE THE GAS TANK WAS NEVER SEALED WAS RIDING THE CAR FOR 10 DAYS AND THE ORIGINAL GAS THAT WAS PUT IN THE CAR FROM DEALER SO THE 1ST TIME PUTTING GAS IN THE TANK THE GAS WAS POURING OUT AND LOSS THE $23 WORTH OF GAS BUT I COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING FROM CAR ABOUT ANY GAS LEAK ISSUE OR FAULTY GAS LINE OR TANK NOT SEALED THIS IS DANGEROUS AND THIS WAS 2014 KIA RIO LX. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10592518

Working with the data? Download all 51 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 14, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Kia Rio verdict →