Home · 2016 Kia Rio · Complaints

What 77 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 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 (77)Crash / fire / injury (12)Engine (38)Brakes (17)Electrical system (8)Transmission & drivetrain (5)Airbags (4)Fuel system (4)Lights (4)Engine & cooling (3)Steering (3)Body & structure (2)

2 of 77 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jun 6, 2024BrakesCrash

We were doing a lot of stop and go driving in warm weather. I noticed braking seemed to be normal at first but just before the accident I press the brake and the pedal went to the floor and the vehicle wouldn’t . I hit the car in front of me. My vehicle was presumably totaled. There was lots of fluids on the floor.

NHTSA ODI 11592853

Nov 29, 2023Electrical systemBrakesEngineFire

I was driving down the road and suddenly my check engine light starts flashing and the vehicle starts surging. I pull over and shut the car off. I get outside to the hood to open it, as there is steam coming out, and as I put my hand on the hood release, a fire erupts from the engine going over my windshield and driver window. Burning my entire car and $2500 worth of belongings to the ground.

NHTSA ODI 11557410

Working with the data? Download all 77 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 2016 Kia Rio verdict →