2001 KIA RIO Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RIO years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 223 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 KIA RIO. That is the most of any RIO model year in the database (24 years). The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (52 complaints, 23%), typically at around 49,145 miles. Complaints mention 21 crashes, 14 fires, 12 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 6 defect investigations involving it.
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- 223owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 6NHTSA investigations
- 21complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 KIA RIO problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 52 | 23% | 49,145 | “engine check” (13%) | — |
| Air Bags | 33 | 15% | 24,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 31 | 14% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 25 | 11% | 36,279 | — | — |
| Power Train | 25 | 11% | 43,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 23 | 10% | 26,483 | — | — |
| Suspension | 22 | 10% | 52,595 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 19 | 9% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 8% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 15 | 7% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 5% | 101,273 | — | — |
| Equipment | 10 | 4% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 9 | 4% | 65,400 | — | — |
| Visibility | 9 | 4% | 52,595 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 3% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 2% | 20,650 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 2% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 2% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 0% | 129,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 KIA RIO recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Wheels
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles may have a manufacturing flaw that could cause the wheels to crack under long term driving fatigue. If cracks occur, wheel noise and vibration will result and become progressively worse over time.
Risk: If the crack is severe, the wheel could separate from the vehicle and possibly result in loss of vehicle control and a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace all four wheels free of charge. The recall began on june 22, 2005. Owners may contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel intake nipple of the fuel distributor is subject to fracture or cracking during removal of the quick connect coupling securing the main fuel tube assembly to the fuel intake nipple, or when force is accidentally applied to the intake nipple during the vehicle assembly process or during engine compartment repairs.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel distributor and main fuel tube assemblies. The recall began june 18, 2004. Owners should contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, fuel leaks may develop at the fuel distributor assembly because of quality deviations.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the fuel distributor and fuel connector assemblies. Owner notification is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2004. Owners should contact kia at 1-800-333-4542.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Steel wheel fracture (EA04020) — opened Jul 22, 2004, closed Apr 28, 2005, led to recall 05V159000.
- Steel wheel fracture (PE04030) — opened Mar 24, 2004, closed Jul 22, 2004.
- Fuel rail leakage (EA03015) — opened Aug 28, 2003, closed Apr 30, 2004, led to recall 03V352000.
- Engine compartment fires (PE03016) — opened Apr 15, 2003, closed Aug 28, 2003.
- Air bag non deploy (EA02009) — opened Jul 2, 2002, closed Jul 2, 2003.
- Air bag non-deployment frontal crash (PE02022) — opened Feb 12, 2002, closed Jul 2, 2002.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Door locks on both front doors stuck in the locked position.
Parked car at work came back out and the door lock was down tried to pull up but is stuck or caught on something. The way the screws are in the door 2 of them cannot be taken out without having the door open. With long legs its very difficult to get in and out of vehicle!!! Also trouble with the…
It is difficult to enter the car with the key and when i pull the door handle the lock drops down to the close position and i can't get out this happens on the driver's side and the front passenger side,i have to hold the lock on the up position with a piece of metal or leave the rear doors…
Consumer complaint: odi case number: 10136024 component: wheels gas ignition? You tell me? When are these people going to be compensated for their lemons kia-2001 details: dt: the consumer was involved in an accident and a tire blew out. After the vehicle stopped spinning, the consumer got out of…
I was on a major interstate doing the speed limit of 65 mph when i heard a loud pop sound. The car started to shake and i thought i had a flat tire. I immediately put on my hazard lights and slowed down to reach the nearest exit ramp. I was alone in the car and thank god i had no children in the…
Other KIA RIO years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 RIO | 12 | 0 |
| 2022 RIO | 11 | 1 |
| 2021 RIO | 15 | 2 |
| 2020 RIO | 27 | 1 |
| 2019 RIO | 22 | 1 |
| 2018 RIO | 28 | 1 |
| 2017 RIO | 31 | 2 |
| 2016 RIO | 77 | 2 |
| 2015 RIO | 52 | 1 |
| 2014 RIO | 52 | 1 |
| 2013 RIO | 153 | 1 |
| 2012 RIO | 54 | 1 |
| 2011 RIO | 24 | 0 |
| 2010 RIO | 26 | 0 |
| 2009 RIO | 39 | 0 |
| 2008 RIO | 46 | 1 |
| 2007 RIO | 46 | 1 |
| 2006 RIO | 74 | 1 |
| 2005 RIO | 37 | 1 |
| 2004 RIO | 38 | 2 |
| 2003 RIO | 74 | 3 |
| 2002 RIO | 128 | 1 |
| 2001 | 223 | 3 |
| 2000 RIO | 3 | 0 |
See all KIA RIO problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 KIA RIO?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, air bags, wheels problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 52 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 KIA RIO?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 KIA RIO a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other RIO model years, the 2001 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.