2003 KIA RIO Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RIO years
- More complaints than other years 5th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 KIA RIO. That ranks 5th out of 24 RIO model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (19 complaints, 26%), typically at around 9,631 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 2 fires, 7 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
_S_5-door_hatchback_(2017-07-15)_01.jpg){kind=link}
- 74owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 | 19 | 26% | 9,631 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 20% | 4,768 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 16% | 40,318 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 16% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 9% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 8% | 42,750 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 5% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 5% | 66,044 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 5% | 6 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 5% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 4% | 4,768 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 3% | 84,708 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 3% | 54,900 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 1,800 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 KIA RIO recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." when used with certain child seats, the automatic locking retractor (alr) function in the rear outboard seatbelt assemblies may disengage.
Risk: If a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the seat occupant in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace both rear outboard seatbelt assemblies free of charge. The recall began on september 15, 2006. Owners may contact hyundai-kia at 1-800-333-4542.
Child seat
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, 'child restraint anchorage systems.' certain child restraint anchors will not fully latch onto the lower latch anchors located between the rear seat back and rear seat cushion because of interference between the child seat anchors and a metal wire located in the frame of the rear seat back. Until the recall repair is completed, follow the instructions provided by your child seats manufacturer on how to properly install the child seat with your vehicle's rear safety belts rather than using the latch system.
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, if the child seat is not properly installed, personal injury or death could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the lower anchors free of charge. The recall began on january 30, 2006. 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.
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
- Air bag non deploy (EA02009) — opened Jul 2, 2002, closed Jul 2, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 kia rio. The contact stated the brake lights failed to function while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was…
SEAT BELTS, CAR SEAT RETAINING HOOKS, ECM, AND DISTRIBUTOR ARE RECALLED. CHEYENNE KIA HAD 3 WEEKS BEFORE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT TO GET THE PARTS. I DELIVERED THE CAR FOR REPAIRS ONLY TO GET A CALL 4 HOURS LATER THAT THEY CANNOT FIND THE PARTS. IT HAS NOW BEEN 6 WEEKS SINCE PICKING UP MY CAR AND THEY…
All of the brake lights quit working at the same time. Done a search to see if there was any other problems like mine and found 3 other owners with the same problem. It has been in a mechanic shop for 2 weeks now and i have just got done talking with him this morning about it and he said that he…
Front, right brake rotor separated at the inboard half. Pieces not found. Outboard half remained intact, and is available for study/analysis. Was able to use brakes although extremely spongy and danger of resulting fire from sparks (metal-tometal contact). Replaced rotor and pads. Vehicle is back…
Going out to dinner, about 1 mile away from home smell coming from car. Turned down a side street, smoke coming from heat/air adjustment area on dash. Stopped car, fire started coming out of the area where you adjust the heat/air. Before fire department could get there the entire car was on fire…
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 | 74 | 3 |
| 2002 RIO | 128 | 1 |
| 2001 RIO | 223 | 3 |
| 2000 RIO | 3 | 0 |
See all KIA RIO problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
Embed this 2003 KIA RIO badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 KIA RIO?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 KIA RIO?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.