2006 KIA RIO Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RIO years
- More complaints than other years 5th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 KIA RIO. That ranks 5th out of 24 RIO model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (50 complaints, 68%), typically at around 65,000 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 14 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 74owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 50 | 68% | 65,000 | “air bag” (56%) | $1,150 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 8% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 5% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 5% | 102,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 4% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 4% | 152,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 3% | 79,652 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 3% | 30,400 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% | 90,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 3% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 51,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 174,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 1,019 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 KIA RIO recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Kia is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 rio vehicles, manufactured from february 20, 2005, through december 9, 2007. The front passenger seat occupant sensor mat can experience fatigue cracking. If sufficient cracking occurs, the occupant classification system (ocs) will cease to function such that the system will not be able to detect whether a child passenger is in the seat and the airbag will deploy during a crash necessitating deployment.
Risk: Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ocs seat sensor mat, free of charge. The recall began on july 26, 2012. Owners may contact kia consumer assistance center 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
srs light turned on and is illuminated when starting and driving the vehicle.
This man purposely rammed my car. He saw me in the lane but came over anyway and hit my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 kia rio. The contact stated that while in for routine maintenance, the mechanic discovered the front cradle and lower control arm had sustained severe rusting and corrosion. The cause of the failure was not determined. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer taylor kia…
Ignition wont turn when key is in to start the car.at a stopped position. Happens when you try to start the car.
I was in an auto accident where i reneded two cars. My air bag sid not deploy. The vehicle was hydroplane on wet roads going about 55 when i hit the brakes.
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 | 74 | 1 |
| 2005 RIO | 37 | 1 |
| 2004 RIO | 38 | 2 |
| 2003 RIO | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2006 KIA RIO?
Owners most often report air bags, engine and engine cooling, steering problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 50 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 KIA RIO?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 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 2006 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.