2006 KIA RIO Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2006 KIA RIO, 68% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 65,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (56% of reports).
- 50air bags complaints
- 65,000median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 10mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 53%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 28 of 50 complaints (56%)
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 14 of 50 complaints (28%)
- Airbag sensor: mentioned in 5 of 50 complaints (10%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2006 KIA RIO at $1,150, and half of them between $1,100 and $1,300.
Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2010–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 37 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 50 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 10 an injury.
KIA RIO air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 RIO | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2019 RIO | 3 | 14% | 18,051 |
| 2018 RIO | 5 | 18% | 54,000 |
| 2017 RIO | 3 | 10% | 6,054 |
| 2016 RIO | 4 | 5% | 51,000 |
| 2015 RIO | 5 | 10% | 21,000 |
| 2014 RIO | 7 | 13% | 35,000 |
| 2013 RIO | 34 | 22% | 74,000 |
| 2012 RIO | 12 | 22% | 78,000 |
| 2011 RIO | 5 | 21% | 40,828 |
| 2010 RIO | 12 | 46% | 60,937 |
| 2009 RIO | 17 | 44% | 69,500 |
| 2008 RIO | 27 | 59% | 65,000 |
| 2007 RIO | 21 | 46% | 50,383 |
| 2006 RIO | 50 | 68% | 65,000 |
| 2005 RIO | 4 | 11% | 85,000 |
| 2004 RIO | 3 | 8% | 49,712 |
| 2003 RIO | 4 | 5% | 30,000 |
| 2002 RIO | 21 | 16% | 32,250 |
| 2001 RIO | 33 | 15% | 24,500 |
| 2000 RIO | 1 | 33% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
srs light turned on and is illuminated when starting and driving the vehicle.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 kia rio. While driving 50 mph, the contact had a seizure and crashed head on into a tree. The contact was injured and hospitalized. A police report was filed. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2006 KIA RIOs have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 50 owner complaints about air bags for the 2006 KIA RIO (68% of the 74 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2006 KIA RIO air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 65,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2006 KIA RIO?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,150 (half paid between $1,100 and $1,300), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2006 KIA RIO?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 28 of 50 complaints, followed by “passenger seat” (14).
See all 2006 KIA RIO problems or air bags problems across all RIO years.