2008 KIA RIO Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RIO years
- About as many complaints as other years 10th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 46 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 KIA RIO. That ranks 10th out of 24 RIO model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (27 complaints, 59%), typically at around 65,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 10 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
_S_5-door_hatchback_(2017-07-15)_01.jpg){kind=link}
- 46owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 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 | 27 | 59% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 3 | 7% | 66,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 7% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 7% | 1,333 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 4% | 69,200 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 4% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 4% | 77,200 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 4% | 91,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 4% | 45,025 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | 4,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 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.
Air bag light on the dash board is allways on ever sens the car was purchased.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 kia rio. While driving various speeds, the engine and clutch ceased without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who provided a cost estimate for the repairs. The contact reached out to the manufacturer to find out what type of clutch was needed to…
Takata recall. The computer that tells the transmission to switch gears is stuck and doasnt work. My car will only stay in 3rd gear and reverse. It has no power and goes in limp mode. I have 3 small kids and it is very dangerous for me to drive with it like this since the day i bought it. Plz help…
Following a tire blowout the vehicle went into then out of a ditch. The vehicle was traveling at approximately 45-50mph. There was significant front end damage. The driver was wearing a seat belt. The air bag did not deploy nor did the seat belt restraint operate.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 kia rio. While driving at any speed, the vehicle shook uncontrollably and made a loud noise without warning. The vehicle was driven to a mechanic who diagnosed that the front driver side wheel bearing failed. The front left wheel bearing was replaced. The failure…
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 | 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 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 2008 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 2008 KIA RIO?
Owners most often report air bags, engine, service brakes, hydraulic problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 27 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 KIA RIO?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 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 2008 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.