2013 KIA RIO Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RIO years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 153 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 KIA RIO. That ranks 2nd out of 24 RIO model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (53 complaints, 35%), typically at around 70,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 18 fires, 8 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 153owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 problems | 53 | 35% | 70,000 | “oil engine” (9%) | — |
| Air Bags | 34 | 22% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 27 | 18% | 67,126 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 21 | 14% | 114,928 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 19 | 12% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 10 | 7% | 24,800 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 5% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 5% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 4% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 5 | 3% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 3% | 64,252 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 3% | 400 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 2% | 2,700 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 2% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 1,900 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 55,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 KIA RIO recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
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
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (AQ23002) — opened Nov 17, 2023, still open.
- Engine Fires (EA21003) — opened Dec 22, 2021, closed Feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V877.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact called on behalf of her mother, who owned a 2013 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while the contact's mother was approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle stalled. The contact's mother noticed smoke coming from under the hood. The contact's mother stated…
Was sleeping and heard a pop looked and there was a fire under the hood tried to extinguish it got it outside on the road, and it burned to the ground basically
Case numberODI11697241
Vehicle showed all defect warnings as described in recall #23v652 .To include loss of all hydraulic components. Your reference Claim # [XXX]. I would like to know the status of this claim as the dealer still has my vehicle and now claims needs chassis repair , even though they earlier did an…
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Rio. The contact had notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The recall repair was performed; however, while starting the vehicle the check engine, ABS, and oil warning…
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 | 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 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
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 KIA RIO?
Owners most often report engine, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 53 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 KIA RIO?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.