2018 KIA RIO Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other RIO years
- Fewer complaints than other years 16th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 28 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 KIA RIO. That ranks 16th out of 24 RIO model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (15 complaints, 54%), typically at around 102,316 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 28owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 | 15 | 54% | 102,316 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 18% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 18% | 5 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 18% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 7% | 5 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 7% | 17,570 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 4% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 4% | 100 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 4% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 KIA RIO recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:trunk lid:latch
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Risk: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
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.
The Components that have malfunctioned are the airbags, exaust system, electrical systems, sensors, gaskets, and a few other things. We had 5 failed clockspring repairs. The first (3?) under warranty, we paid for another when they said it was our fault, then that mechanic said that it needed to go…
Vehicle has excessive oil consumption defect acknowledged in Kia TSB ENG222. Repeated catalytic converter failures indicate potential overheating risk similar to 2019 Gamma engine recall for fire hazard. Engine burning oil creates risk of critically low oil levels leading to engine failure/stalling…
The first problem part is the airbag. The clockspring was fixed twice under warranty. Then the dealership said they wont keep doing it and blamed me wrongly. I had a private mechanic repair the same part twice due to the code it was giving but it turns out thats not what's wrong with it. The entire…
Took my car in as the airbag light on the dashboard kept turning on and offâ with or without a passenger in the seat. The dealership ran a diagnostic inspection and turns out that the passenger side OCS Mat and ECU are faulty and need to be replaced (DTC codes B176700 and B17672F). I have not…
My car is a 2018 Kia Rio that has a clean history and has never been in an accident. Recently my airbag light came on and I had a diagnostic run that showed a B1448 code indicating an OCS mat defect in the passenger seat. The 2015-2018 Kia Sedona models also had the same problem and were issued…
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 | 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 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 2018 KIA RIO?
Owners most often report engine, air bags, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 KIA RIO?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.