2008 Kia Rio: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 57 complaints
57
Total Complaints
49,248mi
Median Mileage
AIR BAGS
Top Issue
12
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

9,250 25th Percentile
49,248 Median Mileage
94,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

AIR BAGS
23
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
3
ENGINE
3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2
SERVICE BRAKES
2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2
VISIBILITY
1

Severity Assessment

12
Crashes
0
Fires
11
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT'S CHEST STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL. HE HAS A PACEMAKER AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS UNKNOWN. THE..."
"WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH, VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER WENT TO ZERO AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN PRESSING ON GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE THEN DIED AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP HAD VEHICLE FOR 1 WEEK WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND WOULD N..."
"WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD TRAVELING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH, I SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING A DEAR AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD ON. I WAS TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WITH INJURIES TO MY NECK, BACK, LEFT SHOULDER AND LEFT KNEE. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR"

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28