2021 Kia Rio: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
15
Complaints
2
Recalls
2
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
0
Injuries
53.3
Severity index
Severity index 53.3 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 | 40.0% |
| STEERING | 4 | 26.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 3 | 20.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 | 13.3% |
| ENGINE | 2 | 13.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 6.7% |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 1 | 6.7% |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 | 6.7% |
The single most-reported system is UNKNOWN OR OTHER, cited in 6 of 15 complaints (40.0%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 6 |
| 2025 | 2 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 14.0x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V936000 | 01/12/2021 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Rio vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance. |
| 22V304000 | 05/05/2022 | STEERING:COLUMN | Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.