AI Damage2004 KIA RIO Cinco: common problems
Owners of the 2004 KIA RIO Cinco filed 12 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and suspension. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 12
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 25% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 17% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 17% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 17% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 8% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Suspension: 3 complaints (25% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (17% of all).
- Steering: 2 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 2 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 12 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Dt: while driving on the highway at 55-60 mph the steering went out. The car was moving on its own accord from one side of the lane to the other, and steering became unresponsive. Pumping the brakes made the reaction worse. The vehicle was struck on the passenger's side , slowing the car,and steering engaged again.
Driver side door lock does not always work. When locked from inside the car you have to crawl out the passenger side and go around to driver door, put the key in the lock and wiggle the inside door lock lever. Sometimes it takes minutes to get it to unlock.
No interior lights, radio and no 'door ajar' warning. 2008 the door behind driver would not open. 2013 the driver door would not open followed by the hatchback. Right now only 2 doors are able to be locked due to this issue. A new clutch was put in during 2012.
Ok, my car makes a thumping noise under the tire, thought was the wheel bearing it's not someone said it was the axle I don't know also, the engine light has been on I changed the air filter, I read that someone else had problems with the filter, I read that the axle rusts out, I think this car should be recalled…
I was driving with my girlfriend, headed out to dinner, going 15 to 20 mph through town (25 mph speed limit), when suddenly a loud clunking noise started, coming from passenger side rear wheel.
Fan control knob for heat intermittently would only work on some speeds and gradually would not work at times. It would "catch" every once in awhile only on high, I could smell something hot, now it does not work at all.
Car will only accelerate about 10 miles in each gear, then begins to stall and then decelerate, unless I move it to the next gear. When I reach 5th gear at about 42 miles per hour, the car will drive ok until I reach 50 and then began to decelerate, stabilizing at about 45 miles per hour.
Since day one this car has had a shake in the steering wheel at the speed of 55 - 65 mph. This car has been back to the dealer 4 times for this problem.the dealer has told me that they don't know what it is.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 10,160 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 28% most complained about).
On average one model year of the RIO Cinco has 11 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 12, about average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 KIA RIO Cinco?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, suspension, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 12. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (17%), knocking, grinding or other noise (17%), rust, corrosion (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 KIA RIO Cinco?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 KIA RIO Cinco from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.