AI Damage2017 KIA RIO: common problems
Owners of the 2017 KIA RIO filed 31 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and service brakes. The maker issued 57 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 31
- involving a crash
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 57
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 35% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 23% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 10% of all complaints
- 5 Latches, locks, linkages 6% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 3% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 3% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 3% of all complaints
- Engine: 11 complaints (35% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Service brakes: 7 complaints (23% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 22.
- Air bags: 3 complaints (10% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Latches, locks, linkages: 2 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 31 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 11 | 0 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 22 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The car hit a fence knocked it down & hit a tree it is completely inoperable. The car was totaled. None of the airbags deployed.
Was envolved in a wreck to where I went off the road hit a stop sign,,a telephone box,,a oak tree then a pine tree and none of the airbags deployed now my wife has a broken back and chest bone,,I got a busted up knee a sprang sholder neck and back
Was run off the road at 55 mph hitting a stop sign a telephone box a oak tree then a pine tree and the airbags did not deploy or did the seat belts lock up wife has a broken back and chest bone
I was driving my 2017 Kia Rio at approximately 70 mph when the vehicle began shaking violently. I heard a loud mechanical sound from the engine compartment that sounded like something broke loose and was being thrown around. I immediately began pulling over as smoke started entering the cabin.
My son and I were driving home from work on IH-35 and I noticed smoke coming from under my hood. Then within seconds, flames appeared moving quickly towards the windshield. I attempted to move to the shoulder and after doing so, I was unable to stop since the brakes were no longer working.
In addition, the contact engaged the emergency gear, and the trunk would not open. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
No parts available to fix hydraulic electronic control unit HECU. Been told this since December 2023. Received another letter dated 4/10/3024. The remedy is now available. Being told again there are no parts. Went by another car insurance company. Being told I cannot get a quote because of repair problems with recalls.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available.
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 1,072 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 49% least complained about).
On average one model year of the RIO has 28 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 31, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER PROTECTOR & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2311) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated…
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN
POSTCARD OWNER RENOTIFICATION (CS2311) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. Kia has developed a new zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector…
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN
OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. A software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method has been made…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY…
- PITSTOP
TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2311) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2307) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar…
- This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity…
This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced.
- CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN
OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia now has an additional vehicle modification available for installation to help deter or thwart attempted thefts. This modification consists…
NHTSA lists 57 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2017 KIA RIO?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 31. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (23%), warning lights, check engine (13%), knocking, grinding or other noise (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2017 KIA RIO?
NHTSA lists 57 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 2017 KIA RIO 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 2017 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 2026-11-04.