8.5

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
93,350 miles
Total Complaints:
4 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. buy a new motor or a new car (1 reports)
  2. give me enough money to fix it or give me a new car (or the (1 reports)
  3. not sure (1 reports)
  4. sell it back to dealer (1 reports)
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2002 Kia Rio:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #4

Aug 192009

Rio

  • Manual transmission
  • 93,206 miles

The engine in this car had a problem where it wouldn't be able to fire properly, especially at red lights and would often just stall. After many garage repairs, the issue kept coming back.

- locke_gb7, Montreal, QC, Canada

problem #3

Aug 252014

Rio 1.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND KIA HAS THE KIND OF MOTOR THAT WHEN IT BREAKS IT BREAKS OFF THE PISTONS (SOMETHING LIKE THAT), AND RUINS YOUR ENGINE! TERRIBLE!! THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL! OTHER CARS DON'T DO THAT!

NOW I HAVE TO BUY A NEW MOTOR $1-2K, OR A NEW CAR!

- kwindon, Norton, OH, US

problem #2

Aug 252014

Rio 1.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

I HAVE A 2002 KIA RIO. IT'S BEEN FINE THE LAST FEW YEARS. 8/25/14 I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT WAS IDLING ROUGH. THEY PUT IN NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES. I TOOK IT HOME SAME DAY. THEN I DROVE 15 MILES TO AKRON FOR A HIKE. WHEN I WAS ALMOST THERE, MY CAR SUDDENLY WENT DEAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I STEERED IT OFF THE ROAD INTO A PARKING LOT. IT CLICKED, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. (I LIVE ALONE.) I CALLED AAA AND GOT IT TOWED 15 MILES BACK TO SAME SHOP.

ON 8/26/14 THEY TOLD ME THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND IT RUINED THE MOTOR. THEY SAID KIA BUILDS AN INTERFERENCE MOTOR, SO WHEN THE BELT BREAKS, IT BREAKS OFF THE PISTONS (SOMETHING LIKE THAT - I'M A GIRL), AND IT RUINS THE ENGINE. IT CAN'T BE FIXED. I HAVE TO BUY A NEW MOTOR OR A NEW CAR. THEY DO NEITHER THERE.

THE CAR DIDN'T COME WITH A MANUAL. SO I BOUGHT IT ONLINE. I NEVER SAW ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT A TIMING BELT!!! (MY CHEVY MANUAL HAD MILEAGE AND BY EACH MILEAGE IT TOLD YOU WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO. BUT KIA'S DOESN'T.) I AM MAD I DIDN'T KNOW. OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE HAD IT DONE IF I KNEW!!!!

I AM MAD NONE OF THE SHOPS I'VE BEEN TO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS EVER TOLD ME OR WARNED ME ABOUT THE TIMING BELT!!!

KIA, THIS IS CRIMINAL!!! YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT~!~!~ YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BUILD A CAR, WITH NO WARNING, THAT SELF DESTRUCTS WHEN A COMMON ITEM BREAKS--THE TIMING BELT!!! WE'VE (MY PARENTS...) HAD OTHER CARS AND THE TIMING BELT BROKE, BUT IT DIDN'T RUIN THE ENGINE. THEY JUST PUT ANOTHER TIMING BELT IN!!!

THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL!! KIA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES!!! IT IS EXTREMELY UNETHICAL. I WAS PLANNING ON BUYING ANOTHER KIA IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. I TOLD EVERYONE HOW MUCH I LOVED MY KIA. BUT I WON'T NOW!!! I WILL NEVER BUY A KIA AGAIN!! AND I WILL TELL EVERYONE I KNOW NOT TO AND ABOUT THIS!!!

MY PARENTS BOUGHT ME THE CAR SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN I LOST MY JOB (I LIVE ALONE). I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY NOW TO BUY A NEW MOTOR OR A NEW CAR!! MY PARENTS CAN'T HELP, BECAUSE MY DAD IS IN A NURSING HOME FROM A STROKE NOW. THEY'RE BOTH RETIRED!!!!

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'LL DO!! BUT A CAR SHOULD BE RELIABLE AND HONEST!!!!!!!

- kwindon, Norton, OH, US

problem #1

Jan 262006

(reported on)

Rio LE

  • 80,000 miles

car shuts down in traffic. do not but a kia at all!

- terrell, Unio City, GA, US