8.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
53,000 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2012 Kia Rio:

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

problem #1

Jun 032016

Rio

  • Automatic transmission
  • 53,000 miles

speed control - engine revs

One of the other 2012 Kia Rio owners on this website has the same problem where the car engine will rev and accelerate. It sounds like my problem. I got this used 1 owner car from a Toyota dealership that had less than 12,000 miles on it. Ran great and still runs great except for this problem. However, I noticed that sometimes especially in the 1st and 2nd year after I got the car that 2 to 6 times a month (it varied), the engine would rev up on the rpms when in park when starting the car. I would have to put my toe under the gas pedal while in park to stop the revving of the engine otherwise it feels like the car is being pushed forward despite my foot on the brake. One year (2014 or 2015), I was waiting at a 3 way small intersection and seeing if I could turn right on the red, when a car (with a driver not paying attention), came up behind me and tapped my bumper hard enough to push me forward. No exterior damage resulted, but this caused the engine to engage in this problem "acceleration mode." Despite putting my foot on the brake, my car was still pushed out into traffic by the engine acceleration. Luckily no one was in the lane coming at me from the left and another car went around me. I managed to make a right turn and was finally able to stop. Yesterday after leaving home and the street in front that needs repair (I went over a small rock in the road), I was near the intersection not far from the highway with my mother in the car, slowly moving after stopping at a stop sign when the car started to rev up. Never had this happed while moving - only while stopped. I braked, turned on hazards, and put my toe under gas pedal to stop it. My mother was alarmed about it and I have never had a passenger in the car when it happened or the car moving when it happened. She said I should pump the brakes when it happens to warn the driver behind me. (I read somewhere that you shouldn't pump the brakes - besides the engine acceleration still is pushing the car forward even if braked.) I don't know if the rough road caused the problem to slip in and happen yesterday, but I am concerned when I am driving when it happens. When I had the car with low miles, I noticed the problem a lot more. Also I noticed it happened more often if I drove up fast into the driveway and put the car into park that sometimes the next day (but not always) that the car would rev when the car was turned on. I would put my toe under the gas pedal to stop the revving. If I started driving and felt the pushing, I would pull over, put the car in park and repeat the process until ok. Didn't happen as much the next day when parking at a lower speed. I am concerned that I had a passenger in the car when this happened this time - most of the time I am by myself in the car. When I had rodent damage to my car and had it fixed by the Kia dealership courtesy of my insurance company, the Kia mechanics found no problems after inspecting the car and test driving it. This happened in April 2016 and I didn't have the car rev and have the problem again until June 3, 2016 with my mother in the car with me. It means it is not happening as much as 2 to 3 years ago, but is still a problem that can be a serious problem. Kia needs to recall and fix this.

- catgirl, Edmond, OK, US