Major Problems with 2003 Kia Rio Derived from Complaints & Recalls

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Worst 3 complaints of 2003 Kia Rio

2003 Kia Rio FRONTAL Victims: 3 Mileage: 96000 miles

2003 Kia Rio FRONTAL Victims: 2

2003 Kia Rio ROTOR Victims: 1 Mileage: 51554 miles

Browse 2003 Kia Rio complaints by category

Problems with ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES and HYDRAULIC are the most frequent issues recorded by the NHTSA from Kia Rio owners.

Problem Category	Number of Problems
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING in cold weather the vehicle was very difficult to start. anytime the vehicle was left to warm up it would	10 ~ 11481 miles
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM i hope that i am writing the correct people about this huge problem. about three weeks ago i purchased a...	10 ~ 26942 miles
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC the lug nuts peeled of the passenger side front wheel. *ph the tires were being rotated. when they were removed...	7 ~ 15203 miles
ENGINE > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING while driving vehicle would run hot. dealer has replaced the engine once and replaced automatic transmission twice. however problem continued.	6 ~ 32662 miles
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN while driving vehicle would run hot. dealer has replaced the engine once and replaced automatic transmission twice. however problem continued.	5 ~ 11564 miles
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE i purchased a 2003 kia rio in may of 2003 and in a month i had hard pulling to the...	4 ~ 49875 miles
FRONTAL > AIR BAGS while driving 45 mph the vehicle collided with a deer. the dual airbags did not deploy. no injuries reported. please	3 ~ 34783 miles
IGNITION > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM vehicle will not start intermittently when the key is inserted. dealer is aware of the problem and states that he	3 ~ 5783 miles
SEAT BELTS the seat belts was designed poorly they cut across the neck and throat of the driver/passenger. consumer contacted manufacturer and	3 ~ 19333 miles
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 2003 kia rio door opening mechanism has failed twice. it was repaired in 2007. the mechanic who repaired the door...	2 ~ 84708 miles
EQUIPMENT my kia rio has 15000 miles on and the brakes went in the car. i called the dealer heritage ford...	2 ~ 9884 miles
SUSPENSION while driving 35 mph steering wheel would pull to the right and a loud noise would be coming from the...	2 ~ 42825 miles
POWER TRAIN in june i was having a over heating problem. if i went up a hill the car would heat up...	2 ~ 26034 miles
MANUAL TRANSMISSION > POWER TRAIN bought 2003 kia on 11/16/02 eight mon. ago seatbelt lock came off trimming around doors and windows came off now	2 ~ 32132 miles
REAR/OTHER > SEAT BELTS the child safety restraint seat belt system in the rear seats of our new kia rio cinco does not work....	2 ~ 18 miles
TAIL LIGHTS > EXTERIOR LIGHTING so far there has not been any accidents caused by the cold start problem my car is having. the 2003...	2 ~ 28418 miles
COLUMN > STEERING i purchased my vehicle in january 2003 first problem was that while driving with my 4 month old daughter the...	2
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY > POWER TRAIN consumer will not drive over 50 mph had difficulty in changing 5 speed gears. a service technician noticed that clutch	2 ~ 26500 miles
ENGINE seat belts car seat retaining hooks ecm and distributor are recalled. cheyenne kia had 3 weeks before original appointment to...	1 ~ 58000 miles
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM seat belts car seat retaining hooks ecm and distributor are recalled. cheyenne kia had 3 weeks before original appointment to...	1 ~ 58000 miles
SERVICE BRAKES front right brake rotor separated at the inboard half. pieces not found. outboard half remained intact and is available for...	1 ~ 78000 miles
BODY > STRUCTURE tl* the contact owns a 2003 kia rio. the contact stated that the driver side door failed and could not...	1 ~ 35000 miles
EXHAUST SYSTEM > ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING i bought my 03 kia rio in 04 and within a mo. have had problems ever since. i took it...	1 ~ 80020 miles
TREAD/BELT > TIRES i bought my 03 kia rio in 04 and within a mo. have had problems ever since. i took it...	1 ~ 80020 miles
EXTERIOR LIGHTING i bought my 03 kia rio in 04 and within a mo. have had problems ever since. i took it...	1 ~ 80020 miles
MECHANICAL > EQUIPMENT bought 2003 kia rio new. in jan 2005 at about 53 000 miles i heard a rattle at about 50...	1 ~ 112000 miles
DOOR > BODY > STRUCTURE tl*the contact owns a 2003 kia rio. after parking the vehicle the passenger side door failed to open and the...	1 ~ 74800 miles
WIRING > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2003 kia rio with defective engine. customer states that the dealership told her that a new engine was put in...	1 ~ 52067 miles
AXLE ASSEMBLY > POWER TRAIN this 2003 kia rio was purchased used at a dealership a.v. kia palmdale ca but soon developed problems with the...	1 ~ 40318 miles
WHEEL BEARING > FRONT > SUSPENSION my back passenger side wheel bearing has gone bad three times with a year's time. the last bearing was replaced	1
AIR BAGS driving down i-65 and a semi truck tried getting over into my lane. i drove into the medium lost control...	1 ~ 30000 miles
ANCHORAGE > FRONT > SEAT BELTS dt*: the contact stated the seat belt on the driver's seat came unbolted from the frame. the vehicle was not	1 ~ 30000 miles
BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS > GASOLINE > ENGINE dt*: the contact stated while attempting to turn a corner at 10 mph the timing belt broke. the vehicle was...	1 ~ 109000 miles
TANK ASSEMBLY > STORAGE > FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE dt: the contact stated the fuel system malfunctioned. the fuel pump and components exploded in the gasoline storage tank. the...	1 ~ 114000 miles
FRONT > SUSPENSION my 2003 kia rio has died out on me about six times so far. i have brought it into the...	1 ~ 16000 miles
ROTOR > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS since purchase of vehicle in 12/02 the car has had several reacuuring problem most of which the brakes vibration and...	1 ~ 51554 miles
LINKAGES > WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER > VISIBILITY nuts attaching the windsheild wipers to the wiper drive shaft repeatedly coming loose. it has happened several times before 3-15-04....	1
PADS > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS my kia rio has 15000 miles on and the brakes went in the car. i called the dealer heritage ford...	1 ~ 15000 miles
CALIPER > DISC > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS i was going to work and had to stop at a red light at spring creek and ringgold road. i...	1
PUMP > HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST > STEERING my new 2003 kia rio wagon was leaking power steering fluid from day one and the dealer tried to fix...	1 ~ 6 miles
SHOES/LININGS > DRUM > FOUNDATION COMPONENTS while pulling out of a parking lot consumer hit the brake pedal and the brakes grabbed abruptly. when she tried...	1
AIR CONDITIONER > APPLIANCE > EQUIPMENT the consumer took the vehicle to dealership to check for a strong odor inside of the vehicle. the fumes/odors became...	1 ~ 260 miles
COLUMN SHIFT > LEVER AND LINKAGE > AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION when it rains the vehicle fails to start. also the catalytic convertor is giving out a rotten egg odor that...	1 ~ 50 miles
CATALYTIC CONVERTOR > EMISSION CONTROL > EXHAUST SYSTEM when it rains the vehicle fails to start. also the catalytic convertor is giving out a rotten egg odor that...	1 ~ 50 miles
UNKNOWN OR OTHER in april 2003 i bought a 2003 kia rio cinco for my family. when i try to start it in...	1 ~ 1800 miles
STEERING i purchased a 2003 kia rio in may of 2003 and in a month i had hard pulling to the...	1
BUCKLE ASSEMBLY > FRONT > SEAT BELTS bought 2003 kia on 11/16/02 eight mon. ago seatbelt lock came off trimming around doors and windows came off now	1
OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL > OTHER > EQUIPMENT bought 2003 kia on 11/16/02 eight mon. ago seatbelt lock came off trimming around doors and windows came off now	1
LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS > WHEELS the lug nuts peeled of the passenger side front wheel. *ph the tires were being rotated. when they were removed...	1
DELIVERY > FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE after two visits to the dealer's service shop i found out that 03 kia rios have a problem with the...	1 ~ 150 miles
SWITCH > IGNITION > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM so far there has not been any accidents caused by the cold start problem my car is having. the 2003...	1 ~ 4768 miles
STARTER ASSEMBLY > ELECTRICAL SYSTEM so far there has not been any accidents caused by the cold start problem my car is having. the 2003...	1 ~ 4768 miles
ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP > SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC while accelerating my 2003 kia rio onto the interstate while going uphill the car's transmission slipped and had no power...	1 ~ 2000 miles
FUEL PUMP > DELIVERY > FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE while owning the vehicle for only two days it failed to start. dealership contacted a technician and he stated that	1

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