The 2016 Kia Rio has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,049,628 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 110 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC23V6520002023-09-251,730,192 affected
Defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an…
Consequence
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June…
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Rio, 2016-2018 Optima, 2017-2018 Optima Hybrid and Optima Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. The trunk latch base may crack, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
Consequence
A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the trunk latch base subassembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC278.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
38
5fires1injuries
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
15
1crashes3fires1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
12
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
7
3fires
POWER TRAIN
5
SERVICE BRAKES
5
1crashes1fires
AIR BAGS
4
4crashes4injuries
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
4
2fires1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3
Total complaints110
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I am filing this complaint regarding a persistent low beam headlight failure on my 2016 kia rio that has not been resolved after a paid repair at an authorized kia dealership. The low beam headlights on my vehicle stopped functioning. I brought the vehicle to car pros kia in [xxx] for diagnosis…”
“I am filing a complaint regarding repeated failures of the led tail light assemblies on my 2016 kia rio. This vehicle uses combination tail lights that include both standard bulbs and integrated led brake lights. The led portion has failed multiple times over the life of the vehicle. I am now…”
“My car is experiencing excessive oil consumption. Upon inspection, it was determined that the issue lies with my catalytic converter. I have discovered that this problem has been reported in other kia vehicles. The information I found suggests that the oil I am using is being bypassed by the…”
“The contact owns a 2016 kia rio. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that there was no oil on the dipstick. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. An oil consumption test was performed; however, the…”
“The contact owns a 2016 kia rio. The contact stated that upon driving from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to exceed 2-3 mph. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The ford dealer where the vehicle was purchased arranged for the vehicle to be…”
“I was driving when my kia stalled and shut off but was still playing music and driving. So I pulled over and then my kia caught on fire and went up in flames.”
“I was driving when my kia stalled and shut off but was still playing music and driving. So I pulled over and then my kia caught on fire and went up in flames.”
“I was driving when my kia stalled and shut off but was still playing music and driving. So I pulled over and then my kia caught on fire and went up in flames.”
Defect investigations
InvestigationAQ23002 Opened 2023-11-17 · open
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2016 Kia Rio as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.