There are 46 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2006 Kia Rioin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHERE I RENEDED TWO CARS. MY AIR BAG SID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS HYDROPLANE ON WET ROADS GOING ABOUT 55 WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HAD A SEIZURE AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000. *TR
AIR BAG LIGHT ON
THE AIRBAG LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR WENT OUT AT 170000 MILES AND THEY REPLACED IT FREE. NOW THE SAME SENSOR WENT OUT AT 70000 MILES AND THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WON'T REPLACE IT FOR FREE. THE SAME SENSOR SHOULDN'T GO OUT TWICE IN 10 YEARS. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SENSORS. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS WORK IF ONE SENSOR IF BROKEN. THE REPAIRS WOULD BE ABOUT $2000 AND WE DON'T FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY IF KIA HAS A SAFETY ISSUE.
I HAVE A 2006 KIA RIO . THE OCCUPANT AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THIS WAS FIX LONG TIME AGO. THIS NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN . DOES KIA STILL HONOR THERE FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND FIX MY CAR? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AFTER THE AIRBAG WAS REPAIRED AFTER THE RECALL IN 2012. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. MY BOYFRIEND AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT EVER SIT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND BOTH WEIGH MORE THEN THE NECESSARY WEIGHT. THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN TWICE BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY THE AIRBAGS MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR BACK IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK AND THIS TIME THEY KEPT IT FOR THE WEEK AND WERE ABLE TO GET THE LIGHT TO STAY ON. THEY NOW CLAIM THAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE SEAT AND IT WILL COST ALMOST $800. I FEEL THAT ANOTHER RECALL IS NEEDED. *TR
NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET BUT MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. GARAGE SAYS IT'S A DEALER ISSUE, HOWEVER I AM UNABLE TO PAY FOR IT NOR SHOULD I. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN MY 2006 KIA RIO. ( NEVER BEEN IN ANY AUTO ACCIDENT OR HAD FRONT END DAMAGE) WHEN MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON.AS TO THIS COMPLAINT. KIA STATED IT IS APPROXIMATELY $ 400.00 TO $ 800.00 DOLLARS OUT OF CONSUMERS POCKETS TO FIX. I FEEL KIA CORP. SHOULD COVER THIS PART SINCE ITS A SAFETY ISSUE. OR AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY AND THERE IS ANOTHER CASE LIKE GM . LET'S GET ON THIS MAJOR ISSUE AND RECALL ALL KIA S.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND ANOTHER VEHICLE MERGED INTO MY LANE. I WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THE VEHICLE BUT TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND HIT THEIR REAR END WITH MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT BUT MY FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY KNEE JAMMED UNDER THE WHEEL. THE IMPACT KNOCKED MY CAR INTO NEUTRAL BUT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE EMTS WHO RESPONDED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE VERY SURPRISED THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SAID THEY THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP IN 2007 AND HAD NEVER BEEN WRECKED, SO I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. *TR
KIA SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR TO THE SRS AIR BAG SYSTEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY PERFORMED THE RECALL WORK, BUT THE "AIR BAG" LAMP CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. ON FURTHER INSPECTION THEY TOLD ME THE AIR BAG MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT AT $800 WITH LABOR. THE MODULE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL, NOR BY THE EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY I PURCHASED FROM THE DEALER AT THE TIME THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. THIS IS A CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENT AND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED WITH NHTSA. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AND AFFECTED VEHICLES SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO OWNERS. *TR
MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO REASON. DID NOT HAVE ANY SORT OF ACCIDENT. HAD IT LOOKED AT BY MECHANIC. MECHANIC STATED THE CRASH SENSOR WAD BAD. KIA PART ONLY. CALLED KIA THEY SAID IT WOULD COST AROUND $487.00TO REPLACE IT. AS A SAFETY FEATURE , THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT FREE. NOW MY AIRBAGS WON'T DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. I'LL NEVER BUY A KIA AGAIN. THEY NEED TO FIX THE CRAPPY SAFETY PARTS THEY USE FOR FREE. AS A PARAMEDIC, AIRBAGS SAVE LIVES. THEY NEED TO FIX THIS ISSUE FREE. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ONLINE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE DEALER ADVISED HIM THAT THE ENTIRE AIG BAG SENSOR SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 62,990.
ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND OBD SCAN INDICATED "FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR" FAILED. DEALERSHIP WANTS $800 BUCKS PLUS TO REPLACE THIS SENSOR. WITHOUT IT AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY FOR FRONT PASSENGER. HAVE RESEARCHED IT AND OTHERS HAVE INDICATED IT JUST GOES OUT AGAIN. I WILL NOT PAY THIS!!!! *JS
HAVING APPROXIMATELY 89,000 MILES ON MY 2006 KIA RIO 5, THE AIR BAG LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AS DIRECTED BY THE CAR'S OWNER'S MANUAL AND I WAS TOLD THAT EVEN THOUGH I HAD THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE CAR, DUE TO THE MILEAGE THAT THE BASIC COVERAGE HAD EXPIRED AND THEREFORE DOING THE DIAGNOSTIC AND ANY REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE DIAGNOSTIC COST ME $44.00 AND THEY WANTED $1,100 TO REPLACE THE SEAT PAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH THEY SAID IS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LIGHT TO STAY ON AND IF I DID NOT REPLACE THE PAD AND I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD NOT DEPLOY. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS COSTLY REPAIR. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE I LIKED SEVERAL FEATURES, ITS STYLE - THAT IT IS A HATCHBACK, THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY, THE PRICE, THE HANDLING AND THE SMOOTH RIDE. NOW 5 YEARS LATER LOOK WHAT THAT 100,000 MILE WARRANTY IS DOING FOR ME. *TR
MY MOTHER RAN OFF THE ROAD & HIT A TREE HEAD ON. THE CAR WAS CONSIDERED TOTALED, BUT THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED ON EITHER THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE RECEIVED ALOT OF FACIAL TRAUMA & BRAIN INJURIES TOO. *TR
2006 RIO PASSENGER SIDE SAFETY AIRBAG SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE. MINE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY TWICE AND NOW IT IS OUT FOR A THIRD TIME. THEY WANT $871 TO FIX IT. IF YOU SEARCH ON THE INTERNET THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME THING. AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, KIA SAYS IT IS A DEFECTIVE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK WITH THIS ISSUE AND YOU CANNOT SELL OR INSPECT VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT REPLACED DUE TO A FAULTY AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. ONE MONTH AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE AIR BAG SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,152.
Showing 1–20 of 46 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026