Kia · Rio · 2010
0
Recalls
26
Complaints
N/A
NCAP overall
The 2010 Kia Rio has no recalls and 26 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most frequent stored component label: air bags (10 reports).
Stored NHTSA configuration: 2010 Kia Rio 5-DR. w/SAB NCAP Vehicle ID: 5743
Ratings describe one stored NHTSA configuration, not every trim, body style or drivetrain for this model year. How this configuration is selected
Source: NHTSA Public Records
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.
The 2010 Kia Rio page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most frequent complete stored component label is air bags with 10 reported complaints.
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
Stored NHTSA configuration: 2010 Kia Rio 5-DR. w/SAB NCAP Vehicle ID: 5743
Ratings describe one stored NHTSA configuration, not every trim, body style or drivetrain for this model year. How this configuration is selected
No overall score is available in our current dataset. The individual results below are not a combined safety rating; compare vehicles within the same test program and model year.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
No rollover risk estimate available in this dataset
Safety Features
The contact owned a 2010 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while his son was driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle crashed head-on into a guard rail. During the crash, the front-end of the vehicle was severely damaged; however, no air bags were deployed. No injuries were repor...
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AFTER DRIVING TO WORK APPROXIMATELY A 25 MINUTES TO WORK I PARKED MY VEHICLE AND SMELT SOMETHING LIKE BURNT PLASTIC. ASSUMED IT WAS SOMETHING IN THE AREA I WORK. AFTER MY SHIFT ROUGHLY 8 HOURS I HEADED HOME AND SUDDENLY THE CAR WOULD NOT GO MORE THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR THEN COMPLETE...
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SINCE JANUARY MY 2010 KIA RIO HAS STALLED AT TRAFFIC STOPS. IT USUALLY STARTS AGAIN AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, ALTHOUGH RECENTLY IT NEEDED A JUMP START. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THREE MECHANICS WHO ALL SAY THEY CAN'T FIND A CODE OR WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I'VE TRIED GAS ADDITIVE, NEW CRANK SHAFT ...
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AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON.
WHEN DRIVING, THE CAR STALLS FOR NO REASON (THERE IS FUEL IN THE CAR, HAS REGULAR OIL CHANGES, AND A BRAND NEW BATTERY). IT TAKES A COUPLE MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WILL RESTART. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN TURN RIGHT OFF, BUT THE RPM GAUGE STOPS WOR...
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I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH EXITING ON THE FWY OFF RAMP WHICH TURNS TO THE RIGHT. INITIALLY MY BRAKES WORKED AND THEN IT MADE A AWFUL WINDING SOUND. THE CAR WAS GAINING SPEED AS I MADE THE TURN AND I TOTALLY LOST MY BRAKES AND HAD TO USE MY HAND BRAKE TO STOP BEFORE ALMOST R...
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE ENGINE STALLED. ONCE THE ENGINE STALLED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFO...
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MY HAD MY CAR ABOUT ONE YEAR AND IT STARTED TO LOSE POWER. WHEN I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP TO FIX IT I HAD TO PAY FOR TWO DIAGNOSTIC TESTS 95.00 EACH. THE PROBLEM WAS THE IGNITION COIL, SPARK PLUGS, AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD. IT IS NOW ALMOST EXACTLY ANOTHER YEAR PAST AND SAME PROBLEM BU...
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, ATTEMPTING TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DITCH. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A GARAGE AND ANOTHER VEHICLE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONT...
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AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON.
Showing 10 recent complaints from 26 total
View Full Complaint LogThe strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2010 Kia models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
The 2010 Kia Rio has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 26 owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Kia Rio.
An overall NHTSA safety rating is not available in our current dataset for the 2010 Kia Rio. Individual crash-test results may still be available.
The most frequent complete stored component labels for the 2010 Kia Rio are air bags (10 reports), unknown or other (2 reports), service brakes, hydraulic (2 reports). These are exact-label counts, not broader component-group totals or confirmed defects.
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2010 Kia Rio. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.