The 2012 Kia Rio has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 1,730,192 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 73 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…
Complaints by component
ENGINE
23
7fires
AIR BAGS
12
2crashes3injuries
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6
3fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
6
1crashes1injuries
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
4
1fires
SEAT BELTS
3
2crashes3injuries
SERVICE BRAKES
3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
3
WHEELS
2
Total complaints73
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The airbag warning light illuminated on the dashboard and has stayed on permanently. This indicates a malfunction in the supplemental restraint system (srs). Because the warning light is active, there is a severe safety risk that the airbags may not deploy correctly or at all in the event of a…”
“Waiting to get air in my tire. Car was turned off and the car started fire under the hood.”
“I brought my kia in for a recall, and they determined the part was discontinued thus making my vehicle inoperable. When I brought my vehicle in, it was driveable-now I have been without my vehicle for over a month.”
“I went to the kia dealership in laredo texas and was told that they cannot fix the fault, that my vehicle has had an aftermarket parts, that they are not going to fix the hecu. That they don't fix vehicle with aftermarket parts.”
“The airbag warning light and the abs warning light turned on simultaneously while driving. This is a severe safety hazard as both critical, life-saving safety features are currently compromised. I have already contacted kia customer care regarding this issue, but I am filing this official…”
“The airbag warning light and the abs warning light turned on simultaneously while driving. This is a severe safety hazard as both critical, life-saving safety features are currently compromised. I have already contacted kia customer care regarding this issue, but I am filing this official…”
“The gdi 1.6l engines are manufactured with a flaw that affects piston rings and makes oil consumption go up which in turn can make the engine run dry and damage the engine, which if you're in a bad location could be dangerous. My car has been dealing with the issue and I searched yet found no…”
“Our granddaughter bought this car from a private seller. My son is a mechanic and when he inspected the undercarriage he found a small leak in the seam of the gas tank. The local kia dealer said it is not covered. This, to me, is a safety and emissions issue. Please assist. The car is available at…”
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…
InvestigationEA21003 Opened 2021-12-22 · closed 2024-02-05
Engine Fires
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles. During the PE…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2012 Kia Rio as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.