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1 safety recall. 49 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
RIGHT REAR PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED WHEN DRIVERS DOOR WAS CLOSED, DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO COVER UNDER WARRANT. I HAD TO PAY $247.00 TO HAVE REPAIRED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM MAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY AND MADE A LOUD NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING FAILED. THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED.…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME AND NOTICED THAT THE SPLASH GUARD UNDER THE VEHICLE HAD MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITH A CHILD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO THAT CHILD.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 8.0 out of 10 based on 49 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Kia Rio is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 29 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 49 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.