2008 KIA RIO Complaints

WAS PULLED OVER BY LOCAL POLICE WHO NOTIFIED ME THAT RIGHT PARKING LIGHT WAS 'STUCK' ON; NOT PROBLEM DURING DAY BUT WHEN HEADLIGHTS USED PARKING BRAKE IS ALSO ILLUMINATED. ALSO NOTICED THAT DASH WARNING LIGHT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANYONE IS IN THE SEAT OR NOT. *JS

MY BRAKE LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THANKFULLY, I HAD A FRIEND FOLLOWING ME TO NOTICE THE PROBLEM, OR ELSE THIS COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE DRIVER/PASSENGER AND SIDE AIRBAGS. I WAS BLINDSIDED BY A DODGE DAKOTA ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HER VEHICLE SLAMMED BOTH OF MY DOORS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SO BADLY NEITHER ONE WOULD OPEN AND MY DAUGHTER HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF MY SIDE. ONE WAS DIRECTLY AT THE SIDE AIRBAG, MY CAR WAS TOTALED TO SAY THE LEAST AS IT HAD MULTIPLE DAMAGE TO IT. WHAT SHOULD I DO ABOUT THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE OCS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SEAT SENSOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V244000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 4/24/13 *CN UPDATED 05/17/2013*JS

AFTER FILLUP THE GAS TANK CAR SHAKE AND DIE WHEN RUNING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS THE 2ND CAR DOING THE SAME THING. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 KIA RIO. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON MAY 30, 2011. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT WORK WITH THIS LIGHT ON. THE CAR HAS 77,000 MILES ON IT AND THE KIA DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS NOT COVERED AFTER 60,000 MILES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT TO GET THE NEW SENSOR NEEDED AT A COST OF OVER $500. FOR WHAT I HAVE READ ON INTERNET FORUMS, THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SENSORS AND/OR WIRES TO THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING ON THE 2008 KIA RIO SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM, IN ADDITION TO OTHER MODELS. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP IN ATHENS, GA, THEY INDICATED I COULD JUST WEAR MY SEAT BELT. I BELIEVE KIA NEEDS TO CONSIDER A RECALL. *TR

(2008 KIA RIO) - PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG FAILS TO STAY ON.... IT COMES ON MAYBE EVERY 1 OF 5 TIMES.... I HAVE TRIED EVERY THING TO GET IT TO WORK....WHEN STOPPED A STOP SIGN I TURN THE CAR OF AND BACK ON (NOTHING)... IT NEEDS A KEY TO TURN IT ON AND OFF . I HAVE EVEN PUT WEIGHTS ON THE SEAT BUT NOTHING ..... WILL NOT TURN ON ......THEN SOME DAYS IT TURNS ON JUST FINE ..... BUT!!!!!.... IT ALSO TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING ( AFTER A LOT OF RESEARCH I FOUND MULTI ABLE COMPLAINTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG THIS NEEDS A RECALL (A ON OF KEY) AND TO BE LOOKED AT ON ALL CARS LIKE THIS ......THE KIA LOT WILL LOOK AT IT SOON HOPE ITS NOT ON ONE OF ITS I WANT TO WORK DAYS SO I CAN SHOW THEM WHAT I MEAN......ALSO ...THE SENSOR PART COST AROUND $400 AND SEVERAL PEOPLE SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACE THEM 2 OR MORE TIMES .... *TR

DURING ACCELERATION BETWEEN 50 AND 70 MPH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STICKS TO 3RD GEAR AND THE VEHICLE SHUDDER OR SHAKES REAL HARD, THE KIA DEALER IS SAYING "NO PROBLEMS FOUND". THIS HAPPENS USUALLY ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MERGING ONTO TRAFFIC, ACCELERATING FROM 40 MPH TO THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE FREEWAY AND HAS CAUSED SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS. THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO DOWNSHIFT DURING HEAVY ACCELERATION THEN SHIFT BACK TO 4TH GEAR HOWEVER THE VEHICLE STAYS IN 3RD AND THE TACHOMETER GOES TO THE 6,000 RPM REDLINE. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE ISSUE IS TO LET OFF THE GAS AND ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO FIX IT SELF WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ON THE FREEWAY. *TR

PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR IN 2008 KIA RIO LX DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, BECAUSE THE LIGHT SAYING "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" IS ON EVEN WHEN ADULT PASSENGER IS IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT 1 IN 3 TIMES THE VEHICLE IS ENTERED, AND SHIFTING AROUND WITH VEHICLE RUNNING DOES NOT TRIP THE SENSOR TO ACTIVATE THE AIRBAG. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND REPLACED THE SEAT BOTTOM/SENSORS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IF AN ACCIDENT HAPPENS AND THE SENSOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, THE PASSENGER COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. I THINK THIS MAY NEED TO BE A RECALL OR DESIGN CHANGE FOR KIA SINCE THE REPLACED SENSOR WAS NOT A FIX TO THE PROBLEM. *LN