2007 Kia Rio recalls and problems

The 2007 Kia Rio has 1 safety recall and 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Kia dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

Crashes / fires

11 / 1

Injuries / deaths

6 / 1

Recalls may cover only some 2007 Kia Rio vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2007 Kia Rio recalls

Recall 12V-244: Air Bags

Reported May 31, 2012 · 72,568 vehicles affected · KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

Problem: Kia is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 rio vehicles, manufactured from february 20, 2005, through december 9, 2007. The front passenger seat occupant sensor mat can experience fatigue cracking. If sufficient cracking occurs, the occupant classification system (Ocs) will cease to function such that the system will not be able to detect whether a child passenger is in the seat and the airbag will deploy during a crash necessitating deployment.

Risk: Air bag deployment with a child in the front passenger side seat increases the risk of injury to that child.

Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS seat sensor mat, free of charge. The recall began on july 26, 2012. Owners may contact kia consumer assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.

2007 Kia Rio problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Air Bags	21
Electrical System	9
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	5
Power Train	3
Exterior Lighting	3
Seats	3
Service Brakes	3
Steering	2
Engine and Engine Cooling	2
Latches/Locks/Linkages	2
Unknown or Other	2
Tires	2

Most reported parts

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine — 2
Air Bags › Frontal — 2
Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 1
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar — 1
Air Bags › Side/Window — 1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor — 1
Power Train › Driveline › Constant Velocity Joint — 1
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 60,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2007 Kia Rio complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Engine · reported Jul 24, 2024

the engine has very bad Loss of oil pressure it consumption of a lot oil the engine knock very bad that engine has decreased its power the engine oil light always on so I stop driving the car and car blows white smoke from the engine my mechanic told he did not want to work on the car because of the engine but I can get a invoice he quoted me 3,000 dollars for a new engine i have not even had this car for long could not even drive it around or get my child to school

Air Bags · at 260,000 miles · reported May 4, 2023

The contact owns a 2007 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the occupant classification system (OCS) seat sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V244000 (Air Bags) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately…

Electrical System · at 95,600 miles · reported Feb 9, 2020

I driving up to wisconsin dells from illinois and the vit woulnt go over twenty miles per hr I hate this vehicle and a tune up was done before I left I have a 2007 kia rio and vehicle just died and then started and had no power I had to have it towed back to illinois which cost me 300 dollars has anyone else had this problem only has 95.600 miles was

Air Bags · at 200,000 miles · reported Nov 4, 2019

2007 kia rio has an airbag light on all the time, with a code specifying the passenger seat mat sensor. When clearing the code for the airbag, the code is rethrown after about 10 seconds. Nhtsa recall #12v244000 applied to certain models of the 2005-2007 model era, but didn't include all of them, as the vehicle has no open seat mat recall and none had been repaired in the past. Evidently the issue is more widespread than the initial recall. The light stays on all the time.

Air Bags · reported Dec 29, 2018

I just recent had the battery put in my car. An now the air bag light stays on for the driver on that dash board. An don't know why it's on. The car has been driven in the past few months. So we are scared to be out on the road an it doesn't protect us if we get into an accident an someone gets killed.

Other Kia Rio years

2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 200820072006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Compare all Kia Rio years · All Kia models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2007 Kia Rio have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2007 Kia Rio: 12V-244 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2007 Kia Rio?

Owners report air bags problems most often (21 reports), followed by electrical system (9). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 60,000 miles.

Are Kia recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Kia dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.