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Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (1)
Air bags: frontal, sensor/control module-inactive
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 and remedy
Risk: AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITH A CHILD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT INCREASES THE RISK OF INJURY TO THAT CHILD.
Remedy: 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.
Owner complaints (46)
Owners filed 46 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Kia Rio (11 crashes, 10 injuries reported). Among 24 model years of this model, it ranks #10 for the most complaints (median 39).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Air bags | 27 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 3 | |
| Engine | 3 | |
| Suspension | 2 | |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 2 | |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | |
| Power train | 2 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Kia Rio.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2008 Kia Rio 4-DR. w/SAB | – | – | – | – |
| 2008 Kia Rio 5-DR. w/SAB | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2008 Kia Rio version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Rio 1.6 L Automatic 4-spd | 25 | 35 | 29 | $2,300 |
| Rio 1.6 L Manual 5-spd | 27 | 32 | 29 | $2,300 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.