2023 KIA Rio

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
โœ“Good Reliability

This 2023 model shows good reliability, primarily driven by a below-average recall rate for the KIA brand.

Key Factor:below-average recall rate

๐Ÿ“‹Why This Matters

A clean recall record is a positive signal for both safety and ownership costs. Vehicles with no known defects typically qualify for lower insurance premiums and face fewer unexpected repair expenses.

When negotiating insurance rates, a documented history of zero manufacturer recalls can support your case for preferred pricing.

Focus Area:clean safety record
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Expert Analysis

  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • โš ๏ธ
    Primary Risk Area:Warning
  • โš–๏ธ
    Vs Brand: Better than avg (1.9)
    ๐Ÿ“
    Summary:

Safety & Reliability Score

99/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-0
Complaint Impact-0.6
Investigation Impact-0

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2023 KIA Rio

Model Year2023
MakeKIA
ModelRio
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Jan23
NEWProduction
Mar23
ISSUEFirst Report

Consumer Complaint Analysis

โš ๏ธ

Most Reported Issue

3 complaints (25% of total)
โžก๏ธ

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
โœ…

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 12 consumer complaints by severity level.

๐ŸŸ High
1(8%)
๐ŸŸกMedium
1(8%)
๐ŸŸขLow
10(83%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

โš™๏ธEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 20k-40k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 67,450 miles.

๐Ÿ“Š Mileage data extracted from 2 of 12 complaints (17% coverage)
0-20k
0 reports (0%)
20k-40k
1 reports (50%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
0 reports (0%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
1 reports (50%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

No Recalls Found

๐Ÿ†

Perfect Recall Status

2023 KIA Rio

Safety Milestone: The 2023 KIA Rio maintains a perfect record. As of January 2026, there are 0 official recalls.

Compared to other 2023 models which average multiple safety campaigns, this vehicle's clean sheet is a testament to its engineering integrity.

๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ Proactive Safety Maintenance Guide

Even with a perfect recall record, regular maintenance safeguards your vehicle's reliability. Our experts recommend monitoring these systems:

๐Ÿ”ง
Brake System HealthInspect pads and fluid levels every 12,000 miles to ensure stopping power.
๐Ÿ”‹
Electrical & BatteryTest battery load annually; modern electronics are sensitive to voltage drops.
๐Ÿ‘๏ธ
Visibility ComponentsReplace wiper blades every 6-12 months and polish clouded headlights.
๐Ÿ›ž
Tire & Wheel CheckRotate tires every 5,000 miles and check TPMS sensors for accuracy.

NHTSA Investigations

0 investigations
โœ“

No active investigations for this vehicle.

Consumer Complaints

12 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2023 Rio.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning25%
Noise17%
Acceleration Issues17%
Peel8%
Rattle8%
Display8%
Accident8%
Jerk8%
Burn8%
Dead Battery/Car8%
Other๐Ÿ”ต Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Paint peeling. Took a month to have the dealer /warranty repair the roof in July 2025. Then in Sept 2025 have 2 more areas doing the same thing. Reached back out to dealer end of Sept then mid Oct following up find out service person is gone, start over with new service person, follow up early Nov, again mid Nov and find out that service person is gone. Contact manager and he wants us to start over again with him. Need to send car out for quotes to give to warranty even though this has already been repaired once and we were told this is a known issue. Now trying to go through a Kia dealer that has a body shop on site to try and get warranty approval and repair done before vehicle hits 36K even though this should be covered regardless (and purchased extended warranty but also not covered)

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

Iโ€™ve been hearing this rattle noise mostly when I crank the vehicle. I took it to go get checked out and they heard it when I first brought it in for them to check. But when they got it to the back for mechanic to listen for it, of course it didnโ€™t do it. They kept my car a whole day to try n find the issue/hear the noise and was unsuccessful. Iโ€™ve been told that it could possibly have something to do with the car timing or something with the engine. My car only has 34000 miles on it and itโ€™s making this noise. They wonโ€™t approve me to trade it in or anything to help fix the problem or get me in something better.

Steering/Suspension๐Ÿ”ต Low
STEERING

The vehicle has difficulty following a center line, higher than normal steering wheel input is required. Feels like the vehicle is being driven in strong crosswinds at any speed above 55 MPH. The vehicle is very, very difficult to keep centered when crosswinds are present. The steering wheel input feels sticky and not smooth at any speed above 40 MPH. A 4-wheel alignment revealed a 0.3 degree of toe mis-adjustment on the RR wheel, no adjustment settings are present. Remaining wheels were within specs. No adjustment for the electronic steering assist. Additionally, the vehicle is equipped with the Highline TPMS, however, it is not displayed on the LCD. Dealer and Kia Corp. states it should display, however no fix is available.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
ENGINE

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle restarted; however, the transmission failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The following day the contact was able to start the vehicle and the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer found no failure with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,900.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

When I started my car, during the warm-up process, it dropped revs and turned off. After several tries, it turned on. While driving, when the vehicle was stopped, it began to jerk slightly. The safety risk is that the car, while I am driving, could turn off and cause an accident, in which people could be at risk, including me. I wouldn't want this to escalate because the dealer doesn't take action on the matter. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to evaluate the condition, they say that the technicians did not find anything, that the car did not emit any codes. And therefore they couldn't do anything. Note that I bought that car completely new, 0 miles, in March of last year. And in January the problem started. It is also worth noting that the car had to have a rack&pinion change in less than a year, due to a noise it made when the guide turned. All maintenance has been done with the official Auto Grupo Kia dealership on Kennedy, in Puerto Rico. I fear my safety and that of others behind the wheel, if the major fault in my car is not fixed.

Steering/Suspension๐Ÿ”ต Low
STEERING,SUSPENSION,WHEELS

Hi [XXX] I just collected my Kia Rio from service at LaFontaine. On driving in the freeway I noticed I had to make frequent adjustments to the steering when going straight and there was oversteering (minor tilt of the steering wheel result in exaggerated larger turn of the car). This does not happen when driving at lower speed outside of the freeway. I will monitor this as I am not sure if this was because I was switching between cars and/or that particular stretch of road is slippery. According to the technicians the alignment is back to spec so I will let you know if this issue persists as I drive the Rio more in the coming days. Hi Team The car veers to the left when driving with steering wheel straight. Tested in a clear non wet road. Please advise on next step. When driving on freeway there are over steering and understeering issues. Extremely dangerous. Yours sincerely [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Steering/Suspensionโš ๏ธ High
STEERING,SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Hi [XXX] My Kia Rio 2023 S vin number is [XXX] . Bought a couple months back new at Summit Place Kia Auburn Hills michigan. Once I drive off I realised the steering wheel alignment is off. The car does not drive straight when steering wheel is straight. I called my salesman and he asked me to bring it in for servicing at Summit Place. They did a wheel alignment there and found misalignment at factory condition. A few months later the same issue got worse and was noticeable again when driving. I called my salesman and he told me bringing it into service will incur a service charge as this issue is not under warranty. However, I believe this constant misalignment is from a manufacturing defect causing safety issue and you could access the servicing records that said the wheel alignment was already off at the first emergency servicing. I have also made sure all my tire pressures are topped up to the recommended pressures Kindly advise and rectify this road safety issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Safety Systems๐Ÿ”ต Low
SEAT BELTS

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the vehicle failed to sound a seat belt warning chime to indicate that the passengerโ€™s side seat belt was not buckled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Other๐Ÿ”ต Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was driving normally and suddenly the transmission would not shift at all. The engine would just rev freely and the car did not accelerate at all. I was able to creep slowly to the dealership as I was near it. The dealership confirmed that the transmission had a problem a day after it was in the dealership.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN

I was driving around 10mph when I noticed that the transmission would not shift at all. The RPM would only increase but the car does not accelerate. Kia dealership confirmed that the transmission is dead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2023 KIA Rio?

No, the 2023 KIA Rio currently has no recorded recalls from NHTSA.

Is the 2023 KIA Rio safe to drive?

The 2023 KIA Rio has no active recalls, which is a positive safety indicator. Always maintain regular service intervals for optimal safety.

Where can I check if my 2023 KIA Rio has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local KIA dealer.

๐Ÿ“ŠYear-over-Year Context

โžก๏ธStable Pattern

Compared to earlier years, the 2023 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.

๐ŸงญWhat This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • No active recalls are recorded, but maintain regular service intervals and report any unusual symptoms to NHTSA.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used

  • Request the VIN before purchase and verify recall status at NHTSA.gov.
  • This model year shows favorable reliability metrics compared to alternatives.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.