WHEN I MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE BELL RING AND IT STAY ON I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS IN THE DOOR THE RIGHT TURN OR STEER WHEEL COLUMN. *TR
2006 Kia Rio
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2006 Kia Rio do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 38.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Rio years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
55 reports with mileage · 19 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 50 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Steering complaints
4 reportsI WAS DRIVING MY KIA RIO. I KNEW THERE WAS A STOP APPROACHING. I HIT THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND WHEN I TRIED TO TURN AWAY FROM TRAFFIC THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT MOVE. I HIT A YUKON AND TOTALED MY CAR. THE AIRBAGS NEVER CAME OUT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. WHILE MAKING A SHARP TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS HARDER THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE TWICE AND STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA RIO. WHILE MAKING A SHARP TURN AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS HARDER THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED AND THE TIRES WERE ROTATED UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE TWICE AND STATED THAT THE STEERING WAS NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THE DEALER COULD FIND NO STEERING FAILURE, THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,200 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT STEERING MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CHANGE GEARS BECAUSE BOTH HANDS ARE NEEDED TO STEER THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR
I PURCHASED THIS 2006 KIA RIO LX NEW FROM GRACIA KIA OF ALBUQUERQUE. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAS A TENDENCY TO "WALK" OR "WOBBLE" AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OF 65 MPH OR HIGHER ON PRIMARILY CONCRETE FREEWAYS. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT NOTICEABLE ON PAVED ROAD WAYS, JUST CONCRETE FREEWAYS WHICH HAVE BE…
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I PURCHASED THIS 2006 KIA RIO LX NEW FROM GRACIA KIA OF ALBUQUERQUE. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL DAYS, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAS A TENDENCY TO "WALK" OR "WOBBLE" AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OF 65 MPH OR HIGHER ON PRIMARILY CONCRETE FREEWAYS. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT NOTICEABLE ON PAVED ROAD WAYS, JUST CONCRETE FREEWAYS WHICH HAVE BEEN GROOVED. I TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE OVER AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE MOSTLY CAUSE OF THE "WALK" WAS THE NARROW WHEELBASE AND THE SMALL TIRES THAT COME ON THE CAR AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. ON THE SERVICE REQUEST, THE FIX WAS LISTED AS "TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE ON FREEWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS FOUND VEHICLE TO HANDLE SAME AS A NEW 06 RIO. CALLED TECH LINE - NO OTHER INFO. PUT ON ALIGNMENT RACK - NORMAL. NPF". *NM
Official recalls
112V244000 · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
May 31, 2012
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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