IllustrationFELT LIKE I COULD NOT GO SPEED I WAS ATTEMPTING. THE BRAKES STARTED TO LOCK UP AND ONE SIDE WAS SMOKING, NOW BOTH SIDES ARE SMOKING AND IS STILL LOCKING UP.
2011 Kia Rio
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2011 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
40–25K
425–50K
750–75K
375–100K
2100–150K
0150K+
20 reports with mileage · 4 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.
- Engine. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Service Brakes complaints
3 reportsI WAS IN COLLISION ON 3/28. I HIT ANOTHER CAR FROM THE BACK. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON. I WAS SENT TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. UPDATED 07/16/14 *BF UPDATED 3/17/2015 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BRAKE DISKS NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MAN…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BRAKE DISKS NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,400.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.