2002 Kia Rio Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2002 Kia Rio, and owners have filed 128 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2002 Kia Rio
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Delivery (fuel system)
On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel intake nipple of the fuel distributor is subject to fracture or cracking during removal of the quick connect coupling securing the main fuel tube assembly to the fuel intake nipple, or when force is accidentally applied to the intake nipple during the vehicle assembly process or during engine…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel distributor and main fuel tube assemblies. The recall began june 18, 2004. Owners should contact KIA at 1-800-333-4542.
128 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 Kia Rio have filed 128 complaints with NHTSA; 25 describe a crash and 6 describe a fire. Reports cite 27 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 50,352 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 31 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I have had the berings replaced 2 times in the passenger side two times now and its doing it again the other side was done first . The car just stopped dead in the road and i could not get it to move”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 19, 2019 · Wheels
“Tl* the contact owned a 2002 KIA rio. While driving 30 MPH, the vehicle was involved in a front end crash. The front driver side air bag deployed aggressively and metal fragments struck the contact's”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 7, 2016 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2002 Kia Rio. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 24–26 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 22–23 / 27–29 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Kia Rio model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kia Rio model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Kia Rio | 0 | 3 |
| 2001 Kia Rio | 3 | 223 |
| 2002 Kia Rio | 1 | 128 |
| 2003 Kia Rio | 3 | 74 |
| 2004 Kia Rio | 2 | 38 |
| 2005 Kia Rio | 1 | 37 |
| 2006 Kia Rio | 1 | 74 |
| 2007 Kia Rio | 1 | 46 |
| 2008 Kia Rio | 1 | 46 |
| 2009 Kia Rio | 0 | 39 |
| 2010 Kia Rio | 0 | 26 |
| 2011 Kia Rio | 0 | 24 |
| 2012 Kia Rio | 1 | 54 |
| 2013 Kia Rio | 1 | 153 |
| 2014 Kia Rio | 1 | 52 |
| 2015 Kia Rio | 1 | 52 |
| 2016 Kia Rio | 2 | 77 |
| 2017 Kia Rio | 2 | 31 |
| 2018 Kia Rio | 1 | 28 |
| 2019 Kia Rio | 1 | 21 |
| 2020 Kia Rio | 1 | 27 |
| 2021 Kia Rio | 2 | 15 |
| 2022 Kia Rio | 1 | 11 |
| 2023 Kia Rio | 0 | 12 |
Checking a specific 2002 Kia Rio
How do I know if my 2002 Kia Rio has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2002 Kia Rio; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 04V179000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Kia models
- Sorento10,183 complaints
- Optima7,512 complaints
- Soul5,553 complaints
- Sportage4,699 complaints
- Forte2,553 complaints
- Sedona2,410 complaints
- Telluride2,026 complaints
- Sephia1,705 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.