Reliable Auto DB

2012 Kia Rio reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Rio over 15 years — 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Rio years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Brake control module.

2012 Kia Rio
Photo by Makizox, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

54

Per year

3

Recalls

1

Years on the road

15

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (24 of 54), then Air bags (12) and Fuel and propulsion system (7). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 9 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2013

The 2013 Rio has 153 complaints, 10 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2012 Kia Rio. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Brake control module 2023-09-25 · NHTSA campaign 23V652000
Summary Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Remedy Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

Complaints by component (54 total)

Engine
24
Air bags
12
Fuel and propulsion system
7
Electrical system
6
Speed control
6
Hydraulic brakes
3
Seat belts
3
Service brakes
3
Wheels
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Fuel system, gasoline
1
Suspension
1
Show 5 more Show less
Crash-flagged

3

Fire-flagged

9

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

220122201342014520154201642017320185201982020120213202212023420243202552026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2012 Kia Rio, which currently has approximately 150,000 miles. I first became aware of these problems at approximately 120,000 miles. The vehicle has excessive oil consumption…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-13
  • "I went to honk my horn as someone was backing up and didn’t see me as we were on an incline . This vehicle sits low and they were in a jeep. Due to the failure of my horn, I was unable to give a warning and they hit my…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-06
  • "The airbag warning light and the ABS warning light turned on simultaneously while driving. This is a severe safety hazard as both critical, life-saving safety features are currently compromised. I have already contacted…"
    Air bags, Service brakes · filed 2026-05-28
  • "The airbag warning light illuminated on the dashboard and has stayed on permanently. This indicates a malfunction in the supplemental restraint system (SRS). Because the warning light is active, there is a severe safety…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-05-27
  • "Waiting to get air in my tire. Car was turned off and the car started fire under the hood."
    Engine · filed 2026-02-05

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2012 Kia Rio 4 DR FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2012 Kia Rio 5 HB FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Rio 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 29 37 32 MPG $2050
Rio 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 36 31 MPG $2100

Specs and fitment

3rd generation (YB), 2012–2017
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-20 or 5W-30 (1.6L Gamma) , 3.8 qt capacity
Tire size 185/65R15 to 195/55R16 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 23V652000. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving. An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

Compare

Next year 2013 Kia Rio See every Kia Rio model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Kia Rio reliable?

Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Rio over 15 years — 3 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Rio years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Brake control module.

What are common problems with a 2012 Kia Rio?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (24 of 54), then Air bags (12) and Fuel and propulsion system (7). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 9 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2012 Kia Rio more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 Rio has 153 complaints, 10 per year. The 2012 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013.

Has the 2012 Kia Rio been recalled?

The 2012 Kia Rio has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2012 Kia Rio?

Owners have filed 54 complaints about the 2012 Kia Rio with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2012 Kia Rio get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2012 Kia Rio is 31.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Kia Rio take?

YB (2012-2017) 1.6L Gamma: 5W-20 or 5W-30. YB2 (2018-2023) 1.6L Smartstream: 0W-20. Confirm the manual.

What does NHTSA campaign 21V936000 cover on later Rio?

Certain 2020-2021 Rio vehicles: the brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance.

When did the YB2 Rio generation start?

Model year 2018 (through 2023 on this site).