2002 Kia Rio Problems, Recalls & Reliability
171 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Kia Rio, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 67/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 83,017 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2002 Kia Rio sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2004–2005, 2008–2009, 2011, 2017–2018, 2020.
Avoid
Where 2002 sits among all Rio years
What owners report
“Car stalled numerous times at any speed. Dealer has inspected the vehicle several times. And the problem has reoccured. Please provide further information. Ts”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Rio
“I was wondering if other kia owner's have had similar problems? I had the front brakes replaced due to a clip that fell off and got between the brake pad and drum, and the rear brakes replaced due to brake dust and glazing of drums. Now less than two weeks later, i'm starting to have the same…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Rio
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 73 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 53,668 miles. Half of those reports fall between 15,000 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
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…
Fix: 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.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
16 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2002 Kia Rio. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Kia Rio reliable?
The 2002 Kia Rio drew 171 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 67/100, scored against the model's worst year (2001).
What are the most common 2002 Kia Rio problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Kia Rio are engine (41 complaints), brakes & stability (25), and airbags (21).
At what mileage do 2002 Kia Rio problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Kia Rio problems around 53,668 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 15,000 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 2002 Kia Rio have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2002 Kia Rio. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.