Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Kia Rio owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
On June 29, 2022, I was driving on I-5 southbound when I heard a loud sort of tapping sound coming from my engine. About 30 minutes later, before I had time to get to a gas station, there was a loud "BOOM!" sound and all of a sudden, the catalytic converter light and some other dash lights started to flash and I started to lose power. I pulled over to the left shoulder of the highway and before I could even pop the hood, I noticed flames immediately licking from the underside of the hood. I grabbed my phone and pulled my rabbit in her cage from the back seat of the car and called 911. My car continued to burn, starting a small brush fire, until the fire department finally came and put the fire out. The whole front of my car was completely incinerated and it had made its way to the back hatch in less than hour. …
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Rio. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle had an abnormal burning oil odor in the cabin of the vehicle. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who checked the vehicle and determined that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated again. The contact drove the vehicle back to another independent mechanic who checked the engine and determined that engine oil needed to be added. The vehicle was repaired. The mechanic informed the contact to check the oil level every week. The contact stated was adding a quart or more of engine oil every two weeks. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle suddenly began bucking, lost power, and lost oil. The engine compartment immediately caught fire. The fire was entirely non-collision related and required immediate extinguishing. The incident was logged by the Washington State Patrol. The vehicle was towed and subsequently inspected by a certified Kia dealership. The Kia dealership technicians officially diagnosed the cause of the fire as a catastrophic internal engine failure, specifically noting in writing that they "found hole in engine block." They noted there was no other possible causation. This spontaneous engine failure and resulting fire occurred at approximately 99,000 miles. The vehicle is currently disabled and available for inspection upon request.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Rio. The contact stated that upon driving from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to exceed 2-3 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The Ford dealer where the vehicle was purchased arranged for the vehicle to be picked up at the residence. The Ford dealer informed the contact that the mechanic and the Kia dealer where the vehicle was taken could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that the catalytic converter was clogged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Rio. The contact stated that there was an abnormal odor in the vehicle. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle slowed down and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact stated while driving 10-15 mph, he heard an abnormal loud clicking sound coming from the engine. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to drive to a nearby gas station, where he noticed the engine oil had spilled and the piston and the connecting rods had fractured. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that he would be responsible for the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Rio. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
On May 29th 2021 my 2016 Kia Rio engine caught on fire after multiple attempts of letting Kia know that my engine had a possible recall/detect. I was told that my car wasn't apart of the recall list of considered on the list of the 1.6 million or billion others who's engines have blown up as well. I have paper work/trail of recent mechanical work/mechanics informing me with "possible recall issues as well". Paid for an oil change May 21st, visited the mechanic and 8 days later my car was in flames at an EXXON gas station pump, literally traumatized.
The car would constantly stall, would need to jiggle ignition to get car to turn over. burn oil EXTREMELY. would foul spark plugs around 20k-30kmiles. , coolant would get burned and get shot out to the exhaust area, and finally the car would have smoke coming out of the engine bay after driving for a distance of 15-30 miles while also getting terrible MPG. Car on average should get 38mpg highway and 27mpg city. This car was getting about 20-22mpg highway and 16-20mpg city.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia RIO. The contact stated that the vehicle consumed and excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed with needing the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,264.
Engine complaints in other Rio years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2016 Kia Rio?
NHTSA has 42 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2016 Kia Rio, 54% of the model year's 78 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2016 Kia Rio engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2016 Kia Rio, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Kia Rio engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 36% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 6 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.