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Engine coolingPart report

2015 Kia RIO Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
4about this part
Share
8%of 52 total for the year
Median mileage
79,553miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2015 Kia RIO, 8% of the 52 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 79,553 miles. 2 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Purchased the car from Kia dealer on 5/20/17 with limited power train warranty. Had oil change done on 7/22/17and again on 10/14/17(copies were provided to the warranty company). The second one was at the dealer. On 12/8/17 my daughter was driving down the street and felt a jolt and saw smoke coming from the hood of the car. She was able to pull over and get out of the car safely. Someone used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire before the fire department arrived. …”

NHTSA complaint #11149408, filed 2018-11, 79,553 miles

“The contact owns a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 53,000.”

NHTSA complaint #11549626, filed 2023-10, 53,000 miles

“The contact owned a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while the friend was driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle suddenly began to lose automotive power, and smoke was seen coming from under the hood. The vehicle was parked and the friend exited the vehicle and discovered flames coming from the engine compartment. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. The vehicle was destroyed and later towed away to a nearby towing facility. A fire and police report was taken at the scene. The cause of the failure and fire was not determined. …”

NHTSA complaint #11608150, filed 2024-08, 118,000 miles

“The contact owns a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed and determined that the failure was caused by the catalytic converter failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed that parts were not yet available. The dealer had not diagnosed the vehicle. …”

NHTSA complaint #11639547, filed 2025-01

Related service bulletins

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201814%
201634%
201548%
201332%
201212%
200913%
200824%
200724%
200668%
20051232%
20041232%
20031926%
20023930%
20015223%

Other parts of the 2015 Kia RIO

Engine
23 complaintsBrakes
12 complaintsElectrical system
9 complaintsAir bags
5 complaintsOther or unknown
4 complaintsVehicle speed control
3 complaintsFuel system
2 complaintsSeat belts
2 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaintsSteering
1 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
1 complaintsWheels
1 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2015 Kia RIO

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology