2019 Kia RIO
3KPA24AD1LE279588
Vehicle record for the 2019 Kia RIO (VIN 3KPA24AD1LE279588). White, sedan, gasoline. 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year. Free specifications, registration region and recall data.
Full vehicle history report
What a full report checks for VIN 3KPA24AD1LE279588
A full report searches national title databases (NMVTIS) and licensed history providers for this VIN and shows whatever records are on file — not every vehicle has every record type. The decode, safety recalls and owner complaints above are always free.
History reports cover US-titled vehicles only. This car is registered in Ukraine, so title, salvage and odometer records from the US national title database (NMVTIS) don't apply to it. The registration record, specifications and recall data on this page are free.
At a glance
Vehicle identity & specifications
What's a 2019 Kia RIO worth?
What comparable 2019 Kia RIO vehicles are listed for — a quick gut-check before you negotiate.
Is the seller's price fair? Get this exact VIN's current market value — retail, trade-in & loan value — in the full report.
See this car's exact value →MPG & running costs
U.S. EPA fuel-economy estimates for the 2019 Kia RIO.
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages. Actual mileage varies with trim and driving conditions.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2019 Kia RIO costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($13,402) with the same model 5 model-years older ($11,037), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2019 Kia RIO — ranges cover the 2 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
Manufacturer service bulletins 60
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be free. Showing the 10 most recent of 60.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER PROTECTOR & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2311) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar…
Bulletin CS2311_TSB_R4 · Structure · Jun 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black ba…
Bulletin CS2312_TSB_R2 · Structure · Jun 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black ba…
Bulletin TSB_CS2312_R1 · Structure · Feb 2026CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: POSTCARD OWNER RENOTIFICATION (CS2311) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. Kia has developed a new zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgr…
Bulletin CS2311_OWNR_PC201 · Structure · Dec 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia vehicles out…
Bulletin TSB_CS2312 · Structure · Dec 2025CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. A software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method has been made available to own…
Bulletin CS2312_OWNR · Structure · Dec 2025PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating dis…
Bulletin PS797 · Back Over Prevention · Dec 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relat…
Bulletin TSB_TRA046_R5 · Power Train · Apr 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides…
Bulletin TSB_ENG222_R8 · Engine · Apr 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides…
Bulletin TSB_ENG222_R7 · Engine · Feb 2025Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the RIO FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 1
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2019 Kia RIO. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Structure
Issue: On certain vehicles, a part in the trunk release latch could fail. If this happens, the emergency trunk release located inside the trunk compartment may not work properly. This could prevent a person that is trapped inside the trunk from opening it. Safety Risk: If a person is closed inside the trunk compartment, they may not be able to get out. This could create a risk…
Transport Canada #2021504 · Aug 2021Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Kia RIO
The Kia Rio is a subcompact car manufactured by Kia, produced from 1999 to 2023.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
Safety recall campaigns 1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LATCH
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Forte 4-door, Forte Koup 2-door, and 2018-2019 Rio 4-door vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC216.
NHTSA Campaign #21V622000 · manufacturer #SC216 · 09/08/2021Note: recall data comes from the U.S. NHTSA and covers the US-market version of this model. A car registered in Ukraine may have different campaigns — check with the manufacturer's local importer.
These are NHTSA recall campaigns for this model year, last checked 7 Oct 2026. They don't show whether this particular car has had the repair done — check this VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are free.
We'll email you the moment a new safety recall is issued — no spam, unsubscribe any time.
Common problems & what to inspect
Based on all 21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia RIO, here are the most-reported problem areas — and what to check before you buy.
💥 4 involved a crash 🔥 1 involved a fire 🚑 4 reported injuries
🔍 Listen for knocks or ticking, check for leaks and blue/white exhaust smoke, and make sure it doesn't overheat. No check-engine light should be on.
🔍 Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
🔍 Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
🔍 Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.
🔍 Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
🔍 Inspect for rust, fresh undercoating, mismatched paint, uneven panel gaps and any sign of prior collision or frame repair.
Pre-purchase checklist
- Match the VIN on the dash, door jamb and title — they must be identical.
- Cold-start the engine; listen for knocks and check for blue or white exhaust smoke.
- Test-drive through all gears at low and highway speed — no slipping, shudder or pulling.
- Confirm every warning light clears at startup (none should stay on).
- Check fluids — oil, coolant, transmission — for level, color and leaks.
- Look underneath for rust, fresh undercoating or signs of collision repair.
- Always get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a trusted mechanic.
Owner complaints 21
Complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of the 2019 Kia RIO.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION
There was no accident the radio/backup camera shuts down completely on the inside of the car when the car is too hot inside
NHTSA ODI #11744013STRUCTURE
2019 Kia Rio Hatchback trunk latch failure buzzing actuator but won't open emergency release does not work dealer says not covered under recall #21V622000 which covers the trunk for 4 door 2019 Kia Rio and this appears to be the same or similar issue with the trunk emergency release not opening creating a safety risk
NHTSA ODI #11732793ENGINE
On the morning of October 15th, the oil light of my 2019 Kia Rio came on, immediately followed by extreme engine noise, just before the engine locked. I had the vehicle towed to a nearby service center. They checked and reported that all oil had leaked out and motor had locked. I then had vehicle towed to Kia dealer and requested a motor replacement. They no…
NHTSA ODI #11710569ENGINE
The engine experienced a rod bearing failure resulting in internal engine damage and sudden loss of normal engine operation. The vehicle and failed engine components are currently available for inspection upon request. The engine failure occurred while the vehicle was traveling at high speed on the freeway, resulting in sudden loss of engine power. This cre…
NHTSA ODI #11705721Other/I am not sure
360 car seat will not click lock will steady spin around
NHTSA ODI #11694519POWER TRAIN,ENGINE
The oil light flashed in the car once after an oil change, so I took the car back the very next day to the mechanic and he said there was no oil in the car at the time. He filled the car back up with oil, and by the end of the week, the car needed oil again, but no light indicated the car was low on oil. Months went by with constant oil changes and the car n…
NHTSA ODI #11622905ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My car had been broken into and was attempted to be stolen on December 22, 2022. A few months ago, a neighbor left a note on my car stating that someone was looking through the windows suspiciously. Today, December 12, 2023, my car was stolen from a paid for parking garage at my apartment complex with no cameras. The issue should have been resolved consideri…
NHTSA ODI #11559775UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE
My car is only 3 years old 70k miles.. I have regularly serviced and never had any issues until all of a sudden I was driving I heard a sound and my hood started smoking. My car quickly came to a stop and wouldn’t turn back on. The engine block threw a rod and left a giant hole in my engine. Kia is refusing to repair and my insurance won’t cover saying this …
NHTSA ODI #11538782+ 13 more complaints on record.
