The contact owns a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, he observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment, prompting him to pull to the shoulder of the roadway and evacuate the vehicle. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed flame jutting up from the engine. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the flames but did not provide details on a possible cause for the fire. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard but had yet to be evaluated by the insurance provider. The contact was unaware if a fire report had been filed. A police report was filed, but no injuries were reported. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); the VIN was included, and parts were available, but the vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.
2015 Kia Rio: check engine light
11 of the 52 complaints about the 2015 Kia Rio describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 11
- of this car's complaints
- 21%
- typical mileage
- 94,000
- recalls
- 0
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency 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 contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that reimbursement for a rental vehicle would be provided. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact was driving at approximately 40 MPH when a burning odor emitted from the vehicle. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated before that day. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing a new valve cover gasket and it was replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle continued with a burning oil odor. The contact was notified of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,410.
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.
My vehicle consumes oil according to my Midas repair shop. I was unaware that when I brought it in for regular servicing, the engine was almost empty of oil according to the mechanic. It had been rattling upon acceleration and lacking power set on ECO, but I ignored it. Now, I have to check and add 1/2 to 1 quart of oil every 7-10 days as the dipstick shows oil is low and also very dark. There is also an engine warning light on most of the time but it comes up as from the Catalytic Converter which I doubt. The electrical system also flashes on the dash where the a/c settings and circulation fan are on ocassion but is corrected when the temp guage is adjusted 1 click toward the warmer setting. I was notified of the lack of oil on my visit to Midas for an oli change back in April 2023. The mileage was 110,000 then. Everyone I know who has/had a Kia has had this problem and 3 have lost their engines as a result. Kia has lost my confidence because nothing was advised to owners until I found out of this common and costly issue just by chance. I wont buy another Kia now.
After an oil routine change last May, my mechanic informed me that the engine had almost no oil. I had been hearing a rattle when accelerating at times and noticed the vehicle seemed to be having trouble when increasing speeds were necessary (entering higher traffic areas/highway on ramps). I had always met the scheduled oil change requirements since I bought it in 2019 but this was the first time I had been told of this. The mechanic told me that it has been known that these vehicles have this problem. I usually went to the same reputable mechanic. Now, as requested by the mechanic, I check the oil each week and find that I have to add 1 quart every 10 days or less to keep the engine from failing outright. The engine light periodically comes on and goes off again, but I was told it was possibly related to the catalytic converter. I do not feel confident driving it much longer especially on highways because of possible engine failure on very hot summer days leaving me stranded in the heat.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Rio. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and the contact smelled an oil burning odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over and the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic stated that the engine was misfiring, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the dealer confirmed the misfire and stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 139,287.
Last night, my car ran exactly as usual. No warning lights on the dash. No strange sounds. This morning when I started the car, there was a weird ticking sound coming from the engine. I decided to take the car into the shop. About a mile from home, it began to have trouble with acceleration and would randomly stall for a fraction of a second before catching again. The ticking sound became unbearable just as the check engine light and oil level lights turned on, so I pulled over and called a tow truck. After inspection at the auto shop, my beloved car was diagnosed with premature engine failure. The mechanic explained that this engine consumed oil rather than just using it to lubricate the moving parts, meaning that even religious oil changes are not enough. Had I continued driving instead of calling a tow, my car likely would have caught fire! Now I have no car (well a car but no engine) and because I am the second owner, the warranty doesn't apply to me. I have been a loyal Kia and Hyundai owner despite bad publicity over the years because I saw major improvements and innovative growth in the company. Kia tells me that because there is no active recall on the engine and I don't qualify for the warranty, there's nothing they can do. Please note they are actively involved in a lawsuit with the goal of recalling the 1.6L Gamma engines in Kia Rio 2015 for this very reason! There are a small percentage of defective engines that pose a fire risk in these cars. Raising awareness by contacting the company directly and reporting to the federal safety agency is the only way that Kia/Hyundai might do something about it!
Driving approximately 40 MPH, car hesitates to accelerate. Check engine light came on. Had car checked, diagnostic says catalytic converter is not operating properly. I had this part replaced less than 4 months ago! Now the same problem is occurring again!
When I frist got my car the engine light came on. Dean mccrary fixed it. Now the light comes back on and off. May car drive slow sometime. I had it checked they said it was cavalier
The engine light is constantly on but when hooked to the machine, there are no error messages. Some days it's on, some days it's not.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Excessive oil consumption nu/gamma/theta/kappa engines
- Pitstop: low oil pressure at idle after gamma 1.6L GDI short block engine replacement
- Partial repair of c-mdps motor, ECU, worm gear and/or steering column housing
- Fuel smell ECU logic improvement and charcoal canister replacement
- Partial repair of c-mdps motor, ECU and/or steering column housing
- TSB - canister close valve inspection and air drain case replacement
- TSB - canister close valve (CCV) replacement
- Pitstop - engine component re-use guidelines
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2015 Kia Rio check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 2015 Kia Rio?
11 of 52 owner complaints about the 2015 Kia Rio (21%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2001.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2015 Kia Rio?
There are 0 recalls and 14 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2015 Kia Rio
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