Kia›Rio›2001›Overview/kia/rio/2001/base/

2001 Kia Rio

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 Rio.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2001 Kia Rio is a passenger car equipped with an automatic four‑speed transmission and EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 22/28/25 mpg. It generated 227 owner complaints — the peak level across its 2000‑2023 production span — with the most common problems concentrated in the engine and engine cooling area. Consequently, the 2001 model year stands as the high point of complaint volume, a level that dwarfs the merely three complaints recorded for the 2000 model.

Model year2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque65-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy22/28/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	166.1 in
Overall width	66.1 in
Overall height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	94.9 in
Curb weight	2081 lb
Track (front / rear)	56.3 / 57.1 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	22 / 28 / 25 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	88 cu ft
Cargo volume	13 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Rio of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

9.3–10.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 9.30 sec — 2001 Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2001	Sedan 1.5L I-4	9.30 sec	17.00 sec	96 hp	FWD
2001	Sedan 1.5L I-4	10.30 sec	17.60 sec	96 hp	FWD
2001	Sedan 1.5L I-4	10.70 sec	17.70 sec	96 hp	FWD
2004	Cinco Wagon 1.6L I-4	9.80 sec	17.40 sec	104 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 65-87 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Coolant

ETHYLENE GLYCOL

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

65-87 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug Gap	0.027-0.031 in
Spark Plug Torque	18.0-22.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.43 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	100
Oil Capacity	5.07 oz

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	11-15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	189-193 °F
Injector Primary Resistance	14.5 @ 68 degreesF ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	29-36 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	65-80 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.040 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.866 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	0.787 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi.

Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2001 Kia Rio shows a sharp spike in complaints—227 versus 3 in 2000—and a modest increase in recalls to three, while investigations climb to six, all of which then decline through 2002 (158 complaints, 1 recall). This year sits at the apex of a downward trend that continues through 2004 and into the early 2000s, indicating that the 2001 model was the most problematic of its generation. The top complaint categories (engine cooling, wheels, airbags, fuel system) suggest a breadth of issues, but the data does not specify root causes. With 21 crash‑related complaints and 14 fire complaints, the 2001 model has a higher safety‑related complaint count than later years. Overall, the 2001 Kia Rio is the weakest year in the series and may not be a prudent purchase without thorough pre‑purchase inspection.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

227

Owner complaints

21 involved a crash · 14 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’00’01’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 227 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling32

Wheels25

Air Bags22

Fuel System, Gasoline15

Electrical System12

Seat Belts11

Service Brakes, Hydraulic10

Power Train10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

05V159000WheelsReported 20/04/2005

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE A MANUFACTURING FLAW THAT COULD CAUSE THE WHEELS TO CRACK UNDER LONG TERM DRIVING FATIGUE. IF CRACKS OCCUR, WHEEL NOISE AND VIBRATION WILL RESULT AND BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE ALL FOUR WHEELS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

04V179000Fuel System, Gasoline:DeliveryReported 09/04/2004

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… Remedy: 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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 21 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
TSB_BOD055_R1	2021-09-13	Structure	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This…
PS539	2018-03-02	Engine And Engine Cooling	PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed…
TSB-GEN085R1	2017-01-18	Equipment	TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…
TSB-GEN085	2016-11-04	Latches/Locks/Linkages	TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…
PS443	2016-04-04	Electrical System	TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Rio. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2001 Rio have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Rio get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 28 highway / 25 combined mpg.