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2005 Kia Rio (JB)

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 Rio.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2005 Kia Rio (JB) is a passenger car equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission that delivers EPA-rated fuel economy of 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway/24 mpg combined. With 36 total owner complaints across a model history spanning 2000-2023, the 2005 model year sits well below the documented peak of 227 complaints logged in 2001, though it remains notably elevated compared to the baseline of just 3 complaints recorded in 2000. The top complaint category for this model centers on Engine & Engine Cooling, and the vehicle carries a single recall on record, placing it in a middle tier of the Rio's reliability trajectory where improvement from earlier years is evident but the vehicle has not yet reached the exemplary complaint levels of its earliest production years.

Model year2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2005

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque65-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy21/29/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 500 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 500 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	165.7 in
Overall width	66.1 in
Overall height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	94.9 in
Curb weight	2447 lb
Track (front / rear)	57.1 / 57.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	21 / 29 / 24 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	88 cu ft
Cargo volume	9 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
2004	Cinco Wagon 1.6L I-4	9.80 sec	17.40 sec	104 hp	FWD
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

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 oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	6.5
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Manual Transmission Fluid	75W-90 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity	4

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	8-11 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings	22-24 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	87-94 ft-lbs
Main Bearings	40-43 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	14-19 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	65-87 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	145-188 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Spark Plug Gap	0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.00-1.10 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	5.06 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	500 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	190-191 °F
Engine Oil Pressure	14.5 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM	Idle rpm
Intake Valve Lash	Hydraulic in
Exhaust Valve Lash	Hydraulic in

Brakes

Other	JB Chassis / BC Chassis
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket	16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	61-68 ft-lbs / 29-36 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.040 in
Other	JB Chassis / BC Chassis
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD

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.

At 7,500 mi	Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 9,500 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 mi	Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 22,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Body Fasteners (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 40,000 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed)
Every 45,000 mi	Fuel Filter (replace) · PCV Valve (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Owner complaints about the 2005 Kia Rio (JB) lead in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 8 of 36 reports (22%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 4 of the reports describe a crash and 4 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

4 involved a crash · 4 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 36 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling8

Engine3

Seat Belts3

Structure2

Electrical System2

Air Bags2

Vehicle Speed Control2

Steering,Power Train,Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

05V557000Child SeatReported 12/12/2005

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, 'CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS.' CERTAIN CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORS WILL NOT FULLY LATCH ONTO THE LOWER… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER ANCHORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 30, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 11 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.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 35 battery

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 2005 Rio have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Rio get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined mpg.