Kia Rio Alternator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On the Rio, oil leaking from the valve cover gasket directly above the alternator can genuinely kill it.

Illustration for editorial purposes

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OEM Part Number: 37300-2A950 (as quoted in catalogue listings — confirm via VIN) — aftermarket alternators Bosch 1 986 A01 715 / AS-PL A9381S

Accuracy note: Covers the Kia Rio (2017-) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Alternators are sold by output (amps), pulley type and plug, and the same model usually has two or three units depending on engine, start-stop and the electrical load of the trim — a 120 A unit on a car built for 150 A will undercharge, and a rigid pulley on a car designed for a freewheel clutch pulley will shred belts. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; many are remanufactured exchange units that carry a core charge until the old alternator is returned. Genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Check the amp rating, pulley and plug stamped on the old unit, or confirm via VIN, before ordering.

Alternators (aftermarket)	Bosch 1 986 A01 715 (130 A, freewheel pulley, 5 ribs, 57 mm, new, 174 plug, core charge £7.31, excludes vacuum pump); Bosch 1 986 A01 641 (110 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, new, 365 plug, excludes vacuum pump); Bosch 0 986 086 620 (130 A, 5 ribs, 57 mm, remanufactured exchange, core charge £25.80, 174 plug); AS-PL A9381S (120 A, freewheel pulley, 5 ribs, 57 mm, new, PL_2305); AS-PL A9436S (130 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, new, PL_3307); Rotovis 9091461 (130 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, remanufactured, COM plug); BV PSH 255.529.130.120 (130 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, new).
Outputs & variants	90 A units on a 6-rib 58 mm pulley for the base 1.25 and 1.4 petrols, 110 A to 130 A units for the 1.0 T-GDi, 1.4 CRDi and start-stop (Eco-Dynamics+) cars. Pulley splits between 5-rib 57 mm (Valeo pattern) and 6-rib 58 mm (Denso pattern), and all are freewheel.
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	AS-PL A9381S quotes 37300-2A950; AS-PL A9436S quotes 37300-03AA0.
Fitment notes	Rib count and plug (174 three-pin versus COM/LIN) identify the correct family, so compare the old unit before buying; Bosch exchange units carry a core charge of up to £25.80 and the Bosch units are supplied without a vacuum pump.

A Genuinely Specific, Real Root Cause Worth Knowing — Kia Rio Alternator

If your alternator keeps failing repeatedly, this is genuinely worth knowing: a documented cause on related engines is oil leaking down into the alternator from the valve cover gasket positioned directly above it. It's genuinely worth checking the valve cover gasket for signs of a leak before fitting a replacement alternator.

A genuinely money-saving, real diagnostic finding worth knowing: one documented case saw persistent low charging voltage survive two separate alternator replacements, with the actual cause eventually traced to the alternator not receiving a proper ground connection from the engine. Running a separate, dedicated ground wire resolved it completely.

It's also worth knowing a genuinely useful diagnostic technique: placing one end of a wooden stick against the alternator housing and the other end near your ear acts as a simple, improvised stethoscope for isolating alternator noise.

Kia Rio Alternator: Often Blamed on the Battery Instead

On the Kia Rio, dim lights, slow starts, a battery that won't hold charge — these symptoms point equally to a weak battery or a failing alternator, and that overlap is why so many replacements target the wrong part first, with the real problem only surfacing weeks later.

Kia Rio Alternator: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: How to Replace Alternator of Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio 2012-2017 (older gen)

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UB Rio; exact YB 2019 Rio 1.6 in Spanish at hEL3nYdbqZY; nzIF9tF07Ws (Andy's Garage) gen unstated

Before you buy: alternator output rating varies by engine size and trim, particularly on cars with more onboard electronics. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Kia Rio Alternator: What It Does

Electricity generation while the Kia Rio's engine is running is the alternator's job, charging the battery and directly powering the electrical systems. When it's working properly, the battery mostly just handles engine starting and short demand spikes, not day-to-day electrical load.

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Kia Rio Alternator: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Alternator Guide for symptoms to watch for (plus a genuinely useful two-minute test to confirm it's not the battery instead), confirming the right amperage and fitment against your VIN, and which brands are worth trusting.

More Kia Alternator

The same part, covered across other Kia models.