2001 KIA RIO Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 KIA RIO. WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING AT 50 MPH, CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER WHO WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE, RUN OVER BY THE OTHER VEHICLE AND IS DECEASED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO ENGAGE REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS OPENED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. THE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I PURCHASED NEW TIRES AROUND FEBRUARY 2007 FROM SEARS AT THE VIRGINIA CENTER COMMONS STORE LOCATION. WITHIN THREE WEEKS BETWEEN APRIL AND MAY OF 2008 I EXPERIENCED THREE FLATS. TWO OF THE FLATS WERE ON THE SAME DAY WITHIN 2 HOURS OF EACH OTHER. I HAD THE FOURTH ONE REPLACED AT THIS TIME. ALL THREE FLATS WERE BECAUSE OF FAULTY VALVE STEMS. RECENTLY I READ ABOUT A 6 MILLION RECALL OF TR413 VALVE STEMS FROM TECH INTERNATIONAL A DISTRIBUTOR OF SHANGHAI BAOLONG. I BELIEVE MY PROBLEM IS PART OF THE RECALL WHICH NOTIFIED THE CLIENTS BUT NOT THE PUBLIC. FORTUNATELY NONE OF THE FLATS OCCURRED AT HIGH SPEED WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY BUT ON SECONDARY ROADS AT SPEEDS OF 45MPH OR LESS. I DID COMPLAIN TO SEARS ON THEIR FEEDBACK SURVEY BUT RECEIVED NO REPLY. I HAD PURCHASED ROAD HAZARD WITH THE TIRES SO I WAS NOT CHARGED FOR ANY OF THE REPAIRS BUT AM UPSET ABOUT THE LACK OF REPLY AND THE LACK OF NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC. I AM UNSURE IF ANY TIRE DAMAGE RESULTED FROM THE FLATS. SINCERELY DENISE BARWICK *TR

VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE LIKE WHEELS WERE OUT OF BALANCE. TURNED INTO DRIVEWAY DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL FELL OFF WITH BRAKE DRUM STILL ATTACHED TO WHEEL . VEHICLE CAME TO STOP. KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE CONTACTED, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ACTIVE SERVICE BULLETIN OFFERED NO HELP. VEHICLE REPAIRED AT LOCAL FIRESTONE TIRE STORE. WHEEL SPINDLE AND INNER AND OUTER BEARINGS REPLACED. *TR

DASH LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK. COME OFF AND ON. CHECK ENGINE ALSO COMES OFF AND ON. REPAIRED TWICE, STILL COMES ON AFTER SHORT DRIVE. WARNED BY POLICE FOR DASH LIGHTS. CAR WILL BE TOWED BECAUSE UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. CAN NOT AFFORD COSTLY REPAIR TO WIRING SYSTEM AT THIS TIME. *TR

ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ONE RECALL NOTICE FROM KIA OR THE DEALER, ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2007, MY 2001 KIA RIO (WHICH WE BOUGHT NEW IN 1/2001) ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER THE CAR ENGINE HAD WARMED UP, AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LURCH AND CHUG. IT STALLED AT A LIGHT AND RESTARTED WHEN I TURNED THE KEY. I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AND IT REVVED TO A HIGHER GEAR AND LUNGED FORWARD THEN IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO STALL IN THE INTERSECTION. I NURSED THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. IT WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHERE THE CODE CLAIMED AN O2 CENSOR WAS BAD. WHAT WAS FOUND WAS A PLUG MISSING FROM A PANEL AREA (?). THOUGHT CAR WAS FIXED. WENT TO DRIVE IT HOME AND AGAIN THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM ONLY THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON, MY ONLY INDICATION OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE ATTEMPT AT STALLING AGAIN! THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP. SAME SYMPTOMS AND PROBLEMS ONLY NO WARNING ENGINE LIGHT. THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING DANGER SINCE IT HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING AND KIA HAS FAILED TO NOTIFY US OF ANY RECALL NOTICES THEY HAVE ISSUED CONCERNING OUR VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD OUR ADDRESS FROM US PAYING THEM FOR THE CAR NOTE EACH MONTH! SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THEIR LACK OF NOTICE TO OWNERS AND WARM ENGINE STALLING PROBLEMS. I HAVE NO WAY OF GETTING THE CAR TO A DEALER SINCE IT WILL NOT STAY RUNNING! *TR

MY CAR HAD A RECALL BECAUSE OF STALLING ISSUES BEFORE ALSO AGAIN WHEN I HAD THIS PROBLEM THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS UNPLUGGED NOW IT STALLS ALL THE TIME ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON HAD A AIRFLOW SENSOR LIGHT CHANGED AND IT IS STILL STALLING EVEN MORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BUT GOES OFF BEFORE I CAN GET IT CHECKED AND SO I AM GETTING NOWHERE AND I AM SCARED TOO DEATH OFF HAVING A ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE I THINK THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IT IS A 2001 KIA RIO CAN YOU HELP ME I HAVE CONTACTED KIA ALREADY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED FIVE TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS NOT COMING FROM THE BRAKES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL # 05V159000 (WHEELS). THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 54,527 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK IN 2004. REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP AT COST TO ME OF $300. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK IN 2007. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR IS RARELY USED AS THERE IS ONLY ONE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

TWO YEARS AGO WHEN TRYING TO GET INTO MY 2001 RIO THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK STUCK. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAITED 2 WEEKS FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART. NOW I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY PASSENGER DOOR. CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, SO I AM UNABLE TO USE MY PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. ALSO CAR STALLS WHEN IT RAINS AND SHAKES REALLY BAD WHEN IT DOES RUN. I HAVE TO GET A RIDE WHEN IT RAINS, INTERIOR LIGHTS DON'T WORK, BUMPER HAS COME LOOSE....CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH SPARK PLUGS, AND LEAKS OIL. *JB

I HAVE A KIA RIO. STOCK #06520901,CASE 0067, MODEL K32B NA3,YEAR 2001, VINKNADC1234165XXXXX RA, MOTOR ASD21403 COLOR BI. THE COMPACT BASE THAT HOLDS THE RADIATOR SPLIT AT THE CENTER. THE TWO SIDES OF THIS BASE BROKE IN TWO. MY HUSBAND TALKED TO VARIOUS PERSONS WHO ALSO HAVE A KIA. TO HIS SURPRISE, THEY ALL TOLD HIM, "THESE CARS MUST HAVE COME WITH A DEFECT BECAUSE THE SAME BASE IS ALSO BROKEN ON MY CAR". SO FAR, 4 PERSONS OWING A KIA HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM . I FELT I SHOULD REPORT THIS BECAUSE AS I WAS RUNNING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A CACKLING SOUND. I STOPPED THE CAR AND CALLED MY HUSBAND. HE ARRIVED AND CHECKED THE CAR AND SHOWED ME THE BROKEN BASE. IT SPLIT AT THE CENTER AND BROKE OFF OF BOTH SIDES OF THE BASE. I WAS REALLY HAIR RAISED BECAUSE IF ANY THE PARTS INVOLVED WOULD HAD COME DOWN, DEFINITELY, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW BECAUSE MY HUSBAND SENT THE PART TO BE SOLDERED BUT I FEEL UNSECURED. *NM