2002 Kia Rio

SLOWING TO TURN INTO GAS STATION, REAR AXLE BROKE DO TO EXCESSIVE RUST ROT. THE BODY ON THIS CAR HAD STATED TO RUST AT 8000 MILES, REAR FRAME HAS EXCESSIVE RUST ROT ALSO. NUMEROUS OTHER KIA RIO OWNERS ARE REPORTING THIS ISSUE THIS IS ALARMING I COULD HAVE SLAMMED INTO THE GAS PUMPS AS THE BRAKES LOCKED DO TO SEVERING A BRAKE LINE. *TR

MY CAR PULLS HARD TO THE RIGHT WHEN I PRESS THE GAS PEDAL AND I HAVE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO COMPENSATE FOR THAT. AS SOON AS I PULL MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THE CAR IMMEDIATELY GOES TO THE LEFT AND I HAVE TO BRING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE NORMAL POSITION. THIS HAPPENS 100% OF THE TIME. I FEEL THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE I HAVE TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE TIMING IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I AM THE FIRST OWNER OF THE CAR AND THE CAR WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC (I HAVE RECORDS OF EVEN OIL CHANGES) AND EVEN AFTER ALIGNMENT AND TIRE CHANGE FOR THE PROBLEM BY A KIA DEALER, THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. I'VE BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT KIA DEALERS AND I WAS TOLD THIS IS A "NORMAL" SITUATION IN THESE KINDS OF CARS AND IT HAPPENS TO "ALL OF THEM AT HIGH MILEAGE". I ALSO TRIED TO REACH THE REGIONAL OFFICE AND AFTER NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS I DIDN'T GET A RESPONSE FROM THERE YET. THE CAR IS AT 98,000 MILES AND I'VE HAD THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT MORE THAN 3 MONTHS. I BELIEVE KIA EITHER SHOULD HONOR THEIR 100K MILE WARRANTY OR IF IT IS HAPPENING TO "ALL OF THEM" AND IT IS "NORMAL" THEY SHOULD MOVE THEIR OFFICIAL WARRANTY LOWER (FOR EXAMPLE 80K MILES ETC.) OR THEY SHOULD WARN THE CONSUMER ABOUT THIS "NORMAL" SITUATION WITH BIG LETTERS IN THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS AND MANUALS. *TR

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT BEARINGS, CAUSING THE WHEELS TO SEPARATE FROM THE AXLE. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 4 OCCASIONS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINED UNDETERMINED. OWNER STATED THAT THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT THE FRONT BEARINGS WERE FAULTY, AND THEY WERE REPLACED. CURRENTLY, THEY REPLACED THE FRONT RIGHT BEARINGS WHICH WERE REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY. *AK THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BUZZING SOUND FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SOUND WAS MORE PREVALENT WHEN THE CONSUMER ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS HIGHER THAN 50 MPH. THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WAS ON HER WAY HOME FROM THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. AFTER THE CONSUMER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SHE FOUND THE RIGHT TIRE DISCONNECTED FROM THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE RESTED ON THE TIRE WHICH WAS 90 DEGREE ANGLE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS SEEPING OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE CONSUMER WAS ON HER WAY HOME AND HEARD A LOUD POP AS THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THE CONSUMER TOOK IT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT AT SPEEDS OF 25 OR GREATER. *TC THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS REPLACED.

AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT OF CAR SO HAD IT LOOKED AT. WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE COMPUTER CHIP OR SOMETHING. THIS CAUSED THE DEFROSTER IN THE CAR TO NOT WORK. BEFORE I COULD GET IT IN TO BE REPLACED, STARTED HEARING A STRANGE NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. CALLED TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY ABOUT THE AIR AND THE NOISE. THAT DAY, WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE, THE NOISE BEGAN TO GET WORSE. I THEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR, AND LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE STEERING WOULD NOT RESPOND, AND THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS "FLOATING" ALONG THE INTERSTATE. HAD THE CAR TOWED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE REAR WHEEL BEARING AND THAT IT DAMAGED SOME THINGS UNDER THE CAR.

WHEN DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE SWERVES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. VEHICLE IS HARD TO CONTROL. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER INDICATED VEHICLE NEEDED NEW BUSHINGS, FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND TIRES. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE DEALER HAS NOT AGREED THAT ANY THING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. BUT 9 ALIGNMENTS, 4 NEW TIRES AND BALL BEARINGS WERE REPLACED AT LESS THAN 2000 MILES. *YH