2002 Kia Rio

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON HWY 360 IN GRAND PRAIRIE TEXAS GOING ABOUT 50 MPH AND AN OTHER VEHICLE WAS CROSSING THE LANES TOWARD HER AND HIT HER VEHICLE AT THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE (PASSENGER SIDE). SHE WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT AND SO WAS THE PASSENGER.THE SEATBELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT WORK AND AIRBAGS ON NEITHER SIDE DEPLOYED. THE PASSENGER WENT FORWARD STRIKING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD SUFFERING HEAD AND BODY INJURIES.

NO ACCIDENT YET ON THIS DEFECT. WE HAVE NOTICED OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE WAY THE DASH IS CONSTRUCTED THAT SERIOUSLY OBSTUCTS BOTH VIEWING OF THE ROAD THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD BY THE DRIVER AND VIEWING THE DASH INSTRUMENTATION (SPEEDOMETER, ETC) VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. ON A SUNY DAY, THE BLACK PLASTIC MATERIAL USED IN THE DASH CONSTRUCTION AROUND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS SO REFLECTIVE, THAT OFTEN WITH THE SUN COMING IN THROUGH THE REAR OR A SIDE WINDOW, IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE INSTRUMENTATION IN THE DASH DUE TO REFLECTIVE GLARE OFF THE BLACK PLASTIC IN FRONT OF THE CLEAR PLASTIC THAT COVERS THE SPEEDOMETER, ETC. IT IS SO BAD THAT OCCASIONALLY WE HAVE TO PUT A PIECE OF PAPER OR ANOTHER NON-REFLECTIVE OBJECT BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AND IN FRONT OF THE SPEEDOMETER IN ORDER TO READ THE INSTRUMENTATION. EVEN MORE DISTURBING IS THE SAME PHENOMENON WHEN THE SUN IS STREAMING INTO THE CAR, PARTICULARLY FROM THE FRONT OR A SIDE WINDOW, THAT THE REFLECTION OFF OF THE BLACK PLASTIC ONTO THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD IS SO BAD THAT WE OFTEN CANNOT SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD WITHOUT PUTTING A PIECE OF PAPER OR SOME OTHER SUBSTANCE DOWN TO CUT THE GLARE DOWN. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENS AS A RESULT OF BEING UNABLE TO SEE CLEARLY.

THE KIA RIO WAS STOPPED BEHIND A MINIVAN WHEN IT WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER MINIVAN TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH BEFORE BRAKING. THE KIA RIO WAS PUSHED INTO THE MINIVAN IN FRONT. THE RIO WAS NOT SEVERELY DAMAGED, HOWEVER, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DAMAGE WAS TO THE REAR TRUNK LID AND THE FRONT RIGHT RAIL WAS SLIGHTLY . COMPROMISED. NO LIGHTS WERE BROKEN, NOR WAS THE BUMPER EVEN CRACKED. BOTH THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND THE BODY SHOP WERE SURPRISED THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF BASED ON THE DAMAGE (OR OVERALL LACK THEREOF) TO THE VEHICLE. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT BROKE OTHER PIECES OF AND INSIDE OF THE DASH AS WELL, CAUSING OVER 2/3 OF THE COST OF REPAIR (TOTAL COST WAS AROUND $7000). PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE ARE AVAILABLE.*AK

I HAVE A 2002 KIA RIO WITH APPROX. 51,000 MILES. THE CAR SUDDENLY BROKE DOWN AND WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO TOLD ME THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED DUE TO SLUDGE IN THE OIL SYSTEM. I PROVIDED KIA WITH ALL THE OIL MAINTENANCE RECEIPTS EVERY 3000 MILES. KIA'S RESPONSE WAS THAT THE OIL WAS NOT MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE FAKE. BASICALLY, THEY SAY THAT I AND A CERTIFIED MECHANIC (OWNER OF A AUTO AND TOWING SHOP) ARE LIARS. KIA WILL NOT PAY FOR THE ENGINE REPAIR AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT WAS CAUSED BY AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION (OIL AND RECEIPTS WERE MAINTAINED PROPERLY). IT HAS BEEN 1 MONTH AGO, I HAVE NO CAR AND SERIOUSLY AT RISK OF LOSING MY JOB DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND KIA WILL NOT RECONSIDER ANY INFORMATION I PROVIDE. *JB

SINCE PURCHASING THIS CAR IN NOV. 2001, IT HAS GIVEN ME NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. I HAVE HAD THE STRUTS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY FOR LEAKING OIL, IT HAS STALLED MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT, CAUSING CONCERNS ABOUT MY AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY,AND RECENTLY THE ENGINE CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY. THE ENGINE IS NOW FROZEN AND SINCE I'VE REACHED MY 60,000 MILE MARK, THE DEALERSHIP IS HESITANT TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS TRULY AN EXPENSIVE LEMON.*AK

VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY AND SWAYED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, PULLED OVER, AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THEN, DRIVER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT OR MOVE ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FRAME WAS BEND, AND TRANSMISSION HAD BLOWN OUT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

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.

OVER THE LAST MONTH MY CAR HAS STALLED OUT OVER TEN TIMES, USUALLY DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR FIX THE PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THEM THE ENGINE LIGHT NEEDS TO BE ON; ONCE IT STALLED AND THE LIGHT CAME ON, I IMMEDIATELY DROVE IT TO THE DEALER BUT THE TECHNICIANS SAID IT WAS NOT ON WHEN THEY RESTARTED THE CAR. THE CAR ALSO RUNS ROUGH AND FEELS LIKE IT LOSES POWER INTERMITTENTLY. I HAVE LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN THE CAR AND WORRY ABOUT WHERE AND WHEN IT MAY STALL OUT. THE SERVICE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND RESPECTFUL BUT THE PROBLEM HAS BECOME SO BAD I MAY NEED TO FILE LEMON LAW PAPERS. *JB