2013 Kia Rio

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA RIO. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE SUDDENLY DUE TO AN INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE. THE DEALER (BOB BELL KIA OF BALTIMORE, 7900 EASTERN AVE #1, BALTIMORE, MD 21224, (410) 288-2500) INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A WRENCH UNDER THE HOOD, BUT HAD BEEN THE ONLY REPAIR FACILITY SERVICING A VEHICLE, THE SECOND TIME, THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED. DURING THE THIRD REPAIR, THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 20 MPH. ALSO, THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED WITHIN LESS THAN 30 DAYS OF THE THIRD REPAIR FROM THE DEALER WITH NO REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INSPECTION STATION WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A SENSOR RELATED TO THE THROTTLE. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED 15 TSBS ON THE ENGINE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6.

I WAS DRIVING HOME WORK ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR 15 MINUTES. IT WAS RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND HAD MY WINDOW DOWN WHEN I NOTICED AND ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE FROM FROM SOMETHING OUTSIDE AND KEPT DRIVING. THE SMELL GOT STRONGER AND STRONGER. AFTER JUST A COUPLE MINUTES OF FURTHER DRIVING SMOKE STARTED POURING IN FROM MY DEFROST VENTS. I GOT THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND JUST AS I GOT OUT FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND IT WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN SECONDS. THE CAUSE OF YET UNKNOWN AND UNDER INVESTIGATION FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER NEEDED ANY WORK DONE TO IT AND JUST PASSED THE MARYLAND STATE INSPECTION FOR REGISTRATION 6 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING.

ON AUGUST 22 2017 8:45 PM WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET MY DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, FOR NO REASON CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND RUN OVER A MEDIAN IN THE ROAD. I PROCEEDED TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT TO AVOID ANY FURTHER INCIDENT AND INSPECT ANY DAMAGE TO MY CAR. WITH THE CAR STILL RUNNING, I WALKED THE PERIMETER OF THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, WITH NO BODILY DAMAGE VISIBLE I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT HOME. THE NEXT MORNING, I WENT TO CHECK ON MY KIA RIO AND FOUND TRANSMISSION FLUID ALL OVER THE GROUND. I CALLED MY INSURANCE AND REPORTED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY SAID I SHOULD CONTACT KIA CORPORATION AND REPORT THE AIR BAG FAILURE I DID AS REQUESTED. THEN HURRICANE HARVEY HIT THE AREA AND DELAYED ANY ACTIONS TAKEN. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK KIA TOWED THE CAR TO THEIR LOT FOR INSPECTION. KIA ASKED WHAT I WANTED, I REPLIED REPAIR OR REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. THEY WROTE A REPAIR COST ESTIMATED AT $9200.00 AND SAID THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM AND DENIED MY CLAIM AFTER ANOTHER WEEK PASSED. I HAD TO FILE THE CLAIM ON MY INSURANCE AT THAT TIME AND SEND IT TO ANOTHER SHOP FOR INSPECTION. ANOTHER WEEK PASSED BEFORE MY INSURANCE FILED IT A TOTAL LOSS. AFTER ALL THIS LOST TIME FROM WORK AND RENTAL COST EXPENSES THAT HAVE YET TO BE REIMBURSED. THEN HAVING TO GO FIND A CAR THAT I FEEL WOULD BE TRUSTWORTHY AND DEPENDABLE AFTER THESE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES HAS PROVED TO BE DIFFICULT. REFINANCING ANOTHER CAR INSURING IT. I DON'T FEEL KIA CORPORATION HELD UP THEIR RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY IN THIS SITUATION. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT KIA HAD MANY AIRBAG RECALLS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, AND AIRBAG FAILURES IN OTHER KIA AUTOMOBILES ACROSS MULTI-YEAR MODELS.

I BOUGHT A USED KIA WITH 90,000 MILES ON IT AND WITHIN 2 WEEKS WE WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION AND POWER. IT HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION AND LUNGES FORWARD SUDDENLY. IT LOSES SPEED AN POWER ON THE INTERSTATE IN SECONDS. IT ISN'T UNCOMMON TO GO FROM 70 TO 30 UNEXPECTEDLY FOR NO REASON. AFTER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF REPAIR INCLUDING MAF SENSOR, ALL O2 SENSORS, AND A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER THE PROBLEM REMAINS. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE A CAR THAT LUNGES AND THEN LOSES POWER UNEXPECTEDLY. A CAR LIKE THIS COULD KILL SOMEBODY. THE MANUFACTURER SAYS THERE ARE NO RECALLS. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP ALMOST EVERY 2 WEEKS SINCE I BOUGHT IT 11 MONTHS AGO. AND IT WAS PARKED FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS UNTIL I COULD GET IT REPAIRED THE LAST TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (DCH KIA IN TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL IN THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH WITH ONE OTHER PERSON IN THE VEHICLE, WHEN THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF WHIRRING, CLICKING, AND BANGING SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. AS WE PULLED OFF ON THE EXIT IT SOUNDED AS IF PARTS WERE FALLING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR THERE WAS NO DEBRIS ON THE ROAD. WHEN WE PULLED INTO THE REST AREA AND PARKED THE CAR TO CHECK IT OUT AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF GETTING A TOW TRUCK BEFORE THE CAR HAD US STRANDED AND BROKE DOWN, SMOKE BEGAN OMITTING FROM THE HOOD AND IT GOT THICKER AND FLAMES BEGAN COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD MAINLY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR UNTIL IT HAD SPREAD TO BOTH SIDES AND BEGAN TRAVELING INTO THE CABIN OF THE CAR. CAR WAS IN GOOD SHAPE, WITH ONLY A NEED FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE PROBLEM AND FIRE BEGAN. FIRE CREWS ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. ENGINE LIGHT DID TURN ON AND AND START BLINKING AS WE GOT ON THE EXIT RAMP. CAR WAS TURNED OFF AT THE TIME THE SMOKE AND FIRE BEGAN. MOST OF THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED WAS ON THE DRIVES SIDE OF THE CABIN AND ALL OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR AND ENGINE AREA. WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THIS COULD BE SOMETHING UNRELATED TO A MANUFACTURER DEFAULT, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT WE TAKE THE CORRECT STEPS SINCE A CAR THAT WAS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD DID BURST INTO FLAMES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA RIO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WHICH PRODUCED A FAILURE CODE AT THE AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED IN THE STEERING WHEEL AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW 13JUL2012, AND HAVE HAD NO SERIOUS PROBLEMS. ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO THE MILEAGE REACHED 60,000 WHICH ENDED THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AT MILEAGE OF ABOUT 60,600 WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON, THEN A FEW MOMENTS LATER IT WENT OFF, THEN ON AGAIN AND OFF AGAIN, AND ETC. I EMAILED MY KIA DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM, AND THEY REPLIED THAT SINCE THE BTOB WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED I WOULD BE COMPLETELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS OF CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS VERY UNFAIR TO ME AS THE CAR JUST EXCEEDED THE 60,000 WARRANTY MILEAGE BY ABOUT 1% (600 MILES). AT A MAXIMUM CHARGING ME 1% OF THE TOTAL REPAIR COSTS SEEMS FAIR.

JUST BOUGHT A 2013 RIO WITH 28,000 MILES ON IT ON 9/2/16. THE CAR SAT IN OUR DRIVEWAY ALL LAST WEEK BECAUSE WE WERE ON VACATION, SO WE MAYBE PUT 100 MILES ON IT AND DROVE IT 4 TIMES. DROVE 20 MINUTES ROUND TRIP TO THE POST OFFICE YESTERDAY, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND WENT BACK INTO HOUSE TO WORK. WIFE CAME HOME FROM WORK ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER AND CAME RUNNING IN THE HOUSE SAYING THE NEW CAR IS ON FIRE. CALLED 911 AND BEFORE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO GET THERE, THE FLAMES WERE AS HIGH AS OUR SECOND FLOOR WINDOWS. CAR WAS PARKED ABOUT 10-15 FEET AWAY FROM HOUSE, BUT THE HEAT DAMAGED PART OF OUR HOUSE AS WELL. I HAVE CONTACTED INSURANCE, BUT I REALLY FEEL THIS IS A KIA ISSUE / PROBLEM, AND WE REALLY SHOULD NOT HAVE TO USE INSURANCE TO REPLACE THE CAR. THIS CAR IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURE WARRANTY, AND THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THEN LAST NIGHT AFTER THE TOW COMPANY CAME, WE STARTED RESEARCHING THIS AND HAVE FOUND MANY, MANY 2012-2014 KIA'S DOING THIS. I LOGGED A COMPLAINT ON YOUR KIA'S WEBSITE, BUT HAVE NOT GOT A RESPONSE BACK YET, AND YES, I FEEL I SHOULD GET A RESPONSE OVER THE WEEKEND. OUR CAR BURST INTO FLAMES, DAMAGED PART OF OUR HOUSE FROM THE HEAT, AND IT COULD OF BEEN MUCH WORSE, ESPECIALLY IF I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE YESTERDAY. WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM KIA, OR OTHER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT WITH ALL OF THE GOOGLE HITS ABOUT KIA'S CATCHING FIRE, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON ANY OF THE MODELS THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND GET THEM EITHER FIXED, OR OFF OF THE ROAD, AT KIA'S EXPENSE.

ON2 OCCASIONS I REQUESTED MY SERVICE DEPARTMENT LOOK AT THE RADIO WHEN THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR THE SECOND CHECK. BOTH TIMES THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED HE HAD FORGOTTEN BUT SURE IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT NEWER CARS ARE SENSITIVE A PUMP IN THE ROAD CAN MAKE THE RADIO JUMP SECOND TIME THE TIRE PRESSURE AS WELL AS THE RADIO JUMPING I WAS TOLD THE SAME NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT THEY WILL BE SURE TO CHECK IT ON THE NEXT VISIT. APRIL 2015 I HIT A POT HOLE THE CLUTCH HIT THE FLOOR. I IMMEDIATELY PULL INTO A GAS STATION TO ADD FLUID TO THE CHAMBER. THE CHAMBER WAS FULL. I PUMPED THE CLUTCH IT CAME TO THE TOP LIKE IT IS SUPPOSE TO I DROVE HOME CAUTIOUSLY. THE NEXT DAY WENT TO LEAVE CLUTCH ON THE FLOOR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED IN. I THEN CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY&MADE A CLAIM. THEN I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE DAYS BEFORE MY CAR WOULD BE LOOKED AT. THE WEEKEND CAME& WENT BY TUESDAY THEY HAD GOOD NEWS & BAD! ONE WAS COVERED THE OTHER NOT! HOW MUCH? $1,200 . THEY EXPLAIN I NEEDED A CLUTCH & A SLAVE CYLINDER. I AGUED I HAVE DRIVEN STICK ALL MY LIFE AND AT 14000 NO WAY. THEY ARGUED WITH ME FOR A FEW MINUTES. I THEN TOLD THEM I'D SEND IN MY OWN SPECIALIST BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WAY. LOOK AT IT AGAIN CALL ME WHEN YOU HAVE THE REAL ISSUE. ONE DAY LATER THEY CALL COME GET YOUR CAR! WHAT YESTERDAY IT NEEDS $1,200 IN DAMAGES NOW IT IS A MIRACLE IT NEEDS NOTHING? THEY REPLIED COME PICK UP YOUR CAR. I NEED TO CALL MY INSURANCE. THEY REPLIED YOU REPORTED IT TO YOUR INSURANCE? I HIT A POTHOLE. MY INSURANCE WENT OUT & FOUND NO ISSUE DUE TO THE PIT HOLE BUT LATER I FOUND OUT THEY DID SEE OR FOUND OUT IT HAD MECHANICAL ISSUE. I A HAD PICKED UP MY CAR. 3 WEEKS LATER DRIVING 75 MILES PER HOUR IN MODERATE RAIN FAST LANE. THE SMELL OF WIRES BURNING, CLUTCH ON FLOOR, NO GEARS, STEERING LIKE NO POER STEERING HARD,TIGHT 7 LIIGHT'S.IN SORT THEY LEINED MY CAR.