2002 Kia Rio Engine Problems

I JUST GOT MY CAR FIXED ON MON. 8/25/14. I TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT WAS IDLING ROUGH. THE SHOP PUT IN NEW SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES. IT COST ME $180. I DROVE IT HOME. IT WAS SMOOTH. THEN I DROVE TO DOWNTOWN AKRON, ABOUT 15 MILES, TO A HIKE. WHEN I WAS ALMOST THERE, MY CAR JUST WENT DEAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I PULLED OVER AND PARKED OFF THE BUSY ROAD ONTO A PARKING LOT (PART OF/BY AKRON UNIVERSITY). THE CAR WAS DEAD. IT MADE A CLICKING NOISE WHEN I TRIED TO START IT. I CALLED AAA AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG (IT HAD A BRAND NEW 6 YEAR BATTERY IN IT). THEY TOWED ME BACK TO THE SHOP THAT HAD WORKED ON IT EARLIER THAT DAY - 15 MILES. THE NEXT DAY, 8/26/14, THE SHOP TOLD ME THE TIMING BELT BROKE AND IT RUINED THE ENGINE. THEY SAID KIA'S HAVE AN INTERFERENCE MOTOR. WHEN THE BELT BREAKS, IT BREAKS OFF ALL THE PISTONS (SOMETHING LIKE THAT) AND RUINS THE MOTOR. IT CAN'T BE FIXED. I HAVE TO BUY A NEW MOTOR $2000 APPRX, OR A NEW CAR. I LIVE ALONE AND DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR EITHER. I WAS COUNTING ON THIS CAR TO LAST ME 2-3 MORE YEARS. A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT GARAGES TOLD ME IT LOOKED GOOD AND SHOULD LAST THAT LONG AT LEAST. I WAS GOING TO START SAVING FOR A NEW CAR. THIS IS VERY UNETHICAL OF KIA. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO MAKE/SELL A CAR THAT HAS A MOTOR THAT SELF-DESTRUCTS. I'VE HAD OTHER CARS AND THE TIMING BELT BROKE, BUT IT DID NOT RUIN THE MOTOR. THEY JUST REPLACED THE TIMING BELT. THIS IS HORRIBLE! I HAD NO IDEA, NO WARNING! ALL THE SHOP I TOOK IT TO NEVER SAID A THING! KIA SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO THIS. THEY SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE TO WARN YOU ABOUT IT! I HAVE A MANUAL AND I NEVER SAW ANYTHING ABOUT IT IN THERE. MY CHEVY MANUAL HAD THE MILES AND WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AT THOSE MILES. THE KIA BOOK DOES NOT. I HAD NO IDEA!! THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL! TOTAL RIP OFF! *TR

2002 KIA RIO. CONSUMER STATES TIMING BELT FAILED *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIMING BELT FAILED FOR A SECOND TIME AT 59,059 AND DESTROYED THE SECOND ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL TIMING BELT WAS NOT REPLACED AT THE PROPER MILEAGE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ORIGINAL TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AT 53,668 AND THE REPLACEMENT BELT FAILED AT 59,059 BEFORE THE RECOMMENDED 60,000. A KIA REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE WARRANTY ONLY EXTENDED TO THE ORIGINAL ENGINE, NOT THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE. *JB

I GOT THE SECOND HAND 2002 KIA RIO 4 MONTHS AGO . ME AND MY WIFE WERE DRIVING FOR 1 MILE WHEN THE SMELL OF SMOKE CAME AND IN THE COUPLE OF SECONDS THERE WAS SMOKE CAME FROM THE BONNET. I SWITCHED OFF AND TRIED TO OPEN THE BONNET BUT THE SMOKE GOT MORE AND MORE ,SO WE LEFT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND WE SAW FLAMES CAME FROM RIGHT PART OF THE BONNET. WE WERE JUST SHOCKED AND SCARED OF FIRE. WE CALLED 911 AND FIREFIGHTERS AND IN LESS THAN TEN MINUTES FRONT PART OF THE CAR WAS TOTALLY RUINED. LOOKING OPTIMISTICALLY THERE WAS NO INJURY AT ALL . BUT HOW ABOUT THE NEXT ONE! CAN EVERYBODY BE LUCKY AS WE WERE?! WE WERE JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN LINE IN MIDDLE OF THE STREET , SO OTHER CARS WERE AROUND US I CAN NOT IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAPPENED IF I WAS IN FREEWAY OR IF MY WIFE WAS ALONE!? *TR

WE WERE JUST 10 MINUTES DRIVING FROM HOME, WHEN WE SAW THE SMOKE COMING FROM FRONT OF THE CAR. WE WERE APPROACHING THE LIGHT SO THE SPEED WAS ABOUT 10 MILES . WITHIN 5/6 METERS WE STOPPED IN TURN LINE AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE SMOKE GOT MORE AND MORE. SO WE GET OUT OF THE CAR AND WE WERE JUST SHOCKED. SOMEBODY TOLD US CALL 911 AND WE DID AND WE CALLED FIRE FIGHTERS AS WELL. DURING THAT PERIOD FIRE WAS COMING OUT OF THE BONNET AND OTHER CARS WERE AROUND US. I WAS JUST AFRAID OF EXPLOSION . IN COUPLE OF MINUTES POLICE CAME AND BLOCK THE ROAD. THEN FIRE FIGHTERS CAME AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. BUT OUR CAR WAS TOTALLY DAMAGED AND OUT OF ORDER. WE TOWED IT TO THE AUTO BODY AND SOME DAYS LATER THEY TOLD CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH IT.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA RIO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2-5 MPH IN THE RESIDENCE DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE TIMING BELT. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, PREVIOUSLY THE SPARK PLUGS, AND CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLIANT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. UPDATED 01/14/11 *BF UPDATED 03/01/11 UPDATED 04/1511

WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2002 KIA RIO, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING AND WOULD NOT START UP. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG - NO LIGHT OR INDICATORS ON. HAD IT TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC - ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP. HE DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE WHY - OIL AND COOLANT WERE FINE. WE DIDN'T WANT TO PAY TO HAVE THE REASON DIAGNOSED, AS IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT CAUSED IT - THE MOTOR IS SHOT. THIS CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED - OIL CHANGE EVERY 3000 MILES, REGULAR SERVICE AS RECOMMENDED IN THE BOOK. WE HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED TWO YEARS AGO, AS IT JUST DECIDED TO DIE ALSO. *TR

THE CAR BEGAN TO RUN HOT WHEN I WOULD BE BRIEFLY STOPPED FOR INSTANCE IN A DRIVE THROUGH RESTAURANT OR A LONGER TRAFFIC LIGHT. ONCE THE CAR BEGAN TO MOVE THE CAR COOLED DOWN. I HAD A MECHANIC FRIEND DO A TUNE UP ON MY CAR. HE SAID THE FAN HAS NO BLADES THEY HAVE DISINTEGRATED. THIS WAS OF CONCERN DUE TO THE FACT THERE HAS BEEN NO INJURY TO MY CAR SUCH AS AN ANIMAL IN THE ENGINE. *TR

I HAVE TAKEN MY 2002 KIA RIO TO A CERTIFIED REPUTABLE MECHANIC. HIS DETERMINATION OF THE FAULTY ENGINE WAS DUE TO THE FACT OF A INFERIOR TIMING BELT. HIS STATEMENT WAS THAT THE TIMING BELT GAVE OUT AND THE ENGINE IS DESIGNED SO THAT BASICALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CRANKSHAFT AND VALVES RUIN ITSELF DUE TO THE BROKEN TIMING BELT. THIS HAPPENING LEAVES ME WITH BASICALLY A $2,000 DOLLAR LOSS ALL BECAUSE OF MAYBE A $100 PART. *TR

REFER TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V179000 IN JANUARY 2007, I TOOK MY VEHICLE (2002 KIA RIO) TO RAY CARTER KIA DEALERSHIP AT 6373 BLANDING BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32244, BECAUSE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT IDLE AND WOULD SOMETIMES CUT OFF DURING ACCELERATION. THE SERVICE TECH TOLD ME I NEEDED THE 60,000 MILE MAINTENANCE SERVICE WHICH INCLUDED REPLACING THE TIMING BELT, OIL CHANGE, TIRE BALANCE, THROTTLE CLEANING, FUEL ADDITIVE, FRONT AND REAR AXLE OIL, TRANSFER CASE OIL, ETC ETC AND A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER NON-ENGINE RELATED INSPECTIONS. THIS WAS AT A COST OF $759.65. I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP BELIEVING IT WAS FIXED, HOWEVER, THE SAME PROBLEM KEPT RETURNING. TODAY, 21 JULY 2007, I WENT BACK TO RAY CARTER KIA FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY PERFORMED AN OIL AND FILTER CHANGE, TIRE PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT AND TOPPED OFF FLUIDS AT A COST OF $77.75. THEN THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW IDLE CONTROL SOLENOID AT A COST OF $573.74. I ASKED THEM ABOUT THE $759 I PAID BACK IN JANUARY TO FIX THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALL THEY SAID WAS IT WAS FOR THE 60,000 MILE CHECKUP. OF NOTE, DURING THIS VISIT, THE SERVICE MANAGER MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A RECALL FOR THE KIA RIO'S FUEL SYSTEM/GASOLINE DELIVERY. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED UP THE RECALL ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND IT ALONG WITH THIS SITE OF COURSE. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET THE FUEL SYSTEM/GASOLINE DELIVERY SYSTEM REPLACED IAW THE RECALL? I ALSO BELIEVE I AM ENTITLED TO THE MONIES I PAID FOR SERVICES NOT RENDERED. *TR

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA RIO. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE STEERING, THE BRAKES AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WERE LOCKED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE OR STOP IT WHICH CAUSED A CRASH WITH A VAN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, AND LATER CLAIMED IT WAS THE TIMING BELT. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ALL OF THE REPAIRS WERE AT COST TO THE CONTACT. THE DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. ADVISED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA RECALL#04V179000: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. *AK CUSTOMER DID RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL. UPDATED 4/9 *TR

ORIGINAL OWNER OF 2002 KIA RIO - TIMING BELT FAILED AT 93,000 MILES CAUSING TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE (INTERFERENCE ENGINE). TIMING BELT IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR 100,000 MILES FOR ORIGINAL OWNER ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. KIA WOULD NOT HONOR WARRANTY. SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS LATER, I HAD A REPLACEMENT ENGINE INSTALLED. IT FAILED 2,300 MILES LATER DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT SHEARING AND THE INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS. AGAIN, NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

2002 KIA RIO - TIMING BELT FAILURE CAUSES ENTIRE AND INSTANTANEOUS ENGINE LOSS - CAR COMES TO HALT IN ROADWAY UNEXPECTEDLY. TIMING BELTS ARE COVERED UNDER KIA'S 100,000 MILE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, BUT THEY DO NOT HONOR THEIR WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM. *NM

DRIVING HOME AND CAR SHUTTERED THEN DIED. COULD NOT RESTART. TOOK TO MECHANIC AND WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS A ROD THROWN. IT HAS LESS THEN 73,000 MILES. *NM

SINCE BUYING THIS CAR IN 2002 IT HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AS OFTEN WITHOUT THE ISSUE BEING RESOLVED. DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM (THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY) AND HAD ANOTHER CLIENT'S CAR THAT DID THE SAME THING AND COULDN'T FIX IT EITHER. WE HAVE USED FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER, WHICH WORKED FOR 6 MONTHS UNTIL NOW. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND IS DANGEROUS AT INTERSECTIONS AND ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT STALLS!! LEMON LAW PAPERS WILL BE FILED IF NOT RESOLVED VERY SOON!!*JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD THE CAR BACK FIRED THEN THE ENGINE SEIZED UP, THE TIMING BELT WAS THE LIKELY CAUSE ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, BUT BECAUSE IT HAD 60,274 MILES THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THEY HAVE HAD AT LEAST SIX SIMILAR FAILURES IN THE LAST YEAR, A COUPLE WERE LESS THAN 59,000 MILES AND WERE COVERED. IN TALKING TO KIA DIRECT, THEY SAID BECAUSE WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND HAD NO SERVICE RECORD FROM BEFORE, NOTHING COULD BE DONE. IT'S CLEAR FROM THE NUMBER OF FAILURES THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THE TIMING BELT FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE LOCKUP COULD CAUSE A FATALITY IF IT HAPPENED AT FREEWAY SPEEDS! *JB

MY 2002 KIA RIO CINCO'S TIMING-BELT BROKE AND CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE RESULTING IN A $2500 FEE TO FIX THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE MY TIMING-BELT WAS NOT CHANGED AT 60000 (WE HAVE 61000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE) THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THESE VEHICLES AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A LOUD NOISE. WHILE STOPPING, THE NOISE GETS LOUDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. AND THEY DETERMINED THE BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE PIPES TO THE HEAT SHIELD AND THE EXHAUST SYSTEM BURNED OFF. ALSO, THE LUGS: NUTS HAVE BEEN CHANGED FIVE TIMES BECAUSE THEY WERE CORRODED. *AK

CONSUMER 2002 RIO CINCO WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES , CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING . *TS *JB

CAR STALLS AT RANDOM TIMES. WARM OR COLD DOES NOT MATTER. HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE EVERY 8 MONTHS. HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF SUCH COMPLAINS ON THE INTERNET, MOST SIMPLY DO NOT TAKE THE TIME TO POST WHERE IT MATTERS. *NM

APPROXIMATELY 1.5 YEARS AGO I WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR HESITATING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP (HAMILTON, ON) FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR. I HAD THEM REPLACE THE SENSOR (250$CAD) AND DO A 300$ TUNE UP ON THE CAR. TWO DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND I BROUGHT IN BACK TO THE DEALER. BY THE TIME I HAD THE CAR AT THE DEALER THE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT WAS ON. FINALLY AFTER A NUMBER OF VISITS THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ECM NEEDED A FLASH. THEY FLASHED THE ECM AND THE CAR SEEMED FINE. APPROX 3 WEEKS AGO THE CAR STARTED HESITATING AGAIN AND I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND A BULLETIN FROM KIA THAT STATED A PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN KIA'S (WHICH MINE FELL UNDER) WHERE THE ECM WOULD INCORRECTLY INTERPRET RESULTS FROM THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR AND TURN ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING THE ECM AND REPLACED IT, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THEY FINALLY FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE REAR CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE INCORRECT READING FROM THE ECM WOULD HAVE MADE THE CAR SEND UNSPENT FUEL THROUGH THE SYSTEM AND INTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEREBY CAUSING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO FAIL.