2003 Kia Rio Engine Problems

I BOUGHT MY 03 KIA RIO IN 04 AND WITHIN A MO. HAVE HAD PROBLEMS EVER SINCE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP EVERY MONTH FOR THE FIRST 2YRS WHEN IT WAS STILL IN WARRANTY. THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING CONSTANTLY WRONG OR BREAKING. THE TAIL PIPE RATTLED EXTREMELY LOUD TO THE POINT OF SLIGHTLY SHAKING THE CAR, RANDOMLY WHEN I WOULD CAME TO A STOP. IT WAS SO LOUD THAT PEOPLE IN OTHER CARS COULD HEAR IT AND STARE. OF COURSE THE REPAIR SHOPS COULD NEVER FIND THE PROBLEM. I FINALLY GAVE UP EVER HAVING IT FIXED. I'VE PAID 7 TIMES TO HAVE THE AUTO WINDOWS FIXED BUT FINALLY GAVE UP BECAUSE THEY WOULD ONLY WORK ABOUT TWO DAYS BEFORE BRAKING AGAIN. THE CAR ALWAYS HAD ISSUES ACCELERATING AND WOULD STAIN MAKING NOISES SHAKE A BIT THEN AFTER 10 SECONDS MAKE A POP POP NOISE AND FINALLY START MOVING FASTER. WHICH AGAIN COULD NEVER BE FIXED. THE CAR ALSO HAD HORRIBLE SUSPENSION. EVERY LITTLE PUMP MADE THE CAR BOUNCE AND SQUEAK LOUDLY. ALSO COULD NEVER BE FIXED. I THINK I'VE SPENT MORE TIME IN THE SHOP HAVING THE CAR REPAIRED THEN I ACTUALLY DID DRIVING IT. EVERY TIME I BLINKED SOMETHING ELSE WAS BROKEN I REPLACED ALMOST EVER PIECE OF THE CAR; BATTERY TWICE, ALL FOUR TIRES TWICE, HEAD LIGHTS, ETC THOSE ARE JUST THE SMALL THINGS I'VE ALSO HAD THE CAR COMPLETELY BRAKE DOWN ABOUT 6 TIMES WITH MAJOR REPAIRS. NOW MY CAR IS COMPLETELY DEAD 4/17/11 THE TIMING BELT SNAPPED AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE SO I HAVE TO BUY A NEW ENGINE AND TIMING BELT ALL WHICH COST MORE THEN THE CAR ITSELF THE CAR ONLY HAS 80,000 MILES ON IT SO THAT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH I ACTUALLY GOT TO DRIVE IT IN THE LAST 8YRS. I MADE SURE TO CONSTANTLY KEEP UP ON MAINTENANCE AS WELL. I WILL NEVER BUY A KIA AGAIN ITS A WEIGHT OF MY SHOULDERS TO GET RID OF SUCH A PIECE OF [XXX]. KIAS ARE MADE WITH SUCH CHEAP MATERIALS AND MADE SO POORLY THAT EVERYTHING ON THEM BRAKES AND FALLS OFF. PLEASE ANYONE READING THIS DON'T BUY A KIA YOU WILL REGRET IT. I JUST WANT TO SAVE SOMEONE ELSE FROM A NIGHTMARE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD IN THE CAR, THE ENGINE SEIZED UP AND STALLED. THE CAR CURRENTLY WONT START AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. HOWEVER, WE JUST HAD ALL OF THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE TO THE CAR LESS THEN 300 MILES PRIOR TO THE ENGINE SEIZING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. AS OF TODAY, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS EXCEPT THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INCIDENTS WITH THE CAR AND IT WAS ALWAYS SERVICED ON TIME. *TR

TIMING BELT BROKE AT 72000 MILES WITHOUT WARNING. KIA SAYS CHANGE AT 60000 MILES IN KY, BUT WARRANTY IN CA ALLOW FOR 105000 MILE CHANGE. KIA REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY. STRANDED FOR 45 MINUTES. HAD TO PAY DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AT KIA DEALER. *TR

BOUGHT 2003 KIA RIO NEW. IN JAN 2005 AT ABOUT 53,000 MILES I HEARD A RATTLE AT ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR. IN A FEW SECONDS THE ENGINE JUST SHUTDOWN (TIMING BELT BROKE WHICH DESTROYED THE ENGINE) KIA REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. MAY 21 2008 WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MILES PER HOUR WE HEARD A SQUEAL AND AGAIN THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN. COASTED TO A STOP, ONCE AGAIN THE TIMING BELT WHICH MEANS ANOTHER ENGINE (58,000 SINCE THE LAST ENGINE) NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY (AN ENGINE COST ALMOST AS MUCH AS THE CAR ITSELF). *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CAR LOST TOTAL POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STEER AND CONTROL THE CAR AND COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SEVERAL CARS HAD TO SWERVE OUT OF THE WAY AS THEY WERE GOING THE SPEED LIMIT BUT THE CAR CONCERNED WAS GOING SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER. UPON INSPECTION, THE TIMING BELT SPROCKET WAS HANGING OUTSIDE OF THE PLASTIC COVER WHICH WAS BURNING FROM MELTED PLASTIC. THE CAR IS WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE WARRANTY AND WE ARE AWAITING A FINAL DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER AND COVERAGE DETERMINATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN A CORNER AT 10 MPH THE TIMING BELT BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED AS BEING THE TIMING BELT RENDERING THE ENGINE INOPERABLE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE SENSOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL, THE VEHICLE TEMPORALLY LOST POWER. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 30 MPH. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

1/10/04 SATURDAY. AROUND 10:30 AM HOPE CALLS AND SAYS THE MOTOR HAS BLOWN ON THE KIA. I CALLED KIA'S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. HOPE MEANWHILE HAD TO WALK TWO MILES IN 40 DEGREE BELOW ZERO WIND CHILL TO THE NEAREST EXIT AND CALL ME. 1/12/04 MONDAY I CALLED BORTZ AND TALKED TO DEAN THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE TOLD ME I HAVE A PISTON ROD IN THE OIL PAN AND THE MOTOR WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO SAID THERE IS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. HE THAT I HAD NO PROOF OF OIL CHANGES. I TOLD HIM I HAD RECEIPTS FOR OIL DATING BACK TO JULY 2003 . HE TOLD ME THAT DIDN'T PROVE OIL CHANGES AND VOIDED THE WARRANTY. I CALLED KIA AND ASKED TO TALK TO THE KIA FACTORY REP BUT WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE DEALER AND SHE WOULDN'T EVEN TALK TO ME IF I COULDN'T PROVE MY OIL CHANGES. I WAS TOLD THAT A NEW MOTOR WOULD COST ME $4400 SO I ELECTED TO GET A USED ONE WITH 5000 MILES ON IT FOR $1800. I ASKED FOR SOME OF THE OIL AND ALL RELATED PARTS AT THAT TIME. 1/14/04 WEDNESDAY WHEN I CALLED DEAN AT KIA, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE TWO (2) TO SIX (6) WEEKS BEFORE WE COULD GET THE KIA BACK. WE GOT THE KIA BACK ON 1/30/04. KIA AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THURSDAY 2/5/03 THE KIA STARTED TO MISS SHIFTS AND RUN ROUGH. ON MY WAY TO MY DADS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN WENT OUT ABOUT 1/10/04 SATURDAY. AROUND 10:30 AM HOPE CALLS AND SAYS THE MOTOR HAS BLOWN ON THE KIA. I CALLED KIA'S ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. HOPE MEANWHILE HAD TO WALK TWO MILES IN 40 DEGREE BELOW ZERO WIND CHILL TO THE NEAREST EXIT AND CALL ME. 1/12/04 MONDAY I CALLED BORTZ AND TALKED TO DEAN THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE TOLD ME I HAVE A PISTON ROD IN THE OIL PAN AND THE MOTOR WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE ALSO SAID THERE IS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. HE THAT I HAD NO PROOF OF OIL CHANGES. I TOLD HIM I HAD RECEIPTS FOR OIL DATING BACK TO JULY 2003 . HE TOLD ME THAT DIDN'T PROVE OIL CHANGES AND VOIDED THE WARRANTY. I CALLED KIA AND ASKED TO TALK TO THE KIA FACTORY REP BUT WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE DEALER AND SHE WOULDN'T EVEN TALK TO ME IF I COULDN'T PROVE MY OIL CHANGES. I WAS TOLD THAT A NEW MOTOR WOULD COST ME $4400 SO I ELECTED TO GET A USED ONE WITH 5000 MILES ON IT FOR $1800. I ASKED FOR SOM

IN COLD WEATHER THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO START. ANYTIME THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT TO WARM UP IT WOULD STALL OUT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO THE DEALER. *NLM

IN JUNE I WAS HAVING A OVER HEATING PROBLEM. IF I WENT UP A HILL THE CAR WOULD HEAT UP TO THE PEG. IT NEEDED A NEW THERMOSTAT. THE ENGINE BLEW UP & I HAD TO HAVE A NEW ONE. NOW THEIR IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION, SO KIA HAS SENT FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. I'M AFRAID TO GO ANYWHERE FOR FEAR THAT SOMETHING ELSE WILL HAPPEN TO IT. I'M ALONE, THEREFORE I NEEDED SOMETHING I CAN RELY ON.

THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO CHECK FOR A STRONG ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FUMES/ODORS BECAME VERY HEAVY WHEN DRIVING WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO BECOME ILL. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE ODOR THE DRIVER WAS SMELLING WAS CALLED KOSMOLINE AND WOULD EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR. *AK THERE WAS A NAUSEATING SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER OR PLASTIC FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CONSUMER WAS ALLERGIC TO THE SMELL AFTER BREATHING THE MELTING KOSMOLINE AND OR UNDERCARRIAGE FOR OVER 3K MILES. THE SMELL HAD COME FROM THE VENTS AS WELL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A HARD START FROM A COLD START THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC *JB

WHEN IT RAINS THE VEHICLE FAILS TO START. ALSO, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR IS GIVING OUT A ROTTEN EGG ODOR THAT COMES THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT WILLING TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THEY WERE ONLY SAYING IT TAKES A YEAR BEFORE THE SMELL GOES AWAY. *AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD RUN HOT. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ENGINE ONCE, AND REPLACED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TWICE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM CONTINUED. DEALER HAD NOT FOUND A SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM. *AK