2003 Kia Rio Complaint Log

I WAS GOING TO WORK AND HAD TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT AT SPRING CREEK AND RINGGOLD ROAD. I PUT MY FOOT OF THE BRAKES TO STOP AND THEY LOCKED, PROPELLING THE THE CAR FORWARD (APPROXIMATELY FIVE OR SIX CAR LENGTHS). IT DIDN'T STOP UNTIL I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IT TOTALED BOTH CARS. I HAD THE CAR IN FOR INSPECTION TWO MONTHS AGO BECAUSE THE BRAKES WOULD CATCH REAL HARD WHEN IT WAS DAMP OUTSIDE AND ONE OF THE BACK BRAKES HAD A CLUNKING SOUND IN IT. THEY TIGHTENED THE CALIPERS AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THEY DID THE FIRST MAINTENANCE INSPECTION TWO WEEKS AGO AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THE BRAKES WERE STILL CATCHING REALLY BADLY WHEN IT WAS DAMP OUTSIDE ( NOT NECESSARILY RAINING OUT, IT JUST HAD TO BE DAMP EARLY IN THE MORNING FOR THEM TO CATCH). WE LOOKED AT THE ROTORS WHEN WE WENT UP BY FINES TO GET EVERYTHING OUT OF THE CAR. THEY LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE A LOT OF MILES ON THEM (THE CAR ONLY HAS 6,800 MILES ON IT).*AK

MY NEW 2003 KIA RIO WAGON WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID FROM DAY ONE, AND THE DEALER TRIED TO FIX IT,ITS STILL NOT FIXED BUT NOW EVERY TIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL THE ENGINE REV UP. *AK I CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE CAR ACCELERATE. ITS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN SLOWLY PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPOTS. I AM GOING TO TRY ANOTHER DEALER, BUT IS THERE AN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS AND THEIR STEARING, REPORTED AND HAVE THER BEEN ANY RECALLS ?? PLEASE LET ME KNOW

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT CONSUMER HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES GRABBED ABRUPTLY. WHEN SHE TRIED TO MOVE THE BRAKES THEY GRABBED AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP THREE TIMES WITH NO CHANGE IN CONDITION. SHE WAS TOLD THAT WITH THE LEAST ACCUMULATION OF MOISTURE FROM THE PADS GETTING WET BRAKES WOULD GRAB. THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE PADS NO LONGER CONTAINING ASBESTOS. *AK THE BRAKES GRABBED EXCESSIVELY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CLIMATE WAS RAINY OR FOGGY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SC

CONSUMER PURCHASED A KIA, RIO ON 11-6-03, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INSTALL CHILD'S CAR SEAT DISCOVERED THAT AUTOMATIC LOCK FEATURE DID NOT WORK. CONSUMER FOLLOWED THE OWNER'S MANUAL STEP BY STEP, BUT IT KEPT RELEASING THE LOCK BEFORE COMPLETION. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED BY ONE SERVICE PERSON THAT THEY ALL WERE LIKE THAT, AND WOULD LOCK IN EMERGENCY MODE. CONSUMER EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS NOT ALRIGHT, AND UPON PERSISTENCE, THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH STEERING WHEEL WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT, AND A LOUD NOISE WOULD BE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, VEHICLE WOULD STALL FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER WOULD MAINTAIN CONTROL AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD MOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF EITHER PROBLEM.*AK

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.

VEHICLE WILL NOT START INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND STATES THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM SOON.*AK

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

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER TO SUSTAIN MINOR INJURIES, AND WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY LETICIA'S LAWYER MR. JOHN FITZPATRICK. *AK

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 TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WILL NOT RESTART. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.

BOUGHT 2003 KIA ON 11/16/02 EIGHT MON. AGO,SEATBELT LOCK CAME OFF,TRIMMING AROUND DOORS AND WINDOWS CAME OFF,NOW DRIVINGG INTO THE INTERSTATE CAR CUT OFF,TRANSMISSION VERY SLOW IN SHIFTING GEARS.*AK

IN APRIL 2003 I BOUGHT A 2003 KIA RIO CINCO FOR MY FAMILY. WHEN I TRY TO START IT IN THE MORNING IT WILL NOT START. IT TAKES ABOUT SIX TO TEN TRIES TO GET IT STARTED. THEN IT RUNS BAD FOR MILES. IT ALSO RUNS VERY HOT AND IT SEEMS THE MORE I DRIVE IT THE LESS PREFORMANCE I BEEN GETING. MY BRAKES ARE ALSO BAD WHEN I FIRST DRIVE IT AFTER IT SITS FOR HOURS. KIA TOLD ME THAT IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH THE REFORMULADED GAS WE USE IN MILWAUKEE AND CHICAGO. AFTER MONTHS OF PEOPLE AT KIA NOT CALLING ME BACK AND TRING TO RESOULVE THIS WITH KIA I AM INTERESTED IN A CLASS ASTION LAW SUIT.

I PURCHASED A 2003 KIA RIO IN MAY OF 2003 AND IN A MONTH I HAD HARD PULLING TO THE RIGHT EVERY TIME I WENT LEFT TOOK IN TO DEALER AND THEY ROTATED THE TIRES AND SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS ON THE TRIP OVER. WE LEFT AND IT WAS STILL PULLING A LITTLE, WITH IN A WEEK IT WAS THE SAME. VERY HARD TO HANDLE THIS PULL TO THE RIGHT WHEN GOING LEFT,AND I HAVE HAD BAD GAS MILEAGE AND HARD STARTS FROM THE BEGINNING,AND HAVE HAD MY HEADLINER REPLACED AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF OWNING THIS CAR . IT GOES BACK IN TOMORROW HOPE THEY FIX THE PROBLEMS, *CB

THE CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINT SEAT BELT SYSTEM IN THE REAR SEATS OF OUR NEW KIA RIO CINCO DOES NOT WORK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, NEW PARTS INSTALLED AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE KIA REPRESENTATIVE HAS DECLARED NO PROBLEMS ARE PRESENT. HOWEVER, THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT LOCK DOWN TO INSTALL A CHILD SAFETY SEAT. THE LOCKING MECHANISM RELEASES TO EARLY. THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THE SEATBELT SHOULD LOCK ON IMPACT. THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR INSTALLATION OF A CHILD SEAT.*AK

THE LUG NUTS PEELED OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. *PH THE TIRES WERE BEING ROTATED. WHEN THEY WERE REMOVED THE LUG NUT(S) PEELED OFF. THE REAR BRAKES WERE LOCKING AS WELL AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SKID SIDEWAYS DURING THE FIRST MILE OR EACH MORNING. *SC *JB

AFTER TWO VISITS TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE SHOP, I FOUND OUT THAT 03 KIA RIOS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULES. AS SOON AS THE WEATHER IS COOL, IT PREVENTS THE ENGINE FROM GETTING ENOUGH GAS. THE CAR WON'T START COLD UNTIL IT'S BEEN CRANKED FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, AND ONCE YOU GET IT STARTED, THE CAR WILL CUT OUT FROM LACK OF GAS IF YOU STOP THE CAR.

I BOUGHT MY KIA RIO 2003 FEBRUARY 8, 2003. THE PROBLEMS STARTED ON MAY 15, 2003 MY CAR CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, AS I TRIED TO START THE CAR BACK UP IT TOOK 3 TO 4 TIMES TO GET IT TO FINALLY START. I TOOK IT IN 3 TIMES TO BE SERVICED AND THEY EITHER TELL ME THAT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, OR THEY TELL ME TO USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF GAS IN MY CAR AND A DIFFERENT GRADE. THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT KIA INC. SAYS IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MIDWEST FUEL, YET WHEN I WENT TO THE SERVICE DESK TWO OTHER PEOPLE WERE BEING SERVICED FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THE MAINTENANCE CREW ADMITTED AFTER THE SECOND TIME THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHY IT IS CUTTING OFF, AND THAT IT IS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2003 KIA RIO. ALL THE TIMES I'VE BEEN SERVICED AT KIA NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, THEY TELL ME THEY DROVE MY CAR "X" AMOUNT OF MILES YET THEY FIND NO PROBLEM WITH IT, ALTHOUGH WHEN I DRIVE IT EITHER IT CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, HAS A HARD START, OR THE BRAKES SQUEAKS LOUDLY WHEN I COME TO A STOP. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE BRAKES AND THEY TOLD ME ITS NORMAL FOR A NEW CAR, YET IT SEEMS TO GET LOUDER AND LOUDER. MY CAR WAS HARD AT TRYING TO START TODAY, AND IT CUT OFF AGAIN AT THE TOLLWAY BOOTH, I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK TO MATTESON KIA AUTO MART TOMORROW JUNE 16, 2003 AND THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *NLM

I BOUGHT MY KIA RIO 2003 FEBRUARY 8, 2003. THE PROBLEMS STARTED ON MAY 15, 2003 MY CAR CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, AS I TRIED TO START THE CAR BACK UP IT TOOK 3 TO 4 TIMES TO GET IT TO FINALLY START. I TOOK IT IN 3 TIMES TO BE SERVICED AND THEY EITHER TELL ME THAT THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT, OR THEY TELL ME TO USE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF GAS IN MY CAR AND A DIFFERENT GRADE. THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT KIA INC. SAYS IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MIDWEST FUEL, YET WHEN I WENT TO THE SERVICE DESK TWO OTHER PEOPLE WERE BEING SERVICED FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. THE MAINTENANCE CREW ADMITTED AFTER THE SECOND TIME THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHY IT IS CUTTING OFF, AND THAT IT IS BECOMING A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THE 2003 KIA RIO. ALL THE TIMES I'VE BEEN SERVICED AT KIA NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE, THEY TELL ME THEY DROVE MY CAR "X" AMOUNT OF MILES YET THEY FIND NO PROBLEM WITH IT, ALTHOUGH WHEN I DRIVE IT EITHER IT CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING, HAS A HARD START, OR THE BRAKES SQUEAKS LOUDLY WHEN I COME TO A STOP. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE BRAKES AND THEY TOLD ME ITS NORMAL FOR A NEW CAR, YET IT SEEMS TO GET LOUDER AND LOUDER. MY CAR WAS HARD AT TRYING TO START TODAY, AND IT CUT OFF AGAIN AT THE TOLLWAY BOOTH, I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK TO MATTESON KIA AUTO MART TOMORROW JUNE 16, 2003 AND THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *NLM

THE CAR CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING THE CAR HAS A HARD START, IT TAKES AT LEAST 3 TRIES FOR IT TO STAY ON THE BRAKES SQUEAK LOUD WHEN COMING TO A STOP

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *AK

I HOPE THAT I AM WRITING THE CORRECT PEOPLE ABOUT THIS HUGE PROBLEM. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO I PURCHASED A 2003 KIA RIO IN MILWAUKEE WISCONSIN. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER I OWNED THE CAR I RAN INTO PROBLEMS WITH IT. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY MORNING OR ANY TIME THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING FOR MORE THEN FOUR HOURS IT WOULD NOT START UP. IT WAS LIKE IT WAS OUT OF GAS WHEN I HAD A FULL TANK. IT WOULD TAKE ME ABOUT TWO TO FOUR TRIES BEFORE IT WOULD START. ALSO IT WAS GOING THROUGH MORE GAS THEN WHAT WAS DISCLOSED AS FAR AS MPG. AT THAT POINT I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. AT FIRST THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THAT BRAND AND MODEL OF CAR AND IT WOULD BE REPAIRED THE NEXT DAY. THE NEXT DAY I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TELLING ME THAT THE CAR'S COMPUTER WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY AND THEY NEEDED TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT THAT WOULD TAKE ABOUT SEVEN BUSINESS DAYS. THEY TOLD ME THAT I COULD PICK UP THE CAR BUT IT WILL START HARD AND GIVE ME POOR FUEL ECONOMY UNTIL IT WAS REPAIRED. I WAS UNHAPPY ABOUT THE LONG WAIT SO I CALLED KIA, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND FIND OUT WHY THIS COMPUTER WOULD TAKE SO LONG. TWO DAYS LATER I GOT A CALL FROM THE SERVICE MANGER WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN NOT REPAIR THE CAR'S COMPUTER AT THIS TIME BECAUSE KIA DOES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR IT YET. HE TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE I LIVE IN MILWAUKEE I USE REFORMULATED GAS AND THE COMPUTER CAN NOT UNDERSTAND THAT KIND OF FUEL AND UNTIL KIA HAS A FIX FOR THAT THERE IS NOTHING HE CAN DO. I THEN ASKED HIM IS THE CAR SAFE, HE TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE FINE TO DRIVE I JUST HAVE TO START THE CAR AND WAIT 5 TO 10 SEC AND TRY AGAIN TILL IT STARTS. *JB

SO FAR THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE COLD START PROBLEM MY CAR IS HAVING. THE 2003 KIA RIO CINCO HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE SAME COLD START PROBLEM. IN THE 1.5 YEARS I HAVE HAD THE CAR I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT. THEY HAVE STATED THAT THE PROBLEM IS FIXED EVERY TIME, HOWEVER IT CONTINUES. *AK

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2003, FIRST PROBLEM WAS THAT WHILE DRIVING WITH MY 4 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER THE STEERING WHHEL WENT OUT ON ME. I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR WHILE GETTING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE STEERING WHEEL KEPT SPINNING BUT I DID NOT TURN AND ALMOST HIT A CEMENT VIDUCT. NEXT ABOUT 1 MONTH LATER MY CAR BEGAN TO NOT START OR CUT OFF ON ME WHEN I WOULD FIRST START DRIVING AND THE CHIME WILLNOT GO OFF. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THEM AND HE WILL CONTACT ME WHEN THE MANUFACTURER TELLS THEM HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

WHILE ACCELERATING MY 2003 KIA RIO ONTO THE INTERSTATE WHILE GOING UPHILL, THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND HAD NO POWER ON THE INCLINE EVEN WHEN IT WAS FLOORED. IT ALWAYS DOES THIS WHEN PASSING CARS ALSO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. MY BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN THEY ARE DAMP. I DID NOT THINK THIS WAS A PROBLEM, BUT IT IS. *JB

2003 KIA RIO. POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TT

THE SEAT BELTS WAS DESIGNED POORLY, THEY CUT ACROSS THE NECK AND THROAT OF THE DRIVER/PASSENGER. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND DEALERSHIP FOR SEAT BELT EXTENSIONS AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE NOT OBLIGATED TO INSTALL BELT EXTENSIONS. TS *JB

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

CONSUMER WILL NOT DRIVE OVER 50 MPH, HAD DIFFICULTY IN CHANGING 5 SPEED GEARS. A SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT CLUTCH NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

WHILE OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR ONLY TWO DAYS IT FAILED TO START. DEALERSHIP CONTACTED A TECHNICIAN, AND HE STATED THAT FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLS. THERE WAS A LOST TO THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKE SYSTEMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *MR