2001 KIA RIO Fuel System, Gasoline Problems

CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI CASE NUMBER: 10136024 COMPONENT: WHEELS GAS IGNITION? YOU TELL ME? WHEN ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR LEMONS KIA-2001 DETAILS: DT: THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND A TIRE BLEW OUT. AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPPED SPINNING, THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND IT BURST INTO FLAMES, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND THEY SAID FIRE STARTED FROM HEAT OF POWER EQUIPMENT AND THE IGNITION BURNED. THIS HAPPENED ON AUGUST 6, 2005. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE RECALL REGARDING THE WHEELS. THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER COMPLAINED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED FROM THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE SAME TIRE THAT THE BLEW OUT WAS THE SAME ONE THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. *JB OCCURRENCES: 1 INJURIES: 0 FAIL DATE: 08/06/2005 DEATHS: 0 DATE ADDED TO DATABASE: 9/9/2005 [FILE] YOUR OWN COMPLAINT ON THIS MODEL CAR. *TR

I BOUGHT A 2001 KIA RIO IN 2007 AND WITHIN 8 MONTHS MY FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. A YEAR LATER MY CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AND SHUTTING OFF RANDOMLY WHILE I DROVE IT. I ENDED UP HAVING TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP TWO MORE TIMES. I RECENTLY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WERE THEY INFORMED ME I NEEDED ANOTHER FUEL PUMP. IM SORRY BUT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG IF I HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER 4 TIMES IN A 2 YEAR TIME SPAN. NOW MY CAR DOES NOT EVEN RUN, AND I REFUSE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AGAIN WHEN I KNOW IT WONT DO ANYTHING. *TR

REF 2001 KIA RIO. PERPETUAL INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF FUEL PUMP TO OPERATE. FUEL PUMP REPLACED, RELAY REPLACED, AND ECM REPLACED. PUMP WON'T TURN ON AT START UP AND PERIODICALLY, THE PUMP STOPS OPERATING AFTER IT DOES COME ON WHILE DRIVING. NO WARNING. CAUSES SAFETY PROBLEM ON ROAD BY NOT HAVING ANY POWER TO MOVE CAR OFF ROAD. *TR

Mileage: 26,483

MY CAR HAD A RECALL BECAUSE OF STALLING ISSUES BEFORE ALSO AGAIN WHEN I HAD THIS PROBLEM THE FUEL INJECTOR WAS UNPLUGGED NOW IT STALLS ALL THE TIME ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON HAD A AIRFLOW SENSOR LIGHT CHANGED AND IT IS STILL STALLING EVEN MORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BUT GOES OFF BEFORE I CAN GET IT CHECKED AND SO I AM GETTING NOWHERE AND I AM SCARED TOO DEATH OFF HAVING A ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE I THINK THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE IT IS A 2001 KIA RIO CAN YOU HELP ME I HAVE CONTACTED KIA ALREADY. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, MADE RIGHT TURN INTO DRIVEWAY AT 30 MPH AND THE ENGINE DIED, STEERING WAS NOW UNASSISTED. I ROLLED THE CAR INTO A PARKING SPOT. THE CAR STARTED UPON MY RETURN TO THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 OTHER TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60, 000 MILES AND HAS AMASSED NUMEROUS REPAIR ISSUES: FAILURE OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION; REAR WHEEL BEARING REPLACEMENT; DEFECTIVE SIDE MIRROR THAT SCREAMS AT HIGH SPEEDS/FREEWAY DRIVING W/WINDY CONDITIONS; SUN VISORS WHICH DO NOT ADHERE TO PLACEMENT; AND WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP FAILURE. UPON ACQUIRING THE VEHICLE THIS WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR. AND ON SUBSEQUENT VISITS, IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *NM

Mileage: 52,595

01 RIO IS A LEMON & SAFETY HAZARD. MANY MAJOR REPAIRS DONE INCLUDING THE TIMING BELT & VALVES REBUILT, NEW COOLING SYSTEM, BOTH CONTROL ARMS & BOOTS. WHEEL DEFECT RECENTLY RECALLED CAUSED EXCESS WEAR/ TEAR ON CONTROL ARMS, BOOTS, ALIGNMENT, TIRES, COSTING THOUSANDS OF AVOIDABLE REPAIRS. FUEL INTAKE DID COME LOSE, NEARLY CAUSING AN ENGINE FIRE DUE TO DEFECTIVE PART WHICH WAS RECALLED. IT CONTINUOUSLY MISFIRES, ENGINE KNOCKS, STALLS. ECM WAS RECALLED BUT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. REPLACED SPARK PLUGS & WIRES (3 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS), IGNITION COIL, SENSORS (OXYGEN, KNOCK, CRANKSHAFT, TEMP). IT STOPS FOR A 1-2 DAYS, THEN COMES BACK. ANNOYING & DANGEROUS. ALSO HAS ACCELERATION PROBLEM. AT TIMES, IT WON'T GO OVER 40 MPH & ALSO ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. BRAKES HAVE COMPLETELY FAILED, THOUGH THERE'S NO CRACK IN THE LINE, NO LEAKING FLUID. THE CAR IS A COMPLETE LEMON. ONLINE, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. DEALERS ARE AWARE BUT CONVENIENTLY CAN'T SEEM TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY MISFIRING. CONSUMERS GET NICKEL & DIMED DOING NEEDLESS REPAIRS THAT DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM. THE OPTIMA HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS W/CRANKSHAFT POS. SENSOR WHICH WAS RECALLED, BUT DEALER DENIES ANY RELATION TO PROBLEMS WITH THE RIO. ANOTHER PROBLEM - LACK OF AVAILABILITY & HIGH COST OF PARTS. ITS BAIT/SWITCH TO SELL A CAR WITH KNOWN PROBLEMS, THEN GUESS AT NEEDLESS REPAIRS & SELL PARTS AT AN ASTRONOMICAL MARKUP. IT'S CHEAP TO BUY, BUT REPAIR COSTS MAKE IT VERY EXPENSIVE. RESEARCH SHOWS MISFIRING/ENGINE KNOCK HAS ALSO LED TO ENGINE FIRES. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS. MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE PURCHASED, BUT DEALER HAS YET TO FIX IT. ALSO DOOR LOCKING PROBLEMS, PEOPLE BEING LOCKED IN VEHICLES. MY DRIVERS DOOR LOCKS BY ITSELF (MANUAL LOCKS). IN CASE OF ENGINE FIRE OR ACCIDENT, A LOCK MALFUNCTION COULD CAUSE UNNECESSARY DEATH/INJURY. THESE ARE KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS, YET KIA HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THEM. THE 01 RIO IS A LEMON AND SAFETY HAZARD. *JB

PURCHASED CAR, 2001 KIA RIO, IN OCTOBER OF 2000. WITHIN A FEW DAYS AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES OVER A ONE YEAR PERIOD AND HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR AT LEAST FOUR TIMES. RECALL WAS RECEIVED FOR FUEL SYSTEM. THIS WAS REPLACED WITHOUT PROBLEM. NEXT PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH WHEELS, WHICH WAS ALSO A RECALL. I HAD TO ORDER THE WHEELS WHICH TOOK AT LEAST A MONTH TO COME IN LEAVING ME TO DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK, 65 MILES EACH WAY, ON VIOLENTLY VIBRATING WHEELS. WHEELS WERE FINALLY REPLACED. PROBLEM OCCURRED IN WINTER 2005 WITH DOOR LATCH. DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD LOCK AND STAY LOCKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ORIGINAL DEALER FOR REPAIR ONLY TO HAVE OLD PART REPAIRED WHILE BEING CHARGED FOR NEW PART AND LABOR. WITHIN A FEW DAYS, DOOR LATCH FAILED AGAIN. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO ORDERED NEW PART. IN THE MEANTIME I WAITED FOR PART TO ARRIVE, AND DROVE AROUND IN A CAR WHOSE DOOR DIDN'T LOCK, LEAVING MY CAR PREY TO THIEVES, WHO STOLE THINGS CONSTANTLY FROM ME. FINALLY THIS WAS FIXED BUT, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK DID THE SAME THING. I LOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX IT SINCE MY WARRANTY WAS UP AND TO FIX IT WOULD COST ME $700 OR MORE. I'VE ALSO NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STALLING IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM. EXAMPLE: I STOP TO GET GAS, START THE CAR AND TURN OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE CAR SHUTS DOWN. DURING THE WINTER OF 2005 WHILE WAITING FOR DOOR LOCKS TO COME IN, MY DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT. THIS WAS REPAIRED BUT SUBSEQUENTLY THE NEXT DAY AFTER REPAIR WHILE DRIVING INTO WORK, WHEEL BEARING LITERALLY CRUMBLED. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT AN OLD PART WAS MISTAKENLY PUT BACK ON THE CAR. THIS WAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED WITH A NEW PART. THESE ARE ALL SAFETY AND QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES. *JB

FAX RE REQUEST ASSISTANCE IN GETTING KIA TO SHIP PARTS FR ANCHORAGE TO FIX SAFETY RECALL ON 2001 KIA RIO. *BF RECALL# 04V179000. (FUEL DISTRIBUTOR AND MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLIES) *SC

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL TO REPLACE THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR AND MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER LIVES IN JUNEAU AND THERE ARE NO ROADS IN OR OUT. IT WOULD COST THE CONSUMER $2500. TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SHIPPED TO ANCHORAGE. *NM RECALL# 03V352000 & 04V179000. *SC

FUEL DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY WAS LEAKING. *NM WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED, SHE WAS TOLD NO APPOINTMENT WAS NECESSARY ON SATURDAYS, HOWEVER WHEN THE CONSUMER ARRIVED SHE WAS TOLD AN APPOINTMENT WAS NECESSARY, SO THE CONSUMER HAD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT SATURDAY, HOWEVER WHEN SHE RETURNED SHE WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE. *JB

PROBLEM WITH 2001 KIA RIO ENGINE STALLED. *MR THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON DUE TO OVERHEATING, AND THE FUEL PUMP STOPPED WORKING DUE TO WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE GAS TANK. THE TEMPERATURE WENT UP ONCE THE FUEL BOX WAS BROKEN DUE TO AN ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED THE RADIATOR FUSE TO BLOW. *SC *JB

PROBLEMS WITH 2001 KIA RIO.*MR THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN REFERENCE TO THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR AND MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEMS WERE NOT RELATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD OTHER PROBLEMS. THE ENGINE WOULD HESITATE WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES. THE REAR END VIBRATED. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH REAR DAMPERS. THE CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT HE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE CRACKED. THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE WORN EXCESSIVELY. *NM

Mileage: 36,279

NHTSA RECALL 03-V-352-000: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FUEL LEAKS MAY DEVELOP AT THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY, EITHER AT ITS SERVICE PORT OR AT THE MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLY CONNECTOR TO THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR ASSEMBLY INTAKE PORT BECAUSE OF QUALITY DEVIATIONS IN THE SERVICE PORT VALVE OR MAIN FUEL TUBE ASSEMBLY. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR AND FUEL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLIES. "KIA HAS NOT YET PROVIDED AN OWNER NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE". OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-222-5500. MANUFACTURER STATED THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT A RECALL. *AK RECALL#03V352000 *SC *JB

CONSUMER SMELLED BURNING RUBBER, AND THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FLAMES EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE INSURANCE INSPECTOR INDICATED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A FUEL LINE FAILURE AT THE PASSENGER SIDE FIREWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, BUT DEALERSHIP DIDN'T OFFER ANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO FIX THE CAR. *CB *JB

Mileage: 22,000

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH FUEL IT LATER STALLED. THE DEALER STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NLM

Mileage: 4,615

SECOND TIME IN 6 MONTHS THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS FALLEN APART AND CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP, ALSO 2ND TIME IN 6 MONTHS THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE VALVE HAS FAILED. DT

VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT RESTART, VEHICLE TOW TO DEALER, INFORMED THAT THE FUEL CAP WAS LOOSE AND CAUSED LOSS OF PRESSURE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FUEL TANK HAS BEEN REPLACED DUE TO VEHICLE HAVING TROUBLE STARTING. ALSO, VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE INTERIOR PANEL AROUND THE WINDSHIELD HAS BROKEN OFF, ALSO THE VEHICLE HAS POOR GAS MILEAGE, THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT IS COMING ON, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND IS DIFFICULT TO UNLOCK, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TOO FAR DOWN.*SLC

I BOUGHT THE CAR IN APRIL 2001, IN MAY 2001 I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

DEALER SAYS CONTAMINATION IN GAS TANK-FUEL COIL,REPLACE FUEL PUMP,CLEAN LINES,ETC..

DEALER SAYS CONTAMINATION IN GAS TANK-FUEL COIL,REPLACE FUEL PUMP,CLEAN LINES,ETC..

DEALER SAYS CONTAMINATION IN GAS TANK-FUEL COIL,REPLACE FUEL PUMP,CLEAN LINES,ETC..

WHILE DRIVING, A MOTORIST FLASHED THEIR LIGHTS TO GET CONSUMERS ATTENTION, CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE, AN AUTOMOTIVE ANALYST STATED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS RELATED TO EITHER A FAILURE OF THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STEEL FUEL LINE MOUNTED TO THE FIREWALL AND THE FUEL INJECTOR FUEL RAIL OR A FUEL LINE LEAK WITHIN THE HOSE ASSEMBLY. *SLC

Mileage: 12,000

A FIRE BEGAN UNDER HOOD AND CAUSED TOTAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. A PRIVATE INVESTIGATION TEAM ASSESED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMIND THAT THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE CAUSED THE FIRE. *YH