Kia Motors America ripoff - stuck with a lemon Irvine California
I have a 2002 Kia Rio that was purchased at Santa Fe Kia in Santa Fe, NM. It has given me so many problems, and neither the Better Business Bureau or the New Mexico Attorney General have helped me. Now I live in Hattiesburg, MS and the car is dead. It all started with a check engine light at 5000 miles. Then the clutch and transmission failed right after 20000 miles. At 29000 miles the timing belt and cv joint had to be replaced. At 32000 miles the motor mounts were replaced. At 55960 the air conditioner was replaced. At 59000 miles my clutch was diagnosed as failing again.
At 76348, I brought it in to the shop for a popping front suspension and the engine running poorly and idling up and down. They said my struts and bushings were bad and I needed a major tune up. I asked what a major tune up included and did it myself, but the engine never ran any better after that. I had a reputable mechanic look at it and he said it was an internal engine problem that should be covered by the warranty. Now, at 97500 miles my timing belt snaps and blows my engine.
I have an extended warranty from Kia Extended Protection Plan that covers the timing belt, but Kia refuses to give me a new engine. The last servicing dealership, Dean McCrary Kia, led me to believe that the warranty would cover the damage.
After my engine was apart they told me the repairs would not be covered. They charged me $640.20 to take apart my engine and towed the car back to my house with the engine in pieces in a box in the trunk. I have been protesting near their dealership. A salesman confronted me about what I wanted. When I told him he was ripping people off he said, "how does it feel". Lucky for him I'm trying to keep it legal.
If any attorneys read this please help. I need someone to help me sue Kia under the Magnusson Moss Act so I can get my money back for this lemon.
Micah
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Micah
Hattiesburg,Mississippi,
U.S.A.
That may be your opinion
#3Author of original report
Mon, March 20, 2006
My beef isn't just this incident with the timing belt. Enough has gone wrong with the car to qualify is as a violation of the magnusson moss act. It doesn't matter what kind of car you buy or what you do to it, any car should be able to get at least the first 100000 miles trouble free. When the transmission and clutch gave out they should have bought it back from me then. If they are such pieces of crap then the government should not allow them to be sold. Legislators, if any of you read this how about proposing a law that all cars must have a 100000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. Do any of you believe that something that costs so much should be allowed to last so little time? We need better protection from the predatory corporations.
Dave
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
Doesn't sound like it is their fault
#3Consumer Comment
Mon, March 20, 2006
Unless I am missing something here, you don't have a beef with KIA. The timelines and mileages you quoted along with the miles driven, tells me that you had minimal problems on a car that is supposed to be the biggest piece of crap in the industry. Plus YOU GOT 97000 miles out of the is piece of junk. That's way more than most Kias.
Now, the timing belt. There are specific maintenance schedules for those. If you missed one, and it breaks, it is not the manufacturer's fault. Plus, I know of NO manufacturer that warranties a timing belt. That is a preventative maintenance item on any car. The reason being is that when they break, and depending if the valves were open or closed at the time, you can ruin your motor. That is why nobody warrenties the timing belt.