2002 Kia Rio from North America
Summary:
I have learned that there is a good reason why this car has a cheap price and long warranty
Faults:
It would shut off on occasion.
Uneven brake wear.
Defective caliper.
Defroster malfunctioning.
General Comments:
I have had my 2002 Rio two months over a year, and find myself disappointed in my car. When I first bought my car, it would shut off unexpectedly. The battery would still be on, but the engine would be off. As a result, the dealership changed my fuel pump.
Next my rear defroster started acting funny. It would only work every now and then. It's like it had a mind of its own.
Know I am having issues with my brakes. I learned that I have uneven brake wear. As a result, I had my brakes replaced and my rotors machined.
To my surprise, I am experiencing uneven wear again. I have had the new brakes for only a month. I have learned the uneven wear is a result of my calipers sticking to the rotor.
I took my Rio to the dealership, and they had the nerve to tell me that the uneven wear is because my rotor is warped (I guess they didn't realize I had my rotors machined already). Then they said the uneven wear came from my brakes being dirty, and that I needed to rinse them off with a water hose. Then the guy told me the brake pads should only last 20,000 miles, so it is not unexpected that they are worn. The guy also told me that the new brakes are experiencing uneven wear, because they are cheap and crumbling.
Keep in mind that all of these different excuses were given in one conversation, along with a lot of stuttering. I don't know if they tried to tell me these things because I am a female or what, but I know it's not true. The reason why my brakes are grinding, squeaking, and wearing down fast on only on tire, is because the caliper on that specific tire is sticking. Oh yeah, did I mention that the brakes (that originally came with the car) on all of the other tires are totally fine. They probably have another year on them.
The car is also very loud and takes a while to pick up.
All I can say is that I hate Kia. I know that some of the issues I have experienced with people at the dealerships are because I am a female. I have had Kia try to charge me $3,000 just to drain my oil. The customer service sucks just as bad as the car.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 24th January, 2004
28th Apr 2005, 12:50
I have to agree, the Kia's Service Department tends to be less than truthful to female consumers. Apparently my car sneezed, and that's why the check engine light came on. Furthermore, a 25,000 mile tune-up would solve my car's cold; however, when I paid the $200+ bill, I was informed that they still did not know why the check engine light came on.
26th Jan 2004, 11:44
Sorry for the bad luck you are having with your Kia, but sounds like the problem is more due to incompetent mechanics. The fact that your rotors were machined does not mean they could not still be warped--that could have happened as soon as they were put back on the car and the lug nuts were overtightened, warping the rotors.
BTW, it's brake "caliper" not "caliber".
Caliber refers to which gun you decide to use. When you finally shoot your car!