NHTSA Complaint #10082502 — 2001 KIA RIO

IN DECEMBER OF 2003 I STARTED HEARING A LOUD CLANKING FROM THE PASSENGER-SIDE, REAR WHEEL. ASSUMING IT WAS THE REAR BRAKES NEEDING REPLACED, I PURCHASED THE PARTS. UPON REMOVING THE HUB CAP I SAW THAT THE RIM WAS SEVERELY CRACKED. WITHIN AN INCH OR SO OF ACTUALLY BREAKING COMPLETELY APART. (THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORN.) WHEN I RETURNED THE BRAKE PARTS TO HIGH DESERT KIA, IN VICTORVILLE, CA., I TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT THE CRACKED RIM AND INQUIRED OF THE WARRANTY ON THE RIMS. I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS 30,000 MILES.(AT THE TIME, MY VEHICLE HAD APPROX.55,000 MILES.) THEN IN JUNE OF 2004, I HEARD THE SAME CLANKING FROM THE DRIVERSIDE, REAR WHEEL. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THAT THIS RIM HAD ALSO CRACKED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE FIRST. REALIZING THE FATAL CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD OCCUR SHOUL A RIM FAIL AND BREAK APART WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, I FIRST NOTIFIED YOU AND THEN THE KIA MOTORS HEADQUARTERS LISTED IN MY OWNERS MANUAL. UPON EXPLAINING THE CRACKING OF THE TWO RIMS AND WHAT HIGH DESERT KIA'S RESPONSE WAS TO ME, I WAS TOLD TO RETURN TO HIGH DESERT KIA AND THEY WOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO REPLACE ALL 4 OF THE RIMS ON MY RIO, AT NO CHARGE.BUT IT WOULD BE A ONCE ONLY REPLACEMENT. AND THE RIMS WOULD ONLY BE WARRANTIED FOR THE 12 MONTHS THAT IS STANDARD FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE RIMS WERE REPLACED ON JULY 17TH, 2004. UPON MY INQUIRY, I WAS ASSURED THE 4 NEW RIMS ARE FROM A DIFFERENT LOT NUMBER AND MADE IN 2003.*AK