NHTSA Complaint #10090953 — 2001 KIA RIO

JULY 31,2004. I STARTED HEARING A NOISE TOWARDS THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT TIRE. WITH IN 2 DAYS THE NOISE GOT LOUDER. I TOOK THE CAR THE THE KIA DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DID A VISUAL INSPECTION ON MY CAR AND DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. I WAS ALSO TOLD I HAD TO MANY MILE (61,000) MILES THAT IF THEY TOOK IT APART TO FIND THE PROBLEM I WOULD BE CHARGED $75.00 PER HOUR. I DID NOT TAKE IT BACK. WITH IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AND I FELT THE TIRE WAS NOT PERFORMING THE SAME. SO I TOOK IT TO WHERE I GET MY TIRES. THERE THEY ALSO DID A VISUAL AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD I NEED NEW TIRES. I DID NOT DRIVE MY CAR FOR 1 WEEK SO I COULD GET THE MONEY TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. I TOOK MY CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC SHOP ON SUNDAY THERE HE TOOK OFF THE TIRE CHECKED THE BRAKES, THE ROTER AND ALL THE BEARINGS AND SCREWS UNDER THE CAR. HE SAID HE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH ME TO WORK SO I COULD TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER AFTER WORK. I TALKED TO THE MECHANIC AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON AND HE ASKED THAT I LET HIM TAKE A LOOK AT THE CAR. SO HE TOOK OFF THE TIRE AND SET IT ASIDE AND STARTED HIS SEARCH. WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO PUT THE TIRE BACK ON TO THE CAR HE NOTICED A CRACK AROUND THE RIM. THE CRACK WENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE. IT IS ALMOST A COMPLETE CIRCLE. IT WAS ABOUT TO TOTALLY CRACK OFF THE CAR. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT HELP ME DUE TO THE MILES I HAD ON MY CAR. I DO DRIVE ALOT BUT I FEEL THIS IS A TOTAL DEFECT IN THE RIM. I HAVE 2 RIMS ON ORDER