NHTSA Complaint #10135448 — 2001 KIA RIO

KIA INITIATED A RECALL ON THE 2001 KIA RIO FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE FOUR STANDARD STEEL WHEELS WITH FOUR ALLOY WHEELS. THE RECALL WAS MADE BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL THAT THE STANDARD STEEL WHEELS COULD CRACK LEAD TO WHEEL FAILURE. THE LETTER INDICATED ALL 4 WHEELS WOULD BE REPLACED. I TOOK THE CAR TO ARLINGTON KIA IN PALATINE TO HAVE THE RECALL SERVICED. I PRESENTED THE LETTER TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. RATHER THAN REPLACING THE WHEELS, THE DEALER ONLY INSPECTED THEM, INDICATING THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. WHILE I AM GLAD TO KNOW THIS, I AM NOT QUITE CERTAIN THIS IS THE RIGHT RESPONSE TO THE ISSUE. I AM NOT SATISFIED BY KIA'S SOLUTION. WHILE THERE WAS NO DAMAGE UPON THEIR INSPECTION, IT DOES NOT GUARD AGAINST DEVELOPMENT. UNSATISFIED WITH THE DEALER'S RESPONSE, I CONTACTED CUSTOMER CARE TO INQUIRE WHETHER OR NOT THE DEALERSHIP HAD DONE ENOUGH I TALKED TO [XXX], A CUSTOMER CARE MANAGER, WHO EXPLAINED TO ME, WHILE THE LETTER DID SAY KIA WOULD "REPLACE ALL FOUR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WHEELS AT NO COST," WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT WAS THAT I WOULD GET A TEN MINUTE INSPECTION, AND IF NOTHING WAS WRONG, I'D BE LEFT WITH THE POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE PART. I FIND IT DISCOURAGING THAT KIA HAS NOT FOLLOWED THROUGH ON WHAT WAS INDICATED IN THE LETTER. IM NOT SURE WHAT THE NHTSA CAN DO IN THIS MATTER, SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE A POLICY ON KIAS PART, BUT RATHER THAN ASSURING I WAS A HAPPY CUSTOMER, [XXX]TOLD ME TO MAKE A COMPLAINT. THE CAR IS OWNED BY [XXX] PH# [XXX] MY NAME IS [XXX], MY WIFE [XXX] DRIVES THE CAR, THE DWYERS ARE HER PARENTS. THEY PURCHASED THE CAR FOR HER WHILE SHE WAS IN COLLEGE AND IT REMAINS IN THEIR NAME. I CAN BE REACHED AT [XXX] THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR