NHTSA Complaint #10211545 — 2003 KIA RIO CINCO

CONT...2 OF 3 3-I'VE FOLLOWED THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE, PROVIDED EVIDENCE FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGES, TRANSMISSION FLUSHES, AIR CONDITIONER MAINTENANCE., TIRES, BRAKES, ETC. EVERY AUTO I'VE EVERY OWNED (DATING BACK TO 1976) HAS GIVEN ME IN EXCESS OF 200,000 MILES...AND MY TOYOTA HAD OVER 350,000 ... AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL PURRING (I JUST GOT TIRED OF HAVING TO REPLACE THE FLOOR). A PERSON DOESN'T GET THAT KIND OF MILEAGE ON A REGULAR BASIS WITHOUT TAKING CARE OF IT! 4-THE ENGINE LIGHT FIRST APPEARED IN FEBRUARY 2004. I TOOK IT TO BURLINGAME GARAGE. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO KIA, THAT THE WARRANTY SHOULD COVER ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN BRUSHED ME OFF BY STATING I NEEDED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH AS ROUTINE MAINTENANCE?THEY WANTED $225. I DECLINED THEIR WONDERFUL ?SPECIAL PRICE, AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH BURLINGAME GARAGE?THEY DID A TRANSMISSION FLUSH FOR $79. 5-FEBRUARY 2006, THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAD THEIR DEALERSHIP REVOKED, I NOW HAD TO GO TO THE COMSTOCK PARK LOCATION. SO I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR APRIL (THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO WORRIED ABOUT ME DRIVING THE CAR WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON). THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION BELT, SO THEY CHANGED IT (WHICH WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE ($400+), AND THEY ALSO CHECKED THE FLUIDS, AND CHANGED THE OIL. 6-I HAD THE ENGINE FLUSHED AGAIN ONCE WE MADE THE FAMILY DECISION TO MOVE TO CALIFORNIA. WE MOVED IN AUGUST 2006. MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ON AGAIN. HE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AROUND 79,000 MILES, AND THEY TOLD HIM IT ONLY NEEDED A TRANSMISSION FLUSH (BUT THAT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME SINCE I HAD IT FLUSHED LESS THAN 20,000 MILES AGO). HE HAD THE FLUSH DONE ANYWAY. CONTINUED....3 *TR