I have a 2002 Kia Rio. My daughter was driving from Chicago to Los Angeles for a 5 week internship. She called me when she was near Omaha, NE, saying the car stalled and wouldn't run. She had it towed to the nearest Kia dealership where they diagnosed the problem as a timing belt with stripped teeth.
The timing belt was bad and there was engine damage. The dealer informed me that unless I had the timing belt replaced at 60,000 miles it would not be covered under warranty. I couldn't believe it! They could not save the engine and offered to replace it for something around $2,000 to $3,000.
I took a day off work, rented a car hauler, loaded up another vehicle, and drove 600 miles to deliver it to her. I chose not to pay to replace the engine, so I loaded the Kia and took it home. The diagnosis alone cost me over $500.
I feel ripped off on several fronts. First, something as critical as a timing belt should not break at 70,000 miles. Second, if it does break, you would think that it would be covered by the 100,000 mile warranty. Third, I had taken the Kia in to the dealership for regular oil changes. They never once mentioned I was due for any maintenance. You would also think that this would be in their best interest, as they charge over $300 to replace the belt.
Furthermore, the dealer never warned me about this when I purchased the vehicle. For me to know about this requirement I would have had to have read all of the "fine print". Kia and its dealers do not do enough to educate their consumers about the requirements of the warranty.
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