Kia Motors America
Kia Motors " The Power to Surprise". Timing Belt = Dead Engine, Twice!

Kia Motors " The Power to Surprise".
Short for: Killed In Action

Surprised, when your car is on the side of the road dead with a seized engine.

January while traveling in New Mexico the timing belt broke (just shy of 53k on the car). Was towed into Horace Kia (Santa Fe, NM.) Had to complain to Kia Consumer Assistance to get a greyhound bus ticket home while Horace Kia replaced the engine under warranty. What happened to "trip interruption"??

At the same time a "TSB" comes out about "improved timing belts" for the Kia Rio.

May 21 (112k on the car) squeal... On the side on the road in seconds. Pulley froze throwing the timing belt destroying yet another engine..
Shouldn't the timing components be changed when changing the belt and a new engine?

* 1st call: you are out of warranty by 12k
* 2nd call: (supervisor) - could have been engine sludge
* Called two Kia dealers asking if this was a common problem - response "problem on every Kia ever made"
* Filled complaints with the BBB Autoline and the NHTSA website.
* 3rd call: Kia regional office (Anna) receives my BBB complaint. She will speak with a district manager about my car.
* 4th call: follow up - the district manager says it's out of warranty "sorry"

(reminds me of the Hyundai Excel from the 80's)

53k on the first engine
59k on the second engine (warranty on a replacement engine 12 months???)

I have asked for one of two things to happen
1. Fix the car
2. Buy me out of the vehicle

I am a certified mechanic with 15 years of experience and have followed the "severe maintenance" schedule to the letter. Replace timing belt every 60k - would love to if it could actually make it to that mileage.

Kia knows it is an issue but rather than do the customer service thing and notify customers of a potential issue (liability) They just choose to ignore the problem and/or weasel their way out of fixing the cars by any excuse they can come up with.

Should have known better...
So until some type of resolution is met. Every time I see a Kia owner I tell them the story and tell them to either change the timing belt every 40k or sell the car ASAP.

Company: Kia Motors America
Country: USA
State: California
City: Irvine
Address: PO Box 52410
Phone: 8002253193

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