Consumer has a 2001 Kia Rio. She received a recall notice in June of 2005. She contacted the manufacture and was told that it would be September before dealer would have parts to do recall repairs. Manufacturer contacted her back on August 18, 2005 to tell her it would be September 9, 2005 before the rims would be available. She asked if she could get a loaner or rental vehicle until vehicle would be fixed.

- Pinatta, FL, USA

Loud repeating noise coming from wheel. Took it into mechanic, told me it was the hubcap rubbing on the rim. Applied tape to hubcap to solve problem. Noise continued, I decided to check the problem, and just before I arrived home, my tire fell off. The rim failed. Hald was bolded to the car, the other half was in the tire. No one has seen this happen before, and it appears to be a defect in the tire rim.

- Fairfield, CA, USA

Cracks have accumulated on the front passenger rim. All four original rims along with one replacement rim cracked.

- Milford, UT, USA

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 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

- Fullerton, CA, USA

I have a third factory wheel on my car that has broke during normal driving. The wheel started making a sound like bearings going out on the rear drivers side. When I pulled into the drive way I heard the wheel brake. When I checked it, sure enough it broke through. I now have kept two out three wheels that have broke.

- Raisin City, CA, USA

While driving a squeaking noise was heard. It was determined that the front driver's side wheel rim cracked.

- San Clemente, CA, USA

The first time I heard a noise coming from the right front passenger side of my car and thought it was either my brakes or a pvc boot going out on my car. December 4, 2003. I was shocked to find my wheel-rim was seriously cracked. It was cracked almost the entire way around just abut an inch from the holes for the lugs. If it would have broke completely when I was driving home from Arizona to fresno, California, my passenger and I could have been seriously injured or killed. I do take around 6-8 long distance trips per year. We were lucky. The wheel-rim was replaced with one purchased from a used auto parts garage. The second time this problem occurred was July 1, 2004 on the right front passenger side. Again I heard the noise and thought of other possible problems, but was totally shocked when the tire repairman checked and told me that I had a crack in my rim. I called several Kia dealers, one never returned my call and the other said that nothing could be done because there is no recall being done for that problem. I then went to a used auto parts store an purchased another rim and had it replaced at the tire repair shop where I do business. After thinking about it I went back and bought a spare rim just in case this problem should arise again. This time I kept the broken rim. Another problem I have is the right side door won't unlock as it has come apart inside the door. The inside door panel will have to be taken off to get to the inside it to repair it. These are problems which I feel should be repaired by the dealers but of course are not being done.

- Raisin City, CA, USA

While driving it felt like the vehicle was off balance. This occurred because the right front rim busted. This occurred twice two years ago because consumer overloaded the vehicle. The same rim busted again without the vehicle being overloaded.

- Blue Ridge, GA, USA

In December of 2003 I started hearing a loud clanking from the passenger-side, rear wheel. Assuming it was the rear brakes needing replaced, I purchased the parts. Upon removing the hub cap I saw that the rim was severely cracked. Within an inch or so of actually breaking completely apart. (the brakes were not worn.) when I returned the brake parts to high desert Kia, in victorville, ca., I told the service department about the cracked rim and inquired of the warranty on the rims. I was told the warranty period is 30,000 miles.(at the time, my vehicle had approx.55,000 miles.) then in June of 2004, I heard the same clanking from the driverside, rear wheel. Upon inspection I found that this rim had also cracked in the same manner as the first. Realizing the fatal consequences that could occur shoul a rim fail and break apart while the vehicle is in motion, I first notified you and then the Kia motors headquarters listed in my owners manual. Upon explaining the cracking of the two rims and what high desert Kia's response was to me, I was told to return to high desert Kia and they would be instructed to replace all 4 of the rims on my Rio, at no charge.but it would be a once only replacement. And the rims would only be warrantied for the 12 months that is standard for replacement parts. The rims were replaced on July 17th, 2004. Upon my inquiry, I was assured the 4 new rims are from a different lot number and made in 2003.

- Lucerne Valley, CA, USA

Vehicle began making a loud grinding noise when coming to a stop. Thinking it may just be the brakes that were going out, returned vehicle to the shop. Upon inspection the shop found that all 4 of the 13 inch wheels had stress fractures. The front 2 were the worst as they had begun to split. Was told that there was a possiblity of a fatal crash had this not been brought to there attention when it was.

- Pocahontas, AR, USA

My vehicle started making a horrible noise in the front. It sounded like the brakes were digging into the rotor so I figured I needed a brake job. When I removed the wheels I looked at my brakes and they were fine, I then looked at my wheel and noticed a very large crack all they way around. I went the dealership where I purchased my vehicle and they refused to do anything since it was out of warranty. They insisted that when I had new tires put on that they must of used too much force and cracked the rims. I went to the tire place where I had just recently purchased tires and they said there was no way they could have done it, but put my car up on the racks and checked the rest of my wheels. Come to find the other three rims were cracked as well. I took my concerns to the service manager of the automotive network I purchased my car from and he agreed that it was a safety issue and replace all four wheels with brand new ones from Kia.

- Sebring, FL, USA

I have a 2001 Kia Rio, manual transmission. At 32000 miles the left front rim cracked, and was replaced under warranty. I had the right front crack at 62000 miles. Kia did not consider this a defect, so I had to purchase a new rim for $98, and have it mounted at additional cost. I spoke with the dealer, and Kia directly about this being a safety concern. Kia's response was since it was out of warranty, they would only cover manufacturing defects. The 13 inch steel rim has no damage which would have caused the tear in the steel; circumference with the lug bolt holes.

- Stafford, VA, USA

The front wheel rims have cracked for the 4th time. The rims make a loud noise, the vehicle drives different, in reverse there is a clicking sound and it has progressed. The rim cracked 2 days later after being repaired by the dealer. The consumer indicated getting a second opinion since the dealer isn't correcting the problem. Nlm

- Cassleburg, AL, USA