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KIA Motors - 2012 KIA RIO LX
Throttle body Control
Review by baaburn on 2012-05-04
Rating: 
HOUSTON, TEXAS -- I purchased a 2012 Kia Rio Lx in October 2011. I left the dealership and went to an alarm system facility because the car didn't have even a basic anti-theft alarm system. I drove this car with absolutely no problems for over 3 months, even on a long distance trip. However, about two weeks after I went to the dealership for the first oil change ( only because it was free ) , a problem occurred as I was making a right turn onto a street. The car hesitated, seemed to stall, and the engine malfunction came on. I pulled over to the curb, turned the engine off, then on, and the car drove again but the engine malfunction light was still on. I went to the dealership, they said it was the throttle body control, ordered a replacement, and I had to go back for them to install it. However, the car continued to have the problem, so I went back to the dealership. They kept the car five days, then said the aftermarket
alarm was the problem, charged me to remove the alarm and rewire the car.
I didn't even make it home from the dealership and the problem occurred again. I went back, the cause of the problem then became the wiring harness which they said was damaged by the alarm system installer and would cost me $1877.00 to repair. If it was the alarm system causing the problem, why did it take over three months before the stalling problem occurred ? I contacted Kia Headquarters by sending them all the invoices from the dealership, the alarm system company, and the AutoZone diagnostic I got in one visit that dealership couldn't seem to do in several. No response whatsoever so far !!! The dealership is full of bull and apparently so is the headquarters way of handling customer concerns. I will take this car to a competent certified mechanic (not KIA ) and hope the car can be repaired properly since I'm stuck with it for now.
What I don't understand is, if the alarm system caused the problem of the car stalling/hesitating every now and then when I try to make a right turn, why did it take over three months after installation for the problem to occur ? And since they removed the alarm and supposedly rewired the car, why is the problem still occurring ? And, the funny thing is, an AutoZone employee was able to diagnose the possible causes
in one visit ; 1. ETS Relay 2. poor electrical or loose wiring 3.
alarm was the problem, charged me to remove the alarm and rewire the car.
I didn't even make it home from the dealership and the problem occurred again. I went back, the cause of the problem then became the wiring harness which they said was damaged by the alarm system installer and would cost me $1877.00 to repair. If it was the alarm system causing the problem, why did it take over three months before the stalling problem occurred ? I contacted Kia Headquarters by sending them all the invoices from the dealership, the alarm system company, and the AutoZone diagnostic I got in one visit that dealership couldn't seem to do in several. No response whatsoever so far !!! The dealership is full of bull and apparently so is the headquarters way of handling customer concerns. I will take this car to a competent certified mechanic (not KIA ) and hope the car can be repaired properly since I'm stuck with it for now.
What I don't understand is, if the alarm system caused the problem of the car stalling/hesitating every now and then when I try to make a right turn, why did it take over three months after installation for the problem to occur ? And since they removed the alarm and supposedly rewired the car, why is the problem still occurring ? And, the funny thing is, an AutoZone employee was able to diagnose the possible causes
in one visit ; 1. ETS Relay 2. poor electrical or loose wiring 3.
Comments:
Posted by Yeshandle on 2012-05-04:
Did you go back to the alarm system installer with these problems ?
Posted by baaburn on 2012-05-10:
Yes , I did . They have been in business for 17 years and claim to not have had any problems with their alarms or installations . As , I said , I'm stuck with the car for now , but , I do find it annoying that KIA Headquarters hasn't had the decency to at least try to contact me. I'm prepared to pay for repairs so I can drive the car without being afraid it might stall and I end up in an accident . I just don't have any confidence in KIA service techs to do the job properly or correctly.
Posted by Skye on 2012-05-10:
Just because they claim they've never had a problem with their alarm systems or installations, does not mean this is true.
I'd reconsider and go back to the alarm company, after all the problems you are having, because as you said, all was fine, until they installed this after market alarm.
Good luck.
I'd reconsider and go back to the alarm company, after all the problems you are having, because as you said, all was fine, until they installed this after market alarm.
Good luck.
Posted by baaburn on 2012-05-14:
I decided to just to do without an alarm ( which the dealership has already charged me to remove. Hopefully , the rewiring they did will agree with the computer eventually . Thank you for your input. But , the alarm system was installed the same day I bought the car and it drove fine for over 3 months. It would seem the alarm would have affected the car within a day or at least within a week or so. But , 3 months before the problem occurred ???
Posted by trmn8r on 2012-05-14:
The Autozone "diagnosis" appears consistent with the dealer reporting a harness issue. Not surprising, since hooking up an OBD device (Autozone) will read out generic problem codes and the dealer's will be more specific.
It's hard to say why it ran fine for 3 months, but to me this could be related to the alarm install.
It's hard to say why it ran fine for 3 months, but to me this could be related to the alarm install.
Posted by baaburn on 2012-05-24:
That could be true and since Kia doesn't seem to offer an alarm system for the car ( I asked the last time I was there ) , I am doing without an alarm . At least it is covered by insurance if someone decides to take it !
Posted by Marcos on 2012-11-16:
I think this issue has nothing to do with the alarm. My 2007 Kia Rio has the exact same issue you described and the car has no alarm. I have been struggling with Kia for quite a while on this issue and frankly I gave up. I really believe this is an engineering flaw on this model
Posted by MHD on 2013-02-26:
I bought a RIO 2012 and I had the engin check 4 times. Anyone knows how to contact KIA Korea?
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