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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA04-020: STEEL WHEEL FRACTURE

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA04-020 on July 22, 2004, the day it closed Preliminary Evaluation PE04-030, whose summary cites it, and closed it on April 28, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2001 Kia Rio for it and links recall 05V-159 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
EA04-020 (also written EA04020)
Investigation type
Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status
Closed April 28, 2005
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Components
Wheels; Wheels — Hubcap/Cover
Recall linked by NHTSA
  • 05V-159: STEEL WHEELS, reported
Vehicles and equipment
2001 Kia Rio

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA04-020.

ON MARCH 24, 2004, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE04-030) TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED STEEL WHEEL FRACTURES IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2001 KIA RIO VEHICLES.THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH WHEELS MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 12 THROUGH OCTOBER 17, 2000.

WHEELS WERE MANUFACTURED DURING THIS PERIOD USING A TOOL (RING DIE) THAT HAD IMPROPER SURFACE TREATMENT.THIS ALLOWED TOOL DAMAGE TO DEVELOP WITH ACCUMULATED USE AND RESULTED IN AN IRREGULAR SHAPED STAMPING ON THE WHEEL DISC AT THE HAT AREA.THE IRREGULAR SHAPED HAT AREA CREATES A STRESS RISER THAT MAY LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF CRACKS.ODI IS AWARE OF 40 NON-DUPLICATIVE CONSUMER REPORTS ALLEGING WHEEL FRACTURE, 6 OF WHICH ALLEGED WHEEL SEPARATION INCIDENTS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.AS OF MARCH 31, 2005, KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) HAS PAID 535 WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF ONE OR MORE WHEELS ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DUE TO FRACTURE.BY LETTER DATED APRIL 18, 2005, KIA HAS NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NTHSA RECALL NO. 05V-159) TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE WHEELS IN APPROXIMATELY 24,119 SUBJECT VEHICLES.KIA WILL REPLACE ALL FOUR STEEL WHEELS FREE OF CHARGE.THE ACTION TAKEN BY KIA IS SUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THIS INVESTIGATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA04-020. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Kia

All Kia recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Kia VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA04-020

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.