NHTSA Complaint #10000385 — 1999 KIA SEPHIA

THIS IS A COMPLAINT REGARDING EQUIPMENT ON THE 1999 KIA SEPHIA LS, MANUFACTURED BY KIA IN KOREA ON 08/25/98, AND TARGETS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT SAFETY ITEM, SPECIFICALLY THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WHICH HAS A DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED LATCH, SINCE WHEN THE TAB IS INSERTED SECURELY SEATED INTO THE LATCH, IT PULLS OUT WHEN PULLED, OR WHEN ONE LEANS FORWARD SLIGHTLY STRESSING THE SEAT BELT. IT IS VERY , VERY DANGEROUS, AND I INFORMED THE CLOSEST DEALER TO MY LOCATION, BAY RIDGE KIA WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR CORRECTION OF RECALL ITEMS, BUT THE BELT WAS NOT ON THE LIST. I AM INFORMING DOT IN THE HOPE OF PREVENTING ANYONE FROM BEING INJURED BY THIS DEFECT. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND AT MY EXPENSE IMMEDIATELY ORDERED A NEW LATCH SECTION OF THE BELT, PART NO. 0K2AB-57-680-96. OF COURSE I ASKED, IF THAT PART HAD BEEN MODIFIED? THE ANSWER WAS, NO SURPRISE, YES. I ALSO HAD SENT A LETTER TO KIA SERVICE HEADQUARTERS IN SAN DIEGO , CALIFORNIA . DO NOT HESITATE TO RECALL THIS ITEM, AS THE BELT SEEMS LOCKED, BUT IT ISN'T.*EA04007*