NHTSA Complaint #10058351 — 2002 KIA SEDONA

ON JULY 4, 2002 WE PURCHASED A 2002 KIA SEDONA MINIVAN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER DRIVING OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP WE PARKED AT A STORE, WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SENT OUT A TOW TRUCK. THE VAN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE ADVISER INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING A DRIVER SEAT RELAY THAT WAS CAUSING THE BATTERIES TO GO OUT ON THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. HE INDICATED THAT THEY WERE CHANGING ALL RELAYS. THEY REPLACED WITH NEW BATTERY AND NEW RELAY ON THE VAN. THE VAN CONTINUED TO GIVE US PROBLEMS, THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (STEREO, WINDOWS, DOOR LOCKS) WOULD GO OFF AND ON AS WE WERE DRIVING. IF WE WOULD STOP VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. WE HAD NUMEROUS JUMP STARTS. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN APPROX. 4 OR 5 TIMES TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH COMPLAINTS REGARDING PROBLEMS, THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE EXHAUST WHEN WE WOULD START THE VEHICLE. BRAKES WOULD SQUEAL WHEN APPLIED. VAN WAS TERRIBLY HOT UNDER THE CAR AND IT WOULD BLOW OUT THE HEAT AND ALMOST BURN US. I ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISER IF THEY COULD EXCHANGE THE VAN FOR ANOTHER ONE AND HE INDICATED THAT THEY HAD TO HAVE A CONTINUOUS REPORT OF REPAIRS IN ORDER TO TURN IT IN AS A "LEMON". WE WERE TRAVELING IN MEXICO FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE WHEN OUR VAN STARTED ON FIRE ON THE HIGHWAY AND OTHER AUTOS NOTICED AND WAVED US DOWN TO STOP. WE NOTICED, PULLED OFF THE ROAD SAFELY AND ALL 6 ADULT PASSENGERS WERE ABLE TO GET OUT SAFELY AND RUN AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AS IT STARTED EXPLODING. THE FIRE CAME FROM ALL UNDERNEATH OF THE VAN. THE MEXICAN FEDERAL HIGHWAY POLICE CAME TO WHERE THE VAN WAS AND TOOK A REPORT OF THE INCIDENT. THE VAN BURNT DOWN TO A SKELETON. I REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY DENIED OUR CLAIM WITHOUT NO EXPLANATION. NO ONE EVER CALLED TO FIND OUT THE FACTS OR GATHER INFORMATION. OBVIOUSLY, THEY DID NOT EVEN LOOK AT THEIR OWN SERVICE REPAIR TICKETS. *JB