NHTSA Complaint #10107708 — 2004 KIA SEDONA

RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2004 KIA SEDONA ON 11/29/04 AND A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT IT I NOTICED EVIDENCE OF RUST AROUND THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE FRONT SEATS TO THE CHASSIS. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND NUMEROUS POINTS OF RUST ON THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. I TOOK TO VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BEFORE. THE DEALERSHIP THEN CONTACTED THE KIA DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TO FIND OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE RUST. HE INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP TO SAND DOWN AND PRIMER THE AFFECTED AREAS. I TOLD THEM THAT WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OPTION. SO, THE KIA REPRESENTATIVE THEN HAD THE DEALERSHIP REPLACE THE FRONT SEATS AND SAND DOWN THE REMAINING AFFECTED AREAS AND PRIMER THEM. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP STARTED PERFORMING THE REPAIRS THEY ACTUALLY FOUND SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF RUST UNDERNEATH THE DASH AND UNDER THE CARPET. THE DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT IT WOULD COST TOO MUCH TO COMPLETELY REPAIR THE VEHICLE, AND THAT I NEEDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS. I DID FILE A COMPLAINT AND KIA HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE MET THEIR OBLIGATION TO VEHICLE UNDER THE WARRANTY AND OFFERED ME THREE MONTHS CAR PAYMENT FOR MY INCONVENIENCE. *NM