NHTSA Complaint #10116430 — 2000 KIA SPORTAGE

I PURCHASED THIS KIA SPORTAGE IN NOVEMBER OF 2004 WITH 36000 MILES. NOTICED TRANMISSION SLIPPING DURING COLD START UP. BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL. JANUARY 2005 CARS IDLE AND HANDLING IS BECOMING A HAZARD. CAR FISHTALES REGARDLESS OF DEGREE OF TURN OR AMOUNT OF DAMPNESS ON THE ROAD. CAR IS ALSO SHUDDERING WHEN PUT INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. MARCH OF 2005 WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 WHEN I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL WHICH GOT LOUDER AS I DROVE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AS I PULLED OVER THE WHEELS LOCKED AND I HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND AS I SKIDDED TO A STOP. I COULD NOT MOVE THE CAR, TRIED A FEW TIMES AND FINALLY DID GET THE CAR HOME. BROUGHT TO ATLANTIC KIA AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A WHOLE HUB ASSEMBLY. THE INNER SEALS WERE ROTTED AND THIS ALLOWED WATER AND DUST TO ENTER THE ASSEMBLY AND CAUSE IT TO FAIL. THIS IS A PROBLEM KNOWN TO KIA AS I CALLED AND HAD WORDS WITH THEM ABOUT THERE KNOWLEGE OF THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT AS LONG AS IT IS NOT A RECALL THERE IS NOTHING THEY WILL DO TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OF DEFECTIVE SEALS. I ALSO ASKED IF SOMEONE HAD TO DIE BEFORE THEY MADE THIS A RECALL. HE DIDNT HAVE AN ANSWER.*AK