NHTSA Complaint #10126959 — 2004 KIA SPECTRA

DT: CONSUMER HAS FILED A SAFETY COMPLAINT #6259431 WITH FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION. CONCERNING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON SAME ISSUE AS STATED IN ODI #10125427. ALSO, CONSUMER SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER KIA MOTORS. MANUFACTURER SAID SOMEONE WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITH CONSUMER WITHIN 3 DAYS. IT HAS BEEN 2 WEEKS AND CONSUMER HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING. CONSUMER SAID THAT TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR FOR NO REASON. LAST TIME VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER IT WOULD NOT GO VERY FAST, AND THE ENGINE WAS VERY SLUGGISH. CONSUMER SAID THAT IT WAS LIKE TRYING TO PULL OUT IN A HIGHER GEAR THAN 1ST OR 2ND. GEAR. WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH THE CAR WOULD DOWN SHIFT TO A LOW GEAR AND IT WOULD DROP TO 35 MPH. DEALER INDICATED THAT SOMETHING WAS MAKING THE VEHICLE DROP INTO SAFE MODE, WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO STAY IN SECOND GEAR. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM), REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, AND HAS DONE SOMETHING TO THE GROUNDS. IN FEBRUARY THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION . CURRENTLY THEY REPLACED THE TCM, ADDED A NEW COMPUTER , AND ADJUSTED LINKAGE CABLES FOR TRANSMISSION. HOWEVER, CONSUMER MAINTAINED THAT PROBLEM BECAME WORSE. *AK