NHTSA Complaint #10185251 — 2006 KIA AMANTI

TL*- THE CONTACT HAS A SAFETY COMPLAINT ABOUT ATHE 2006 KIA AMANTE THAT HE PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2006, WITH 0 MILES, AND CURRENTLY HAD 9200 MILES. IN N SEPTEMBER 2006 WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 2600 MILES AND WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, AND MAKING A GRADUAL LEFT HAND TURN, THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE STEERING VIBRATED. THE ESP LIGHT FLASHED DURING THE FAILURE, AND THEN IT CHANGED TO ESP OFF AND THE VIBRATION STOPPED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAILURE OF THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL SENSOR. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PART IN STOCK AND FIXED THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE SENSOR WITH ONE FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE WHILE COMING TO A TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FRONT WHEEL ANGLE SENSOR FAILURE AND ABS SYSTEM FAILURE, BOTH SENSORS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT THREE WEEKS LATER WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED LIGHTLY, THEN THE ESP LIGHT FLASHED ON THEN OFF. AGAIN AS THE VEHICLE WAS COMING TO A STOP, THE CONTACT FELT THE VEHICLE SHOOK VERY HARD AS IT TRIED TO STOP. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE ECU UNIT WAS REPLACED. NEAR THE END OF JANUARY 2007 WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE CONTACT LOST STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE LAST PROBLEM OCCURRED MID FEBRUARY 2007 WHILE MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN, THE STEERING BEGAN TO SHAKE CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST CRASH INTO WITH ANOTHER ONCOMING VEHICLE. THIS WAS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE, AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER 9 TIMES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9000.*AK