NHTSA Complaint #10187230 — 2001 KIA OPTIMA

I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN ENGINE DROPPED INTO 3RD GEAR AND WOULDN'T GET OUT OF IT. I HAD IT DIAGNOSED AT THE AUTO PARTS STORE AND THE SPEED SENSORS WERE SHOT. IF I KEEP DRIVING IT LIKE THIS I AM GOING TO BLOW THE TRANSMISSION, IF IT IS NOT ALREADY BLOWN! I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT, ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THEY WERE SHUT DOWN. I CALLED ANOTHER DEALER TO LOOK UP MY WARRANTY INFORMATION ONLY TO FIND THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED 1 MONTH BEFORE THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE I PURCHASED IT TOLD ME THAT I WOULD BE COVERED WITH A 10 YEAR OR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 6 MONTHS. I BOUGHT IT USED, AND IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE! THEY SOLD ME THIS CAR UNDER FALSE PRETENCES, AND APPARENTLY, IT IS GOING TO COST ME $180.00 TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART. I HAVE 36,000 MILES ON THIS CAR, AND THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING THEY CAN DO. I HAVE HAD BETTER CARS THAT HAVE RUN BETTER THAN THIS! I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA AGAIN!*AK