NHTSA Complaint #10259515 — 2001 KIA SEPHIA

IN APR 2005, WHILE DRIVING IN MY 2001 KIA SEPHIA LS, MY CHILDREN COMPLAINED THAT IT WAS TOO COLD IN THE BACK SEAT, SO I ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE DRIVER'S WINDOW. AS I DID, I HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUN-SHOT. THE WINDOW BEGAN TO WORK OPPOSITE OF WHAT I CHOSE (I.E. IF I PUSHED UP, IT WENT DOWN. IF I PUSHED DOWN, IT WENT UP.) SHORTLY THEREAFTER, IT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR AND THAT IT WOULD COST $580.00 TO REPLACE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO AFTER-MARKET PARTS. I WAS TOLD BY A MASTER MECHANIC INSTRUCTOR THAT WHEN THE MANUFACTURERS CHANGED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS FROM METAL TO PLASTIC PARTS, THAT THEY DON'T LAST ANYMORE. BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE $580.00 TO REPLACE THE WINDOW REGULATOR, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE A THICK PIECE OF PAPER WEDGED IN BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE WINDOW TO HOLD THE WINDOW UP. IN MAR 08, THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR STOPPED WORKING THEN IN AUG 08, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR STOPPED WORKING. THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW IS THE ONLY WINDOW THAT OPENS AND CLOSES. DRIVING AROUND TOWN, I SEE MANY VEHICLES WITH TAPE OR PIECES OF PAPER STUCK IN THEIR WINDOWS, SO I KNOW MINE ISN'T THE ONLY VEHICLE DOING THIS. BOTH OF MY SONS VEHICLES HAVE POWER WINDOWS THAT DON'T OPEN. MY NEIGHBORS HAVE POWER WINDOWS THAT DON'T OPEN. I DRIVE A POLICE VEHICLE WITH AUTOMATIC WINDOWS. WHEN OUR VEHICLES' WINDOW REGULATORS BREAK, (WHICH IS OFTEN), THE CITY SHOP REPAIRS THEM RIGHT AWAY. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR