NHTSA Complaint #10274842 — 2005 KIA SEDONA

ON JUNE 20TH I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY WIFE THAT OUR VAN HAD OVERHEATED AND SHUT IT SELF OFF IN THE INTERSECTION, (LUCKILY THERE WAS NOT MUCH TRAFFIC.) WHEN I ARRIVED I FOUND THE VAN OUT OF COOLANT. I REFILLED THE COOLANT AND CHECKED FOR LEAKS, FINDING NONE I DROVE THE VAN HOME. UPON ARRIVAL AT HOME I FOUND THE VAN TO BE ALMOST OUT OF COOLANT AGAIN, BUT FOUND NO LEAKS. I REFILLED IT AGAIN AND THE NEXT DAY AFTER A SHORT TRIP I FOUND A LARGE PUDDLE OF COOLANT UNDER THE VEHICLE. I TRACED IT BACK TO TWO METAL LINES COMING OFF THE BACK OF THE MOTOR. I CALLED KIA FOR SERVICE AND WHEN THE I TOLD THEM IT WAS LEAKING COOLANT, THEIR RESPONSE TO ME WAS "OFF THE BACK OF THE MOTOR?". AFTER TALKING WITH HIM FOR A FEW MINUTES I WAS TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY FOR THAT ITEM EXPIRED AT 60000 MILES AND OUR VAN HAS 65000. I SCHEDULED THE SERVICE, THEN BEGAN THINKING ABOUT HOW QUICKLY HE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS LEAKING FROM, AND THEN I SEARCHED ONLINE FINDING A TSB FOR THE REPAIR. THIS PROMPTED ME TO CONTACT KIA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD STILL COVER THE REPAIR AND AFTER SPEAKING WITH AN AGENT AND A COUPLE PHONE CALLS LATER I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT. THE LEAKING COOLANT COMES FROM TWO METAL COOLANT LINES THAT RUN TO THE REAR OF THE VAN FOR THE REAR HEATER. THESE LINES RUST AND CORRODE OVER A COUPLE YEAR PERIOD ALLOWING THEM TO LEAK. I WAS TOLD BY THE GENTLEMAN AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT I AM LUCKY AS MOST PEOPLE DON'T CATCH THIS IN TIME AND DO LOTS OF DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR OF THE VEHICLE. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IF THE VEHICLE JUST DIES IN A TRAFFIC IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, AND IF THE VEHICLE DIES IN INCLEMENT WEATHER INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR. KIA IS OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE SITUATION DUE TO THE TSB AND AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD ONE MANUFACTURER USES ALUMINUM LINES WITH A PLASTIC COATING TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING, SO THEY ARE AWARE OF A SOLUTION. RIGHT NOW IT IS GETTING THE LINES REPLACED WITH THE SAME TYPE OF LINES THAT CORRODED, SO I WILL BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. *TR