NHTSA Complaint #10276145 — 2007 KIA RONDO

HELLO, I HAVE A 2007 KIA RONDO LX 4 CYLINDER. FROM THE DAY OF THE PURCHASE THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE SOMETIMES MAKES NOISES AND DURING THE RAIN THE NOISE IS MORE APPARENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES FOR THIS REASON AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. ALSO ONCE THE ESC LIGHT WAS BLINKING AND I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THE ESC SENSOR IS GOING TO BE REPLACED NEXT WEEK. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT I WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS MAY NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. LAST YEAR MY CAR WAS HIT FROM THE BACK TWICE WHILE IT WAS AT A STOP POSITION. IN THE SECOND ACCIDENT IT WAS A HIT AND RUN, I WAS IN A TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY AND THE OTHER DRIVER HIT MY CAR FROM THE BACK. HE SCREAMED FROM HIS WINDOW "CHECK YOUR LIGHTS", NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS NOT WORKING CAUSING ANOTHER VEHICLE TO HIT ME. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND THE DRIVER AND WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS MYSELF. IT COST ME $1235.30, OUT OF WHICH $190.25 WAS USED TO ORDER A BACK BUMPER AND $10.68 FOR SIDE BRACKET AND $19.37 FOR RIGHT GUARD BRACKET AND I PAID TO THE ZOOM AUTO BODY SHOP(LOCATED AT 240 N. HILL AVENUE, PASADENA, CA 91106) $915.11. THE FIRST ACCIDENT WAS SIMILAR AND NOW I AM WONDERING WHETHER MY VEHICLE'S NON-FUNCTIONING BRAKE LIGHT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE AS WELL. THAT ACCIDENT COST ME $2461, LUCKY THE OTHER VEHICLE'S OWNER'S INSURANCE PAID FOR THAT. BOTH CASES ARE STILL OPEN. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT YOU, HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN ASSIST ME SOMEHOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR UPDATED 02/04/10.*JB