NHTSA Complaint #10277386 — 2003 KIA OPTIMA

I BOUGHT MY 2003 KIA OPTIMA NEW 5/24/03. SOMETIME DURING THE WINTER OF 2004/06 NOTICED DOOR LOCKS CLICKED MORE THAN I WAS USED TO HEARING, BUT THEY WORKED. I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE DUE TO COLD WEATHER AS ANTENNA DOESN'T GO ALL THE WAY DONE IN COLD WEATHER (ANTENNA NOTED TO DEALER 12/20/04). I THOUGHT I MENTIONED THIS TO DEALER PRIOR TO 60K MILES WHILE GETTING ANOTHER SERVICE DONE AND WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED, BUT THERE IS NO RECORD OF IT PER DEALER. IN ANY CASE I BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER 3/6/07 FOR OIL CHANGE AND ASKED THEY CHECK DOOR LOCKS WHICH WERE ONLY WORKING INTERMITTENTLY - PER THE INVOICE THEY CHECKED LOCK RELAYS, DISCONNECTED AND CHECKED SWITCH, CHECKED GROUND AT JB-07, 0 OHMS , ETCS MODULE ALL OK. THE MILEAGE AT THAT POINT WAS 67288. I WAS TOLD THE ELECTRICAL WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 60K. I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO GET IT REPAIRED. BY 10/24/07, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR COULD NO LONGER BE OPENED WITH DRIVER DOOR SWITCH OR REMOTE, AND KEY ENTRY TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES WHILE TURNING THE KEY WHILE THE DOOR UNLOCKED THEN LOCKED AS I PULLED UP THE HANDLE. I WAS CHARGED $35.55 TO DIAGNOSE THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE WIRING ETAC OR RELAY PROBLEM NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY - COST OF REPAIR WOULD BE OVER $1000. NOW THE COVER TO THE PASSENGER DOOR KEY HOLE JUST CAME OFF PROBABLY DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE KEY PLAY NEEDED TO OPEN THE DOOR. I AM CONCERNED FOR SAFETY OF PASSENGERS GETTING STUCK IF THE DRIVER IS INCAPACITATED IN AN ACCIDENT AND CAN'T RUN AROUND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR WITH KEY IN HAND TO LET THEM OUT. RIGHT NOW CAR IS IN THE DEALERSHIP GETTING THE RECALLED RUSTED SUBFRAME REPLACED. IT WILL TAKE 1 WEEK TO GET THE PART. MEANWHILE, I AM WITH OUT CAR, THE DEALER WON'T PAY FOR RENTAL AND I DRIVE 72 MILES ROUND TRIP TO WORK . CAR LURCHES FORWARD OCCASIONALLY WITH HIGH WAY DRIVING, NOTED TO DEALER AT 89346 MILES - DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *TR