NHTSA Complaint #10317016 — 2008 KIA SPORTAGE

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) PURCHASED KIA SPORTAGE XL ON 5-22-2008 WITH ABS BRAKE SYSTEM; DURING THE SUBSEQUENT WINTER MONTH, I APPLIED BRAKES AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL STEERING; FRONT WHEELS APPEARED TO BE LOCKED IN STRAIGHT POSITION; CAR CONTINUED SKIDDING THROUGH INTERSECTION, DESPITE APPLICATION OF BRAKES. TOOK CAR IN TO KIA (ED NAPLETON) IN ELMHURST A COUPLE TIMES, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS A NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE ABS SYSTEM, AND I HAD TO INCREASE MY STOPPING LENGTH TO ENSURE I DIDN'T GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. IT IS LIKE GUESS WORK, BECAUSE SNOW IS DIFFERENT FROM ICE AND WATER, AND ONE NEVER KNOWS HOW THE SYSTEM WILL REACT OR HOW FAR YOU MUST APPLY BRAKES BEFORE GETTING TO INTERSECTION, TO GET THE EFFECT YOU NEED TO MAKE YOU FEELS SAFE AND ALLOW THE CAR TO STOP. I CALLED 18003334542 WHERE I WAS TOLD TO TAKE VEHICLE IN TO ED NAPLETON 18663528276 AND HAVE SYSTEM CHECKED; WHICH I DID A COUPLE TIMES, BUT AFTER A WHILE WAS TOLD I HAD TO GET ACCUSTOMED TO THE SYSTEM. STAFF AT 1-800 NUMBER ADVISED TO HAVE STAFF AT ED NAPLETON TEST DRIVE VEHICLE WITH ME & REPRODUCE MOTION/ACTION IN QUESTION, BUT THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE DURING THE WINTER, AND HAVE TRIED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS MUCH AS I CAN. I'VE HAD NIGHTMARES ABOUT ENDING UP AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY'S TRAUMA CENTER, WHICH IS SUBJECTIVE, BUT I'M NOT WORKING RIGHT NOW AND CAN'T WORK ON GETTING A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. DATES: 8-15-08 (JD POWER EVALUATION COMPLETED); 12-1-08 8AM (CAR IN FOR BRAKE CHECK); 12-3-01 (AGAIN); 12-10-10 CALLED 1800 NUMBER RE: BRAKES; 12-12-10 CALLED 1-866 TO GET APPT & HAVE BRAKES CHECKED AGAIN 3-7-09 TOOK CAR IN FOR OIL CHANGE, SPOKE TO GLENN J MUNGO RE: BRAKE EFFECT, REPEATED SAME THINGS OTHERS DID (THAT IT WAS A NORMAL RESPONSE TO PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL). CASE # [XXX] *TR