NHTSA Complaint #10364176 — 2001 KIA OPTIMA

MY 2001 KIA OPTIMA WITH 102,350 MILES STARTED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, BUT THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE SUB FRAME HAS RUSTED BADLY. THE BOLTS CONNECTING THE PASSENGER WHEEL MOUNT TO THE SUB FRAME WAS LOOSE DUE TO THE RUST IN THE SUB FRAME. MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 09V183000. I CALLED KIA AND ASKED ABOUT THE RECALL. KIA TOLD ME THAT MY CAR DID NOW QUALIFY, BECAUSE MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DATABASE. KIA SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO WORK SOME KIND OF REPAIR AGREEMENT. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. A DAY LATER, THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE OBVIOUS DEFECT, BECAUSE KIA WON'T DO ANYTHING. THE ESTIMATE TO REPAIR THE SUB FRAME WAS $1300 AND 5 BUSINESS DAYS AT THE DEALER. I'M HAVING THE CAR REPAIRED, BECAUSE IT IS MY SOLE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION. I'M ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED AT KIA AND THEIR DEALERS FOR NOT RECOGNIZING THE RECALL. IT LOOKS LIKE KIA AND THEIR DEALERS WILL ONLY ACT IF NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 09V183000 IS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MY VIN. MY VIN: [XXX] IF YOU CAN, PLEASE ADD MY VIN TO THE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR