NHTSA Complaint #10370509 — 2004 KIA OPTIMA

I WAS COMMUTING. I GAVE MY CAR REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS. THEN THE ENGINE COILS WENT OUT. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER FORTY. REPLACED THAT. HEARD FUNNY NOISES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS AT 70K AT THIS POINT. THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY SAID TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AT 110K. SO I DECIDED TO HOLD OFF AS THAT PROBABLY WASN'T THE PROBLEM AND A MANUFACTURER WOULDN'T LIE TO ME AS THEY ARE REGULATED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THEN I AM DRIVING AND THE CAR DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION. I GET THE CAR TOWED. THE TIMING BELT IS CHANGED AND THERE ARE HALF THE TEETH LEFT ON THE TIMING BELT. HOW IS THE CAR STILL RUNNING YOU MAY ASK? IT IS A MAGICAL CAR AND IS LIKE THE LITTLE TRAIN THAT COULD. THEN I AM DRIVING ON A BUSY SCARY MOUNTAINOUS HIGHWAY AND THE CAR DIES AGAIN AT A BLIND CORNER. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF CARS THAT WANT TO HIT ME. THE CAR TURNS BACK ON. THE FEAR FOR MY LIFE AND THOSE AROUND ME HAS SUBSIDED FOR A MOMENT. THE CAR IS ABLE TO TURN BACK ON... SOMEHOW. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. THE CRANK SENSOR IS THE PROBLEM. THE CRANK SENSOR WAS THEN FIXED. THIS CAR IS A HAZARD TO HAVE ON THE ROAD. THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS ALSO BEEN ON FOR A YEAR AND WON'T GO OFF. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE COILS, DOOR LOCKS, TRUNK ALIGNMENTS AND PROBABLY SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MADE ME FEAR FOR MY LIFE. THE SPEEDOMETER ALSO BROKE AND SAID I WAS GOING 0 MPH WHEN IT WAS REALLY 80 MPH. AS OF RIGHT NOW THE CAR IS RUNNING OKAY. I EXPECT BY NEXT OCTOBER THAT SOMETHING WILL GO WRONG AS THAT IS THE MONTH THAT EVERYTHING DOES WITH THIS CAR. *TR