NHTSA Complaint #10379165 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

WHEN TAKEN TO A SPEED OVER 35 MPH FELT A DRIFT TO THE RIGHT IN THE STEERING. WHEN TAKEN TO HIGHER SPEEDS, IT BECAME PHYSICALLY NECESSARY TO HOLD STEERING WHEEL TIGHTLY IN ORDER TO KEEP VEHICLE FROM GOING TO THE RIGHT. STEERING SEEMED EXTREMELY TIGHT AND SOMEWHAT JERKY WHEN CORNERING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO GET A SMOOTH TURN. STEERING WHEEL DID NOT SIT STRAIGHT WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. FRONT WHEELS NOT POINTING AT SAME ANGLE WHEN PARKED. NOTICED ODOR AFTER DRIVING 15 MILES THAT CAN ONLY BE EXPLAINED AS A "BURNING BRAKES" ODOR. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER REPAIR DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT; HOWEVER, THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND WE WERE THEN TOLD THAT KIA WAS SAYING NEW TIRES WOULD FIX THIS KIA KNOWN ISSUE. THE TIRES WERE ORDERED AND PUT ON WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, BUT REPLACING THE TIRES DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. AT THIS TIME, WE WERE MADE AWARE THAT OUR LOAN HAD NOT ACTUALLY FUNDED YET, SO WE ASKED FOR A CONTRACT RECESSION DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE WAS A KNOWN, NON REPAIRABLE ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED CONTRACT RECESSION. WE WERE TOLD WE WOULD BE CONTACTED IF KIA CAME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE. WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR SHOP 2 DAYS LATER TELLING THEM TO CALL US WHEN IT WAS FIXED. KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE CALLED 2 DAYS AFTER WE DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF THE SECOND TIME TO LET US KNOW THAT NEW SPRINGS WERE NEEDED, HAD BEEN ORDERED, AND WOULD BE AT THE SHOP THE NEXT DAY. THAT WAS NEARLY A WEEK AGO AND WE HAVE YET TO HEAR FROM ANYONE ABOUT THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS NOW DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE IS PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD BE, EVEN THOUGH IT STILL DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT. TURNING TO THE RIGHT FEELS NORMAL, WHILE TURNING TO THE LEFT FEELS AS IF I AM FIGHTING TO KEEP THE WHEEL FROM SNAPPING BACK TOWARDS THE RIGHT. KIA WILL NOT LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM ANY FURTHER ON THIS VEHICLE.