NHTSA Complaint #10395422 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT BUT A REPORT OF DEFECTIVE KIA SORENTO. WE PURCHASED AN LX V6 SORENTO ON APRIL 3RD. CAR WAS SOLD AS NEW WITH 250 MILES ON IT (WE WERE TOLD THAT MILEAGE WAS RESULT OF TEST DRIVING WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE UNTRUE). WITHIN 17 HOURS AND WITHIN 25 MILES AND ONLY THE 2ND TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CAR, WE EXPERIENCED SEVERE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES TOTAL OF DRIVING (ACTUALLY FIVE MINUTES AFTER HAVING PARKED TO PICK UP KIDS) AND AFTER 1 RED LIGHT, THE CAR STALLED AND THEN LURCHED FORWARD VIOLENTLY, REPEATEDLY. IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE CAR HOME AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO BACK UP INTO THE GARAGE FOUND THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED DEALER AND SALESPERSON CAME TO HOME AND OBSERVED PROBLEM, THEREAFTER TAKING CAR TO SERVICE. ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP, SERVICE CLAIMED THAT PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY COMPUTER AND WAS FIXED. WE RETURNED THE CAR WITHIN 17 HOURS OF PURCHASE AND REFUSED TO TAKE IT BACK. AFTER MUCH WRANGLING (AND DENIAL BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT HAD EVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM), CAR WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER NEW CAR. WE HAVE NOT OBSERVED PROBLEM IN NEW CAR BUT FROM COMPLAINTS, I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED. PROBLEM IS AN IMMEDIATE AND SERIOUS THREAT TO SAFETY HAZARD. IT IS MY HOPE THAT NHTSA WILL ACT IMMEDIATELY. I HAD TWO CHILDREN IN CAR AT TIME AND ON MY WAY TO PICK UP 4 MORE. HAD THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A FREEWAY OR CONDITIONS WHERE THERE WERE MANY ON THE ROAD, I BELIEVE THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN DIRE. *TR