NHTSA Complaint #10410115 — 2010 KIA SOUL

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2010 KIA SOUL, PURCHASED IN JULY 2009. IMMEDIATELY NOTICED WITH THE SLIGHTEST MOISTURE ON ROAD, CAR COULD BARELY HANDLE AT LOW SPEEDS AND THE TRACTION LIGHT AND LOW AIR PRESSURE LIGHT CONSISTENTLY CAME ON AND OFF. WAS TOLD IT WAS "NOT A PROBLEM" BY DEALER AND WOULD WEAR OFF. MY CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A LOW SPEED ACCIDENT WHICH SIDE SWEPT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR AT A SPEED OF APPX 10 MPH AND DROVE THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL INTO CURB. CAR HAD PASSENGER SIDE BODY DAMAGE AND SOME HEAVY SCUFFING TO THREE WHEELS WHICH BODY SHOP REPAIRED. IN OCTOBER OF 2010, CLIPPED CURB TRAVELING AT APPX 20 MPH. SEVERE DAMAGE TO BOTH RIGHT SIDE WHEELS, HAD TO REPLACE THEM AS WELL AS CONTROL ARM WHICH SEEMED TO BE RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF DAMAGE FOR SUCH A SMALL INCIDENT HOWEVER HAD REPAIRS AND ALIGNMENT DONE, ALIGNMENT COULDN'T BE DONE TO SPECS, SUGGESTED I TAKE TO DEALER. TOOK CAR INTO DEALER FOR ALLIGNMENT AND TO HAVE SOUND IN FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WELL INVESTIGATED. DEALER STATED REAR TOE OF CAR WAS "OUT" NEED TO HAVE A BODY SHOP LOOK AT IT. BACK TO BODY SHOP WHICH REVEALED ENTIRE REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THAT FRONT WHEEL BEARING BLOWN. HAD AXLE REPLACED TOOK TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AND ANOTHER ALLIGNMENT, REAR OF CAR WOULD NOT ALIGN TO SPECS. BOTH DEALERSHIP AND BODY SHOP STATES THAT EITHER THE ORIGINAL SPECS FOR CAR WERE WRONG OR PERHAPS EITHER THE ORIGINAL AXLE OR THE REPLACEMENT AXLE FROM KIA WAS BUILT OUT OF SPECS. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A LIGHTLY DRIVEN CAR IN TOWN ONLY INVOLVED IN TWO VERY MINOR ACCIDENTS AND THERE IS THIS SIGNIFICANT, EXPENSIVE DAMAGE ONLY TO BE TOLD IT MAY HAVE NEVER BEEN RIGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE? I'VE SEEN MANY MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUSPENSION AND LOW PROFILE TIRES ON INTERNET, THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH REPORTING. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. *TR