NHTSA Complaint #10415181 — 2005 KIA SORENTO

ON 6-14-2011 I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 KIA SORENTO JUST TURNING ONTO MY STREET WHEN IT SUDDENLY LOST ITS POWER STEERING AND THE POWER BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. I MANAGED TO DRIVE IT A FEW FEET TO MY DRIVEWAY TO INSPECT MY CAR AND NOTICED A BIG SILVER BOLT-LIKE PIECE OF METAL APPROXIMATELY 4" LONG DANGLING BENEATH THE RADIATOR AND TOOK IT INSIDE AND CALLED MY HUSBAND. WHEN HE CAME HOME HE LOOKED AT THE CAR AND CHECKED ONLINE TO TRY AND SEE WHAT MAY BE WRONG WITH IT AND DISCOVERED IT MAY BE THE CRANK SHAFT PULLEY BOLT AND CALLED THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE MAN AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FELT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE BUT MY HUSBAND SAID THAT HE HAD WAS HOLDING THE BOLT IN HIS HAND. NONETHELESS I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. THE SOONEST THEY COULD GET ME IN WAS 6-29-2011, 15 DAYS LATER. I AM EMPLOYED AS A PHYSICIAN EXTENDER AM HAD TO WORK THE WEEKEND (JUNE 18TH AND 19TH), THEREFORE, I HAD TO RENT A CAR FOR THAT WEEKEND AS WE HAVE NO WEEKEND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICE IN OUR LOCATION WHICH COST ME $177.00. MY CAR THEN HAD TO BE TOWED ON THE MORNING OF 6-28-2011 TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE ON 6-29-2011 AT A COST OF $65.00. THEN THEY WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY HONORING MY WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND MY NAME BUT I HAD SINCE MARRIED BUT SINCE IT WAS NOT CHANGED ON THE WARRANTY THEY DID NOT REPAIR THE CAR. I HAD TO CONTACT KIA CORPORATE AND THE PERSON THERE TOLD ME IT COULD TAKE UP TO 2 WEEKS TO MAKE THE CHANGE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNTIL THEN AND THEY COULD ONLY GIVE ME A DISCOUNT ON A RENTAL CAR IN THE MEANTIME. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY FAX (NOT EMAIL) DOCUMENTATION OF SALE. I HAD PAID CASH FOR THE BRAND NEW VEHICLE AT THE TIME. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WHICH I BOUGHT THE CAR ONLY KEEPS SALES RECORDS FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS. THE CORPORATE PERSON THAT I WAS SPEAKING WITH WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE INFORMATION ON HIS END DUE TO A "GLITCH". THEY FIXED THE CAR AND CHARGED ME $170.00 ADDITIONAL FOR REPAIRS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. *TR