NHTSA Complaint #10463360 — 2011 KIA OPTIMA

SOMETIME AROUND JUNE 4, ON AN EXPRESSWAY AT 70 MPH, IT FELT LIKE I HAD HIT SOMETHING. THERE WAS A VIOLENT SLAM IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY TO SEE IF I HAD HIT SOMETHING. AFTER SEEING THAT I HAD NOT HIT ANYTHING, I GOT BACK IN THE CAR TO GET BACK ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CAR WOULD HARDLY MOVE AS THOUGH IT WERE STARTING OFF IN A HIGH GEAR. I DROVE TOWARD THE NEXT EXIT AT 55 MPH AT AROUND 3500 RPM AND IT FELT AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE NEVER SHIFTED GEARS. WHEN I GOT OFF THE NEXT EXIT TO RETURN HOME, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SHIFT INTO LOW, IT STAYED IN A HIGH GEAR. I DROVE HOME IN ONE GEAR AND GOT HOME TO BACK INTO THE GARAGE, AND WHEN I SHIFTED THE CAR INTO REVERSE, IT SLAMMED INTO GEAR. I PARKED AND WENT INSIDE FOR THE EVENING INTENT ON GETTING THE DEALER TO SEND A WRECKER FOR THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING. I GOT UP THE NEXT MORNING TO SEE IF THE CAR WAS STILL ACTING THE SAME WAY. I STARTED THE CAR UP AND IT DROVE PERFECT, SHIFTING THROUGH ALL OF THE GEARS AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BEHAVE. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SUPPOSEDLY FOUND THE PROBLEM AND WE LEFT WITH OUR "REPAIRED" VEHICLE. ON JUNE 26, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT 50 MPH ON A SURFACE STREET, THE SAME "SLAM" HAPPENED IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR, FRIGHTENING MY WIFE. SHE THEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, STOPPED THE CAR, AND SHUT IT OFF. SHE RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT SHIFT AS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO. SHE CAME BACK HOME, PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND CALLED THE DEALER. SHE STARTED THE CAR ON JUNE 27 TO GO TO THE DEALER, WENT DOWN THE ROAD APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES AND THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED. SHE PULLED OVER, RESTARTED THE CAR AND DROVE TO THE DEALER. THEY NOW HAVE THE CAR AND SAY THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT 12000 MILES. *TR