NHTSA Complaint #10485078 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

THE LEVER TO FOLD DOWN THE SECOND ROW SEAT GETS STUCK. IT IS SO HARD TO OPERATE SOMETIMES THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH FORCE YOU USE THE SEAT BACK LEVER WILL NOT RELEASE. AFTER SERVICING IT 3 TIMES THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THEY FIXED IT EACH TIME, BUT THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM IS STILL PRESENT. THEY SAY THE GEAR THAT HOLDS THE SEAT IN PLACE HAS VERY SHARP TEETH AND WAS NOT MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. THEY SAY MANY KIA SORRENTOS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO WIGGLE THE SEAT BACK AS YOU TRY THE RELEASE LEVER. THE SAFETY CONCERN IS IF YOU HAVE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY THE SECOND ROW SEAT IN THE UP POSITION WOULD PROHIBIT THE BACK SEAT PASSENGERS FROM ESCAPE. THE SEAT IN THE DOWN POSITION WOULD IMPEED THE TWO SECOND ROW PASSENGERS FROM EXITING THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR. *TR