NHTSA Complaint #10503985 — 2007 KIA SORENTO

IN FEBRUARY OF 2012 I TOOK MY 2007 KIA SORENTO INTO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP BECAUSE MY "ESC OFF" LIGHT KEPT COMING ON WHEN I WOULD MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN. THE STEERING SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS GROANING AS I WAS IN THESE TURNS. WHEN THEY READ THE CODE IT CAME UP AS "P1739 ENCODE FAULT", WHICH ON MY PAPERWORK STATES CAN SIGNAL A COMMUNICATION ERROR. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR WAS SEIZING UP AND CAUSING THE ISSUE. THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME. ON MARCH 11TH AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE ENGINE SORT OF LOST POWER. I DROVE ON, TRIED TO TURN THE LIGHT OFF TO NO AVAIL. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE, I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. I TURNED THE ENGINE BACK ON AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN SIX DAYS LATER, ONCE AGAIN AT HIGHWAY SPEED. BOTH TIMES I HAD CRUISE CONTROL ON. BOTH TIMES THE ENGINE REACTED STRANGELY WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON. AS BEFORE, WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN BACK ON, THE LIGHT WENT OFF. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN ON 3/21/13 AND ONCE AGAIN THE TRANSFER CASE MOTOR WAS THE ISSUE. THIS TIME IT HAD AN INTERNAL OPEN CIRCUIT. TRANSFER CASE MOTOR HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AGAIN. PART HAS A 12 MOS OR 12,000 MILE WARRANTY. FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED AT 52,870 MILES AND SECOND INCIDENT AT 62,173 MILES. THIS PART FAILED AT LESS THAN 10,000 MILES, BUT OVER 12 MONTHS. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES THAT HAS NOT ENDED UP IN A CRASH. DEFINITELY SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS AT 75-80 MPH. *TR