NHTSA Complaint #10537246 — 2012 KIA SOUL

SAT. 8-24-13, AROUND 3:20 PM, I WENT OUT TO MY 2012 KIA SOUL PARKED ON THE STREET, IN PART-SHADE, IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OF CENTERVILLE, OH. THE WINDOWS WERE CRACKED, AND THE TEMP OUTSIDE WAS IN THE MID-80'S. I OPENED MY FRONT DOOR & PUT IN MY BEACH BAG. I THEN OPENED THE BACK DOOR, AND CLOSED THE FRONT DOOR, WHEN I HEARD A 'BOOM'. THE BACK GLASS ON THE HATCH BACK EXPLODED FROM THE MIDDLE & LACED EVERYWHERE ELSE, LEAVING A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE ABOUT 2 FEET WIDE. EVERYONE AT THE SCENE STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN A WINDOW BREAK IN THAT WAY, FROM HEAT OR WHATEVER, AND IT WAS THEIR FEELING THAT IT HAD TO BE A 'DEFECT' IN THE GLASS. I WASN'T QUITE SURE WHAT TO DO, SO I CALLED 411 INFORMATION & ASKED FOR THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN CENTERVILLE. THEY GAVE ME THE NUMBER TO THE DEALERSHIP IN HUBER HEIGHTS. I SPOKE TO THE GM, WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE & I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. KIA HAS A 60,000 MILE, BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY, THAT IS BOASTED ABOUT AS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE INDUSTRY. I FIGURED WITH IT BEING A FLUKE, AND NOT LIKE BRAKES OR TIRES THAT HAD NORMAL WEAR & TEAR, THAT IT WOULD OF COURSE BE COVERED. THE GM PROCEEDED TO TELL ME THAT IT WASN'T, AND THAT THEY COULDN'T HELP ME BUT THAT I COULD BRING IT IN ON MONDAY, AS THE SERVICE CENTER WAS CLOSED AT THIS TIME. I ASKED IF HE COULD GIVE ME THE NUMBER TO THE CENTERVILLE DEALERSHIP, AS THEY GAVE ME THE WRONG NUMBER. HE STATED THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE THEIR NUMBER & THAT IT WASN'T CONVENIENT FOR HIM TO GET IT EITHER. I STATED THAT IT WAS LESS CONVENIENT FOR ME, AS I WAS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE STILL REFUSED TO HELP ME IN ANY WAY GET THE NUMBER TO THE OTHER DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR. THE BACK WINDOW WILL COST ANYWHERE FROM $265 - $440 TO REPLACE. WOW !! *TR