NHTSA Complaint #10545234 — 2009 KIA SORENTO

RECENTLY BROUGHT MY 2009 KIA SORENTO TO THE DEALER ON 9/9/13. THE VEHICLE WAS BANGING INTO GEAR (WHETHER REVERSE OR DRIVE) AND IT WAS SLUGGISH WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE. IT WAS VERY SCARY TRYING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHILE CROSSING OVER ONCOMING TRAFFIC AS THE CAR WAS NOT GOING ANYWHERE WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SOMEHOW WAS NOT ON WHEN THEY TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE.THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEN SENT ME ON MY WAY WITH NO RECOMMENDATIONS. NOW A WEEK LATER, 9/17/13, I CALLED THE DEALER AND REPORTED THE SAME INCIDENT AS BEFORE. THEY TOLD ME TO DRIVE IT TO THEM AND KEEP THE CAR RUNNING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AGAIN. AS THE TECH AT THE DEALER TOOK POSSESSION OF MY VEHICLE, YOU CAN HEAR IT BANG INTO GEAR AND HEAR THE RPM'S RACING AS THEY DROVE FORWARD. THE TECH ADVISED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE CODES WERE STORED HISTORY CODES. THEY ARE TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THIS TIME KIA ADVISES TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. MEANWHILE, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED DECEMBER OF 2011. KIA STILL HAS MY TRUCK AS I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I HAVE A CALL INTO KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE REGIONAL OFFICE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FROM EARLY ON. I HAD BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULD TELL ME THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE MY PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR INTO GEAR, THERE IS A LOUD BANGING SOUND (SOUNDS LIKE YOU WERE REAR ENDED). THEN WHEN YOU APPLY THE GAS PEDAL TO GO FORWARD, THE CAR GOES NOWHERE. THE RPMS RACE AND YOU ARE BARELY MOVING. AT OTHER TIMES, WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN IN TRAFFIC OR ARE STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AND ATTEMPT TO DRIVE, YOU BARELY MOVE AS THE RPM'S ARE RACING. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE!! *JS