NHTSA Complaint #10564535 — 2009 KIA SPECTRA

WHILE PULLING MY CAR OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, I DROVE FORWARD AT A LOW SPEED AND HEARD A SWOOSHING SOUND OF WATER FROM BEHIND THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE GLOVE BOX AREA. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THE SOUND BECAME WORSE. I TOOK MY CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED KIA DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED IT TO BE A CLOGGED DRAIN HOSE FOR THE HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS WAS TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD AND REPAIR/REPLACE DRAIN HOSE AT A COST OF $900 INCLUDING PARTS, LABOR, AND TAX. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS MATTER, I DISCOVERED THIS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. I'M SURPRISED THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON BEHALF OF KIA MOTOR CORPORATION. KIA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE IF THEY WANT REPEAT CUSTOMERS IN THE FUTURE. *TR