NHTSA Complaint #10577951 — 2005 KIA SORENTO

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: ON THURSDAY APRIL 3, 2014, I BROUGHT MY KIA IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED AND ROTTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH, TO THE POINT THAT THE LEFT BRACKET THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE WELDED ONTO THE FRAME OF THE CAR WAS LITERALLY RUSTED OFF AND HANGING. I WAS TOLD THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR UP WAS A SHOCK. I WAS THEN TOLD IT WOULD BE $1700.00 TO REPLACE. I MADE A CALL TO KIA HEADQUARTERS IN CALIFORNIA AND FILED A COMPLAINT, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN, HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, THE CAR WAS MADE WITH CHEAP METAL. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMETHING KIA DID NOT MANUFACTURE PROPERLY. KIA DENIED FAULT AND STATED THEY WOULD NOT HELP PAY OR TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A STEERING PUMP NEEDING TO BE FIXED, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN ENTIRE REAR END OF A CAR RUSTING AND ROTTING AWAY IN 9 YEARS. THIS VEHICLE WS MANUFACTURED WITH VERY INEXPENSIVE CHEAP METAL. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY. THIS MORNING I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM CROWLEY KIA STATING THAT THEY DID REPLACE THE REAR AXLE, HOWEVER WHEN THEY WENT TO CONNECT IT TO THE E BRAKE SYSTEM THE BRACKETS FOR THAT WERE MANUFACTURED WRONG BY KIA AND THAT THEY WERE PUT ON BACKWARDS. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? THIS CAR WAS MADE CHEAPLY, AND I THINK ITS A LEMON. I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE I HAVE ALSO SEEN ON SOME KIA FORUMS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. WHAT IF I WERE DRIVING WITH MY 7 YR TWIN GIRLS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE WHOLE REAR END JUST FELL OFF. WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT POSSIBLY A VERY TRAGIC SITUATION. FORGET THE WARRANTY, LOOK AT THE MANUFACTURING SIDE OF IT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR