NHTSA Complaint #10649568 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

THE STRUTS ON MY BACK LIFT GATE ARE ALREADY WORN OUT ON A 2012 KIA SORENTO. I HAD A 2007 KIA SPORTAGE PRIOR TO THIS VEHICLE AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BACK STRUTS ON THE LIFT GATE. ON THE SPORTAGE THE GLASS OPENED SEPARATELY FROM THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE LIFT GATE. HOWEVER, THIS NEWER VEHICLE WORE OUT THE BACK LIFT GATE STRUTS IN JUST OVER 2 YEARS WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE BACK LIFT GATE IS NOT SEPARATED BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE GLASS SO THE ENTIRE BACK LIFT DOOR IS EXTREMELY HEAVY TO OPEN AND HOLD WITHOUT THE STRUTS TO KEEP THE TRUNK DOOR LIFTED AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HURT SMALL CHILDREN OR EVEN ADULTS WHO ARE NOT ANTICIPATING A SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE STRUTS ON A VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. AT THIS POINT, THE ENTIRE TRUNK AREA CANNOT BE USED UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED, BUT REPAIR SHOPS WANT OVER $500 TO FIX A PART THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE WORN OUT THIS QUICKLY TO BEGIN WITH. I WILL ATTEMPT SEEK REMEDY FROM KIA DIRECTLY, BUT WANTED TO BRING THE ISSUE UP IN CASE OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS FOR TREND ANALYSIS AND POTENTIAL RECALL. *TR