NHTSA Complaint #10690660 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

CAR BEGAN TO ACT LIKE IT DID NOT WANT TO CRANK. ONCE I GOT TO DESTINATION, RADIO WENT OFF FIRST, THEN EVERYTHING STARTED DIMMING, THEN IT SHUT OFF. TRIED TO JUMP IT OFF, GOT IT DOWN THE ROAD 1/2 A MILE THEN SHUT OFF AGAIN. TOOK BATTERY OUT AND TRIED TO CHARGE IT BUT IT WAS DEAD. BOUGHT ANOTHER FULLY CHARGED BATTERY, DROVE THE CAR HOME. TRIED TO CRANK NEXT MORNING, WOULDN'T CRANK AGAIN. CHARGED IT UP TOOK IT TO 2 DIFFERENT PLACES..IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR. ACCORDING TO A SERVICE BULLETIN #SA061, THERE WAS AN ISSUE WHERE THE BATTERY LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED CAUSING THE ALTERNATORS NOT TO CHARGE. THIS WAS THE SAME ISSUE MINE WAS DOING..THE BATTERY LIGHT WAS SHOWING BUT I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE ALTERNATOR. THIS IS THIRD BATTERY IN 3 YEARS FOR THIS CAR! AFTER LOOKING AROUND EVERYWHERE WITH NO ALTERNATORS IN STOCK AND NO ONE KNOWING HOW TO RE-BUILD THEM, THE KIA DEALERSHIP WANTED TO CHARGE ME $443 FOR AN ALTERNATOR AND ANOTHER $300 TO PUT IT IN! NOT TO MENTION I WOULD HAVE TO PROBABLY TOW IT OVER THERE! THAT IS CRAZY! THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR! MY SUNROOF, BACK-UP CAMERA, RIGHT FRONT LIGHT, RADIO KNOB HAS FELL OFF, PASSENGER HEAD REST HAS FELL OFF, OIL PAN SEAL ISSUES....LIST GOES ON AND ON! IT IS RIDICULOUS! THIS SERVICE BULLETIN COVERED DATES 07/12/10 - 09/18/10. MY ALTERNATOR WAS BUILT IN 10/04/10. WOW,,,,IT MIRACULOUSLY GOT FIXED!! THERE WAS NOOOO WAY!!! THE SAME ISSUE IS HAPPENING TO MINE!!! BUT...KIA WANTS ME TO PAY FOR IT!!! IT IS INSANE!!! I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE OUT OF THIS VEHICLE FROM DAY 1. *JS