NHTSA Complaint #10702345 — 2004 KIA OPTIMA

ALMOST DIED IN AN ACCIDENT TATE KIA DID NOT ALLOW ME TO LEAVE THE THROUGH MY DOOR. I WAS HIT ONE MY PASSENGER SIDE NOT ALLOWING MY ESCAPE THROUGH THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND I NEEDED TO CRAWL THROUGH TO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE TO ESCAPE. MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTIONED BECAUSE OF WEAR ON A COMMONLY KNOW PART. THIS SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR CONSIDERING MY 1967 CAMERO STILL HAS FUNCTIONING LOCKS AND 50 YRS OLDER. I SEE NOT REASON AS TO WHY A 11 YR OLD VEHICLE HAS NON FUNCTIONING LOCKING EQUIPMENT AND I HAVE OWNED VARIOUS OTHER CARS WITHOUT A PROBLEM LIKE THIS MALFUNCTION THAT SEEMS ONLY TOO OBVIOUS OF AN AMERICAN SAFETY CONCERN. THIS SEEMS LIKE A MANDATORY RECALL FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF A VEHICLE TO BE ABLE TO EVEN "GET IN" OR "GET OUT" OF THE CAR. SIMPLE CONCEPT! WON'T EVEN BE ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE IF I CAN'T GET IN IT OR SLEEP IN MY APARTMENT IF I CAN'T GET OUT OF IT. HUH? THE WEB IS FULL OF THESE COMPLAINTS AND NEAR LIFE DISASTERS BECAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT PEOPLE WANT RESOLUTION INCLUDING MYSELF! IF THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND THEY HAVE REGULAR JOBS NO SLATED TO THE TASK OF HIGHWAY SAFETY. HOW IS IT THAT YOUR AGENCY SLATED WITH THE TASK OF THIS IMPORTANT JOB HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE HAS NOW SPAN SEVERAL YEARS OF THESE VEHICLES AND VARIOUS MODELS. SEEMS TO ME THAT SOMEONE, REFERRING TO YOUR AGENCY IS NOT DOING THEIR JOB VERY WELL AT ALL AND NEEDS TO WAKE UP CONCERNING THIS ISSUE WITH THE KIA MANUFACTURER TO FIX THIS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. GET TO ITS BOYS AND GIRLS AND GET THIS DONE, BECAUSE FAMILIES DEPEND ON YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR WELL BEING. SCENARIO: CAR STARTS ON FIRE.......CAN'T OPEN DOOR....DEAD.......A DUH!!!!!!!! MAKE SENSE? YEAH! GOOD! THEY HAVE CREATED A DEATH TRAP. FIX IT!!!!!! *TR