NHTSA Complaint #10884919 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

JUST WENT TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE PASSENGER DOOR OF MY KIA SORRENTO ONE DAY IN JAN. 2016, AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE AND DISENGAGED THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK, BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE $350 TO FIX IT. I WENT TO WORK A COUPLE WEEKS LATER AND CAME OUT TO GET IN MY CAR AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE WOULD NOT OPEN. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO GET IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND REACH OVER TO OPEN IT. I HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR 7 MO. NOW BECAUSE OF A LACK OF $700 TO FIX BOTH DOORS, AND LACK OF TIME! I AM TAKING IT IN TOMORROW TO GET THEM FIXED BECAUSE OUR DAUGHTER AND 3 GRANDCHILDREN ARE COMING THIS WEEKEND TO VISIT FOR 2 WEEKS. I BEGAN TO PANIC WHEN I REALIZED IF WE WERE IN A WRECK, NO ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET US OUT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, WHICH COULD BE THE ONLY AVAILABLE SIDE! MY HUSBAND CALLED KIA A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT THE SITUATION AND SOMEONE WAS SUPPOSED TO CALL HIM BACK, BUT THEY NEVER DID. I CALLED, BUT DID NOT HAVE THE VIN WITH ME AT THE TIME. I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT SO MANY OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO HELP US WITH THIS OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, YET I READ OR SAW SOMEWHERE SOMETHING ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY BEING A PRIORITY??? I JUST HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE A DEATH TO GET THEM TO ACT ON THIS! I'M DOING MY BEST TO BE SURE IT ISN'T ONE OF MY LOVED ONES, BUT DO EXPECT KIA TO "MAN UP" AND REIMBURSE US! TO ANSWER YOUR OTHER QUESTIONS...THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, PARKED, WAS TOLD IT WAS SOME MECHANISM INSIDE THE DOOR. I WILL BE ABLE TO UPLOAD A REPAIR INVOICE TOMORROW AFTER THE JOB IS COMPLETE. IN THIS CASE, THEY SAY THEY WILL USE GENUINE FACTORY PARTS, BUT I'M NOT SO SURE I WANT THEM TO!!! ARE WE FACING THE SAME "TRIP" AGAIN "DOWN THE ROAD?" ARE THESE PARTS GOING TO BE ANY BETTER??? THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN!