NHTSA Complaint #10967262 — 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID

THE ORANGE SQUARE WRENCH LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON BUT AS SOON AS THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF WOULD GO AWAY. NO TROUBLE CODES SHOWED UP. IT HAPPENED 3 TIMES IN A WEEK SO ONCE IT POPPED ON, WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE WHILE IT WAS STILL RUNNING. WHILE DRIVING THERE, THE CAR HAD VERY LITTLE POWER-MAKING THE LEFT TURN INTO THE DEALERSHIP (CROSSING HEAVY ONCOMING TRAFFIC) WAS SCARY SINCE THE GAS PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WAS BARELY MOVING. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE DRIVE MOTOR TEMP SENSOR IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM WAS GOING OUT AND THE CAR WAS IN SAFE MODE AND HAD CODE P0A2B IN THE HISTORY. BECAUSE I AM THE 2ND OWNER OF THE CAR, KIA WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS UNDER 100,000 MILES. THEY DESIGNED THIS PART SO THE SENSOR CANNOT BE REPLACED-THE ENTIRE DRIVE MOTOR MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $6251. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT A CUSTOMER CAN BE LEFT FOOTING THE BILL FOR A FAULTY AND UNSAFE DESIGN. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT A OWNER HAS ANY CONTROL OVER.