NHTSA Complaint #10971521 — 2007 KIA SORENTO

THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. I HAVE MADE EVERY ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE DOOR SHORT OF CUTTING THE INTERIOR PANEL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE NOT MENTION A MAJOR INCONVENIENCE. WHILE RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THIS LOCKING DOOR ISSUE SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MANY OWNERS AND SEVERAL KIA MODELS COVERING YEARS FROM 2004 TO 2011. THERE WERE THIRD PARTY REPORTS OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THE ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE OCCURRED AFTER RETURNING TO OUR VEHICLE AFTER SHOPPING AT LOWE'S. THE DOOR WORKED WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE STORE. WE HAD OPENED THE DOOR TO RETRIEVE AN ITEM TO RETURN TO THE STORE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVERS DOOR AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR LATCHES REPAIRED FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHERE THEY WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE DUE TO A PLASTIC PART BREAKING. IT HAPPENED A THIRD TIME ON THE DRIVERS DOOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND I FIXED IT WITH MY OWN, STRONGER HOME MADE PARTS. I HAVE A 1972 CHEVELLE AND A 1967 CAMARO AND THOSE, ORIGINAL, DOOR LATCHES WORK FLAWLESSLY. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS!