NHTSA Complaint #11013930 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE COMPLETELY FELL OFF IN MY HAND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR TO GET MY GRANDCHILD OUT OF THE CAR. THE CAR HANDLED WAS DEFECTIVE AND MY GRANDCHILD REMAINED IN A CAR IN EXTREME HEAT WHILE I TRIED TO GET INTO THE CAR ANOTHER WAY. I CRAWLED OVER THE DRIVER'S SET AND PUSHED THE DOOR OPEN FROM THE INSIDE TO BE ABLE TO PULL THE CHILD OUT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO CRAWL AROUND IN MY CAR TO GET A MINOR OUT OF IT. NOR SHOULD ANYONE BE EXPOSED TO TEXAS HEAT FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME DUE TO CAR FAILURE. CALLED KIA CUSTOMER CENTER AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE CAR TO BE EVALUATED AT A DEALERSHIP NEAR ME - THEY CHOSE. THE SERVICE AREA DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT THE CAR -- SAW THE CAR HANDLE I BROUGHT IN AND SAID 'WELL WHY YOU BRINGING IT IN. IT'S BROKE. I CAN TELL THAT BY LOOKING AT IT." HE SAID HE WOULD OPEN A WORK ORDER THAT DAY. NO RESPONSE, I CALLED KIA AND THEY CALLED THIS PERSON WHO SAID HE WAS JUST THEN WRITING UP THE ORDER. WEEKS LATER I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND I WAS TOLD THAT SOME SALES MANAGER (NO NAME, WOULD NOT PROVIDE PHONE NUMBER) HAD DENIED COVERING THE REPAIR OF THE PART. I TOLD THE KIA SERVICE TO APPEAL IT -- THIS PLASTIC PART IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR. FOR 6 YEARS, THIS CAR HAS BEEN USED BY ME EXCLUSIVELY M-F TO AN FROM WORK. ONCE IN AWHILE ON THE WEEKENDS, I TAKE A GRANDCHILD TO AN EVENT OR SOMETIMES I HAVE CARRIED HUSBAND TO YMCA.. IF THE PART FAILED DUE TO USE, THE DRIVERS SIDE HANDLE SHOULD HAVE FAILED. I LOOKED ONLINE AFTER LEARNING FROM KIA THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I SAW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN THE SAME SITUATION I WAS IN - WARRANTY DIDN'T COVER IT SINCE IT WAS OVER 70,000 MILES. THE 'FIX' REPAIR IS OVER $500. I SAW THAT A CLASS ACTION IS BEING DISCUSSED. SINCE IT IS ALWAYS THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE THAT FAILS FOR 2011 KIA, IT IS OBVIOUSLY DUE TO KIA USING A SUBSTANDARD PART.