NHTSA Complaint #11153616 — 2010 KIA SEDONA

THERE IS NO WAY TO GET OUT OF THE TAILGATE ON THIS VEHICLE, AND NO WAY TO OPEN THE TAILGATE AT ALL. WHILE SITTING STILL, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE TAILGATE WILL NOT UNLOCK IN ANY OF THE THREE UNLOCKING MODES: USING THE REMOTE FOB, USING THE KEY IN THE DRIVERS DOOR, OR OPERATING THE UNLOCK SWITCH ON THE INTERIOR DRIVERS DOOR PANEL. THERE IS NO EXTERIOR KEY ACCESS ON THE TAILGATE, AND NO INTERIOR DOOR RELEASE OR UNLOCKING MECHANISM. THERE IS NO WAY TO GET INTO, OR OUT OF, THE TAILGATE WITHOUT REMOVING THE INTERIOR TAILGATE PANEL. INTERNET SEARCHES INDICATE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL. IS IT LEGAL TO HAVE NO ACCESS TO OPEN THE TAILGATE FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE? THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM IS NOW SILENT WHEN TRYING TO GET IT TO OPERATE, AND NO LONGER CLICKS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO UNLOCK IT. THE OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATES THE TAILGATE LOCK IS ON THE SAME FUSE AS THE REAR SLIDING DOORS, AND THEY CONTINUE TO UNLOCK AS NORMAL IN ALL THREE UNLOCKING MODES DESCRIBED ABOVE.