NHTSA Complaint #11267265 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

MY WINDSHIELD-WASHING SYSTEM IS NOT SPRAYING WATER ONTO EITHER THE WINDSHIELD OR THE REAR WINDOW. THE DEALER HAS ADVISED ME THAT THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE ORIGINAL MESH IN THE PUMP FILTER SCREEN IS SO FINE THAT IT BECOMES CLOGGED BY WASHER FLUID. A NEW, COARSER MESH IS AVAILABLE, AT A REPLACEMENT COST TO ME OF APPROXIMATELY $185. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM. THE PART IS NOT DEFECTIVE, BROKEN, OR WORN-OUT. INSTEAD, IT WAS NOT SUITED TO CARRYING OUT ITS PURPOSE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IN OTHER WORDS, THE SITUATION IS CLEARLY THE RESULT OF FAULTY DESIGN. I CAN TELL YOU FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT THE INABILITY TO CLEAN MY WINDSHIELD ON-THE-MOVE WHEN NECESSARY IS WITHOUT QUESTION A SAFETY CONCERN. IT IS PARTICULARLY ACUTE AT NIGHT, BUT IT IS ALSO A PROBLEM AT OTHER TIMES. FOR THE MOMENT, I MUST CARRY CLEANING SUPPLIES AND MUST SOMETIMES STOP THE VEHICLE TO CLEAN THE GLASS SO THAT I MAY SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THIS TOO ENTAILS THE RISK OF BEING STRUCK IF, FOR EXAMPLE, I AM ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. I CAN AFFORD TO REPLACE THE SCREEN. BUT MANY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO SO. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF PROBLEM THAT SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL.