NHTSA Complaint #11280461 — 2007 KIA SPORTAGE

MY 07 SPORTAGE HAD DEVELOPED A MYSTERIOUS CREAK NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AND GOING OVER BATCHES AND BUMPS(WHICH I IGNORED). THIS PROGRESSED INTO A RATHER LOUD CLUNK GOING OVER BUMPS THAT YOU COULD ALSO FEEL IN THE FLOORBOARDS. THIS PROMPTED ME TO TAKE A LOOK SEE AS TO THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE. TURNS OUT, THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE REAR CHASSIS CROSSMEMBER THAT MOUNTS THE UPPER TRAILING ARMS FOR THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY HAD ROTTEN CLEAN THROUGH AND THE MOUNTING ARM ON THE RIGHT SIDE HAD BROKEN FREE. HERE YOU CAN SEE THE REMNANTS OF THE CROSSMEMBER AND MOUNTING BRACKET STILL BOLTED TO THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY; THE DAMAGE WAS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CROSSMEMBER INCLUDING THE FUEL TANK MOUNT AND NOTE THE LEFT SIDE TRAILING ARM MOUNT WAS NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM BREAKING OFF AS WELL. THE FRAME WAS ALSO ROTTED DOWN BY THE RIGHT REAR LOWER TRAILING ARM MOUNT. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE HAD A RECALL ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO FOR UNDERCOATING, I TOOK IT TO THE KIA DEALER IN YONKERS, NEW YORK AND I AM SURE THEY SAW THIS ROTTEN DAMAGE AND DID NOTHING ABOUT IT PUTTING MY FAMILY AND MYSELF IN DANGER. I COULD HAVE GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES. IT LOOKS LIKE THE FRAME AND COMPONENTS ARE OF CHEAP QUALITY