NHTSA Complaint #11366977 — 2020 KIA SORENTO

WE PURCHASED THE 2020 SORRENTO V6 WITH THE 8 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN ERRATIC SHIFT WHEN IT WAS COLD. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION IN IT. FOUND OUT WHEN I PICK UP THE VEHICLE UP THAT THEY IN FACT INSTALLED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE NOW HAS 1100 MILES ON IT. PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK AND THE DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT A KAI REP WAS GOING TO COME OUT AND LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE DID HE LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT. THE KIA REP THEN DROVE ANOTHER SORRENTO ON THE LOT AND REPORTED BACK THAT MY SORRENTO WAS 'OPERATING AS DESIGNED'. I ALSO DROVE TWO OTHER V6 8 SPEED SORRENTO'S THAT WERE ON THE LOT AND THEY WERE BOTH HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IN MY 45 YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION BEHAVE LIKE THIS UNLESS THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH IT. I HAVE ESCALATED THE ISSUE TO THE KIA CUSTOMER CARE CENTER (800) 333-4542. THE CUSTOMER CARE CENTER ARE LIKE LEMMINGS AND ONLY READ BACK TO ME WHAT THE DEALERSHIP AND SO CALLED EXPERT ENTERED IN TO THE SYSTEM. I WAS ADVISED BY THE CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE THAT IF I WANTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF I COULD DO SO AND IF KIA DID PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN OR RECALL I COULD BE REIMBURSED FOR MY EXPENSES.