NHTSA Complaint #707178 — 1996 KIA SEPHIA

THE FIRST MONTH I HAD CAR THE IGNITION/STEERING LOCKED AND NEEDED TOWING BY KIA-NOTHING CHARGED TO ME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON AND STAYING ON SHORTLY AFTER 'REPAIR' EVER SINCE I BOUGHT CAR 3-28-1998. I JUST GOT "RUN-AROUND' FROM WESTERN DIVERSIFIED/KIA AND INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP OVER AXLES. KIA TOLD ME NOTHING COVERED AFTER 36,000 MI.. AFTER I THOUGHT I COULD SEND IN BILL FOR AXLES TO EXTENDED WARRANTY INSTEAD OF CALLING AT THE TIME (MALE CHAUVINIST MECHANIC) AND AFTER WESTERN DIVERSIFIED SEEMINLY INDICATED AXLES PART OF ROUTINE MAINTENANCE (CV BOOT-DIDN'T KNOW WERE GOING BAD) AND I COULDN'T AFFORD $200-300 FOR DEALER TO CHECK CAR EARLIER-- DEALERS AND KIA THEN SAY I HAVE 5/60 WARRANTY ON ENGINE/TRANS AND NOW WON'T COVER AXLES BECAUSE OF INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOUCHING CAR AND HE WON'T BACK UP HIS 'WARRANTY'. I JUST STARTED FULL-TIME WORK NOT AS A TEMP (BUT TERM) WITH CO I WORKED 5 1/2 YRS BEFORE. ALL MY MONEY IS GOING ALTERNATELY TO CAR REPAIRS THEN CATCH UP ON CAR PMTS AND INS AND I STILL NEED TO MOVE AND CAN'T AFFORD TO AND REALLY STEAMED AND WRITING TO ATTY GENERAL ABOUT KIA--Y2K MEANS YUCK TO KIA. *AK