NHTSA Complaint #715279 — 1999 KIA SPORTAGE

CD PLAYER REPLACED ON 05/19/99 BECAUSE A CD WAS STUCK IN IT DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE (PER KIA SERVICE CENTER), CD PLAYER WILL NOT ACCEPT CDS AND WILL EJECT THEM IMMEDIATELY SINCE 08/15/1999, NOT REPLACED DUE TO THE UNITS BEING ON "BACK ORDER" SINCE JULY OF 1999, SERVICE CENTER INVESTIGATED A POSSIBLE FLUID LEAK AND FOUND NO LEAK ON 11/11/99, SERVICE CENTER INVESTIGATED A HORRIBLE EXHAUST/CABRON MONOXIDE SMELL COMING INTO CABIN OF VEHICLE, FOUND NO PROBLEMS BUT THEY REPLACED THE CATALYST CONVERTER ANYWAY. ON 11/11/99 LESS THAN 10 MINUTES AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, THE HORRIBLE SMELL CAME BACK AGAIN 10 TIMES WORSE THAN ORIGINALLY, HAD TO WAIT AN ENTIRE WEEK TO RETURN THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THEY WERE "BOOKED UP." ON 11/17/99 RETURNED VEHICLE TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT BEC OF CONTINOUS EXHAUST/CARBON MONOXIDE SMELL IN CABIN CAUSING TERRIBLE HEADACHES. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE REPLACED SOME KIND OF A CANISTER BUT HAD NO REAL DOCUMENTATION PROVING SO. SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE FOR THE ODORS/FUMES AND GAVE ME A RENTAL CAR. AFTER NO RESPONCE FROM DEALERSHIP IN 48 HOURS AS TO A STAUS UPDATE, WAS TOLD THAT A "KIA MOTORS FIELD REPRESENTATIVE" WOULD BE COMING TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 11/22/99 TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. ON 11/22/99 WAS TOLD THE REP WOULD BE THERE ON 11/23/99. ON 11/23/99 WAS TOLD HE WOULD BE THERE ON 11/24/99. ON 11/24/99 WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP OWNER TO COME PICK UP MY VEHICLE IN IT'S CURRENT UN-REPAIRED CONDITION BECAUSE THE FIELD REP. WOULD NOT BE OUT FOR ANOTHER 2-4 WEEKS AND THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT AFFORD TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE RENTAL CAR FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME. MEANWHILE, THE CD PLAYER STILL HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED OR REPAIRED AND/OR EVEN LOOKED AT BECAUSE 'THEY'RE ON BACK ORDER WITH OUR DISTRIBUTOR" AND HAVING TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT IS PUTTING EXHAUST/CARBON MONOXIDE ODORS/FUMES INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE.