NHTSA Complaint #724280 — 1998 KIA SEPHIA

THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, THE CAR KEPT BLOWING FUSES AND WOULD NOT START. AFTER 4 VISITS TO A KIA SERVICE CENTER IT WAS LEARNED THAT THE FUSE BOX HAD BEEN BUILT WRONG. KIA HAD A REBUILD KIT ON HAND FOR THIS PROBLEM AND CORRECTED IT, AS WELL AS REPLACEING A NUMBER OF SENSORS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT DAMAGED BY THIS PROBLEM. NEXT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WHOULD AND DOES SWITCH GEARS FOR NO REASON, JUMPING INTO HIGHER GEAR OR DOWNSHIFING INTO LOWER GEAR WITHOUT WARNING AND STAYING THERE UNTIL THE CAR IS BROUGHT TO A COMPLETE HALT. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN TRACED, KIA SERVICE TECHNICIANS CLAIMED TO HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE EXTENSIVELY BUT COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, DISPITE THE FACT THAT IT OCCURES FREQUENTLY FOR MYSELF AND MY WIFE. THE BRAKES STARTED ACTING FUNNEY AT AROUND 11,000 MILES AND UPON INSPECTION BY KIA PERSONELL WERE FOUND TO BE WORN EXCESSIVELY IN THE CENTER OF THE ROTORS, DISPITE TELLING ME THAT IT WAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM KIA REFUSED TO REPAIR IT, SAYING THAT IT WAS A MAINTIANCE ISSUE, AND NOT A DEFECT. THE DOOR LATCHES FAILED ON A TRIP TO INDIANA AND THE DOORS HAD TO BE LOCKED OR THEY WOULD NOT STAY CLOSED. THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT LATCH FAILED AT THE SAME TIME, FALLING OPEN AT ANY BUMP AND THE HANDLE WAS FALLING OFF, SO IT HAD TO BE LEFT OPEN THE ENTIRE TIME. THE WEATHER STRIPPING BEGAN FALLING OFF SHORTLY THEREAFTER CAUSEING WATER LEAKS INTO THE CAR, AND SOMETIMES PREVENTING THE DOORS FROM CLOSEING CORRECTLY. I HAVE ATTEMPTED ON NUMERIOUS OCCASIONS TO HAVE THESE ISSUE DELT WITH BY KIA MOTORS AND THEY HAVE FAID TO DO SO, BEYOND THE BARE MINIMUM. I HAVE EVEN BEEN ATTEMPTING TO RETURN THE CAR IN ACCORDIANCE WITH MICHIGAN'S `LEMON LAW' AND KIA'S ONLY RESPONSE IS TO ATTEMPT TO HALF-HARTEDLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT MY EXPENSE. DISPITE THE FACT THAT SOME OF THESE ISSUES COULD BE DANGERIOUS.*AK