NHTSA Complaint #748112 — 1998 KIA SEPHIA

I BOUGHT MY KIA NEW. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD 4 COMPLETE BRAKE JOBS DONE. DEALER SAYS IT'S "NORMAL" WEAR AND TEAR, SAID THEY REPLACED MY ROTORS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, YET THE LAST TIME (6/01), THEY SAID MY WARRANTY RAN OUT, AND I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE INSPECTED FROM THEM. WHEN TOLD OF PREVIOUS PROB'S WITH THESE BRAKES, THEY CLAIM THAT KIA BRAKE PADS WERE BAD, THUS CHANGING TO THE NEW VERSION. THOSE FAILED ALSO. THEY WOULD NOT DO JOB WITHOUT ME PAYING, SO I HAD ANOTHER PRIVATE MECHANIC DO THE JOB. I HAD TO HAVE, THE REAR BRAKE SHOES, AND LEFT REAR DRUM. THIS IS AFTER HAVING MY BRAKES DONE 3 X BY THE DEALER. THESE CARS GIVE NO WARNING AT ALL, THEN WHAM, I HAVE NO BRAKES. I WANT A REPLACEMENT CAR EQUIVILANT TO MINE BUT ONE THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME CRAZY WONDERING IF MY LIFE AS WELL AS OTHERS ARE IN DANGER DUE TO CRAPPY BRAKES KIA MADE! THIS IS CRAZY..THE DEALER ARE ALL NICE AND STUFF UNTIL MY WARRANTEE RUNS OUT, THEN I'M STUCK. I'LL HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME IN ODER TO KEEP HAVING ROTORS REPLACED IF THIS KEEPS UP! THE DEALER SAID THAT "NORMAL WEAR" FOR ROTORS IS BELOW 10K???? MY LAST CAR HAD ONE BRAKE JOB DONE, AND TRADED IT FOR THE KIA AT 155K, WITH BRAKES!!! WHY ISN'T ANYONE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THESE BRAKES ON THESE CARS? TONS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS (SEE CONSUMER COMPLAINT LISTINGS), YET KIA SAYS THEIR CARS ARE GREAT? ALSO, I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROB'S WITH TRUNK NOT OPENING WITH KEY, DOOR HANDLES FALLING OFF, WATER RETENTION IN HEADLAMP (REPLACED), DORM LIGHT NOT WORKING (FIXED), CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS START (DEALER CAN'T FIND PROBLEM), CONSTANTLY UNALLIGNED CAUSING WEAR ON TIRES, SIDE VIEW MIRRORS DON'T ALWAYS WORK (MANUAL/NO PROBLEM FOUND), CAR DOESN'T ALWAYS START (NO PROBLEM FOUND), FRONT SEATS DON'T ALWAYS STAY IN THE UPWARD POSITION (NO PROB UPON ARRIVAL AT DEALER). I THINK THESE ARE ALL OF THE PROBLEMS...I HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT BUYING A NEW CAR ISN'T WORTH IT. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND A KIA TO ANYONE! I CAN'T EVEN SELL MY CAR...NOBODY WANTS IT! *AK