2002 KIA SEDONA Seat Beltsfrontbuckle Assembly Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SEDONA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BEGAN SMOKING. THE SEAT BELT THEN CAUGHT FIRE WHEN IT CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE WIRES ATTACHED TO THE SEAT BELT CONNECTOR AND A PIECE OF HARD PLASTIC AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT (SEAT GUARD). THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. KIA STATED THAT A RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE IN APRIL OF 2006 AND THAT SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CURRENT REPAIRS. THE SEAT BELT AREA OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER OR A MECHANIC. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLE FAILED AND A NEW ONE HAD BEEN ORDERED BEFORE THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77,600.

BACK IN 2003, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON MY VAN CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO AWAY. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM WAS A DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE. THAT WAS REPLACED. NOW IN 2005 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT GO AWAY AGAIN. MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, SO I TRIED FINDING OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS MYSELF. IT WAS THE SAME PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE. THE PROBLEM WAS A BROKEN WIRE IN THE HARNESS TO THE SENSOR. THE CAUSE WAS A METAL CLIP THAT PINCHES THE HARNESS, AND WITH THE MOVEMENT OF PUTTING THE SEAT BELT ON AND OFF, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO THE WIRE BREAKAGE. THAT I FIXED MYSELF AND AIRBAG LIGHT WENT OUT. IN 2006, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND WOULD NOT GO OUT. THE PROBLEM NOW IS THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, ONCE AGAIN A BROKEN WIRE AT THE CLIP....

CAR ACCELERATED ON HIS OWN AS A RESULT CAR WENT INTO MEDIAN, ALSO PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT SNAPPED. CAR WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH. WENT FROM 10 TO 50MPH IN SECONDS. ALSO, BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED TO RESPOND. PREVIOUS REPORT FILED #10065882. *AK

WE HAVE A 2002 SEDONA. WE HAVE OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS. AND THIS IS THE 7TH TIME THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON AND STAYED ON. EVEY TIME WE TAKE IT IN THEY REPLACE SOMETHING, ONCE WAS THE SEAT BELT LATCH, ANOTHER TIME WAS A PART IN THE COMPUTER AND SO ON. THEY JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING IT TO COME ON, SO THEY TELL ME. THAT IS SUCH A REASSURING ANSWER FOR A CAR OWNER. WE HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY, HATCHBACK NOT OPENING AND HAVING DENTS IN IT FROM WHEN WE SHUT IT AND BREAK PROBLEMS THAT THEY REFUSSED TO FIX UNTIL AFTER THE WARRENTY EXPIRED. IT IS TIME NOW FOR AN ATTORNEY TO STEP IN FOR US.*AK

SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS NOT LOCKING SEAT BELTS IN PLACE. CONTACTED DEAL AND DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.AK

THE LOCKING MODE THAT KEEPS THE SEAT BELT TAUT WHEN INSTALLING A CHILDS CAR SEAT STOPPED WORKING. IT IS ACTIVATED BY PULLING THE SEAT BELT ALL THE WAY OUT, AND THEN LETTING IT RETRACT. THIS KEEPS THE CAR SEAT SECURE. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALTER AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAD TO BE CONVINCED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEY AGREED TO REPLACE BOTH CENTER BELTS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY BE HAPPENING IN OTHER NEW 2002 SEDONA LX'S. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE SEAT BELTS ARE "UNIVERAL" BUT I WANTED TO REPORT THIS FAILURE, AND WHAT DO I DO IF MY VAN IS RETURNED, THE SEAT BELTS WORK FOR A WHILE, AND THEN THIS HAPPENS AGAIN? LUCKILY THIS FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE I WAS INSTALLING THE SEAT BELT, AND DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAVE THREE YOUNG CHILDREN IN CAR SEATS.*AK