1999 KIA SEPHIA Air Bags Problems

FAX ON BEHALF OF, RE AN ACCIDENT WITH HIS 1999 KIA SEPHIA THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE BACK BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. *KB *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE 45MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN A COLLISION, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THE DRIVER'S SEAT FELL BACKWARD DURING THE COLLISION. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED; THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN HOME. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED , NO REPAIRS MADE.

THIS CAR HAS BEEN A CONSTANT REPAIR AND FINANCIAL PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS STARTING TWO WEEKS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. IT IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND CAN NOT BE KEPT MAINTAINED FOR SAFETY OR RELIABILITY IT WAS PURCHASED WITH 21000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND A MAJORITY OF REPAIRS HAS HAD TO BE FIXED. 4 STARTERS, IGNITION SWITCH, IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS (IGNITION STILL DOESN'T WORK), AIR BAG SENSOR, AIR BAG WIRING (AIR BAGS STILL DOES NOT WORK), ALTERNATOR, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DRIVE AXEL BROKE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, RIGHT PASSENGER BALL JOINT FELL OFF THE CAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, MASTER CYLINDER AND REAR BRAKE CYLINDER WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, HEATER/AIR CONDITIONING MOTOR. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED 3 TIMES, AND HAS LEFT ME AND MY CHILDREN STRANDED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT. THE...

THE HORN STOPPED WORKING ON MY 1999 KIA SEPHIA WITH 61,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP (WHICH ALSO SELLS AND SERVICES FORDS) ESTIMATED THE REPAIR AT $50 TO $100, WHICH I AUTHORIZED. A FEW HOURS LATER THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AND TOLD ME TO FORGET IT. DUE TO A TOTALLY BIZARRE DESIGN, THE HORN IS INTEGRATED INTO THE AIRBAG UNIT AND FIXING THE HORN REQUIRES REPLACING THE ENTIRE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY. THE COST: $650 FOR THE PART AND $150 LABOR, TOTAL $800. IF THE HORN DESIGN WERE NORMAL, HE SAID IT WOULD HAVE COST LESS THAN $100. I CALLED KIA OF AMERICA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND OFFERED TO PAY $100, THE NORMAL AMOUNT, TOWARD THE REPAIR. THEY DECLINED AS THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE FULL COST MYSELF. I HAD PLACED THE CAR ON SALE JUST BEFORE THE HORN WENT BAD AND HAVE BEEN UNABLE...

WHILE TRAVELING AT 35 MPH, CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. CONSUMER STATED NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NO PROBLEMS PRIOR WITH AIRBAGS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

SINCE THE DEALERSHIP TURNED OFF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM CAUSE THE MODULE IS DEFECTIVE AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE REPLACEMENT PART SHOULD I HAVE BEEN GIVING A FREE LOANER CAR FOR THE SAFETY RELATED DEFECT ON A CAR THAT IS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. *AK

SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR WE HAD A RECALL ON JANUARY OF 2000 FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.AFTER THAT WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE LIGHT GOING ON THAT WAS DUE TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS,WISH IN FACT HAD TO BE REPAIR TWICE AND REPLACE ONCE.ALSO AIR BAG LIGHT TURN ON DUE TO ALTERNATOR PROBLEM ON 02/05/2002,ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACE.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE MATTER OF FACT THE CAR SHOULB BE UNDER THE LEMON LAW.THANK YOU. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *JB

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 30 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, 9 PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC

AIR BAG PROBLEMS. NLM

AIR BAG PROBLEMS. NLM

THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, THE FRONT SEAT BROKE, THE REAR WHEEL BROKE OFF CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. THE TRUNK ENDED UP IN THE BACK SEAT.

AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THE LISTED AUTO STRUCK SEVEN OTHER VEHICKLE'S, ROLLED AND LANDED ON IT'S SIDE. THE AUTO WAS TOTALLED AND THE DRIVER WAS HOPITALIZED. A COPY OF THE ACCIDENT REPORT CAN BE PROVIDED UPON REQUEST.

DUE TO A DEFECTIVE MODULATOR, AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM, WHILE PUMPING THE GAS INTO THE VEHICLE, FUEL SPILLED OUT WHILE FUEL TANK WAS NOT FULL. THIS MAY RESULT IN A FIRE IF THERE IS A SOURCE OF IGNITION. DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK