2004 Kia Optima

I HAVE BEEN REFUSED THE REPAIR ON MY 2004 KIA BY NO LESS THAN 3 DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE RUSTING FRONT END BECAUSE OF LACK OF RUST PROOFING. IT MADE THE CAR UNDRIVABLE 4 MONTHS AGO AND I HAVE HAD NO SATISFACTION. YOU ARE GOING AFTER TOYOTA WITH BOTH BARRELS YET YOU ARE LEAVING KIA ALONE AND I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT SERIOUS EXPENSES AND PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2004. I HAVE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT CONTACTING YOUR OFFICE WITH NEGATIVE REPLIES. IF I DO NOT HERE FROM THIS AGENCY IN THE NEAR FUTURE CONCERNING MY ISSUES I WILL CONTACT THE MEDIA AND SEEK MY RESTITUTION THROUGH THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETTING THE GREASE METHOD AND MY ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE GOVERNMENT ASSIST WILL BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION. PLEASE PUT HEAT ON KIA TO GET AGGRESSIVE WITH THE RECALL REPAIRS. *TR

MY CAR DOORS DO NOT OPEN EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THIS PROBLEM STARTED WITH MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND NOW IS AFFECTING MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE ELECTRICAL AND WILL HAPPENS RANDOMLY. THE PASS. DOOR IS NOW 100% AFFECTED AND THE DRIVERS SIDE JUST STARTED TODAY. SO THE END RESULT IS I AM LOCKED INSIDE MY CAR UNLESS I CRAWL THROUGH THE WINDOW. I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND APPARENTLY THIS PROBLEM IS RAMPANT. I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL AND BECAUSE MY CAR IS A 2004 (WITH ONLY 39,000 MILES) THEY WILL NOT COVER IT. I TOLD HIM HOW DANGEROUS THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WAS AND HE REALLY DIDNT SEEM TO CARE. II ASKED HIM WHO ISSUES RECALLS AND HE SAID IT WAS YOUR ORGANIZATION, WHEN I SAID THAT I WOULD CALL YOU TO TRY AND GET A RECALL HE THEN SAID "WELL YOU COULD BRING IT INTO KIA AND SEE WHAT THEY FIND, ALTHOUGH NO GAURANTEE I WOULD GET IT PAID FOR BY THEM EVEN THOUGH IT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY KIA CARS. I THEN TOLD HIM I WOULD BE CONTACTING YOUR ORGANIZATION AND HE DIDNT SEEM TO HAPPY. * WHEN MY PASSENGER DOOR STARTED WITH THIS PROBLEM APPROX. 2 MONTHS AGO I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I SHOULD ADD THAT THE NEAREST KIA DEALER IS APPROX. 2.5 HOURS ONE WAY AWAY FROM ME. *CN

ME 2004 KIA HAVE THE AIR BAGS LIGHT ON AND I HAVE TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAD NOT FIND WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT. I CALL THE KIA DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I AM AFRAID THE AIR BAGS WILL POP WHILE I AM DRIVING. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE AIR BAGS LIGHT STAY ON AT ALL TIME. *TR THANK YOU

THE DRIVER DOOR FAILED TO OPEN BY USING THE KEYLESS ENTRY OR MANUALLY. YOU HAVE TO CLIMB OVER THE PASSENGER SEAT TO GET INTO OR OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT EVEN OPEN USING THE HANDLE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. THERE IS NOT A CHOICE OF NOT HAVING IT FIXED OR NOT. YOU DON'T HAVE THE OPTION OF NOT USING THE KEYLESS ENTRY SINCE THE DOOR WILL NOT WORK MANUALLY. KIA DOES NOT HAVE THIS UNDER WARRANTY SO YOU ARE FORCED TO REPLACED BOTH THE LATCH AND THE ACTUATOR. THE CAR HAD TO TAKEN TO A KIA DEALER TO BE SERVICED UNLESS CLIMBING OVER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS THE WAY YOU WOULD CHOOSE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE CAR. *TR

THE FRONT DOOR LOCK ON OUR 2004 KIA OPTIMA WILL NOT UNLOCK, YOU CANNOT UNLOCK IT FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, AND THE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN; THEREFORE, YOU MUST CLIMB TO THE OTHERSIDE OF THE CAR TO EXIT OR CLIMB OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW, WHICH I BELIEVE CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. NOONE WOULD BE ABLE TO REMOVE YOU FROM THE CAR IN THE EVENT OF SERIOUS INJURY, FIRE OR A WATER RESCUE. THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP SHOP TOLD US THAT IT WAS A FAULTY DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR AND A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT OPEN THE DOOR FOR US. THEY ESTIMATED THE COST TO REPAIR AT $200 PLUS LABOR. IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, THEN THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS CAR, ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE UNSAFE NATURE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW KIA OPTIMA IN 2004. IN 2005 THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. I TOOK THE CAR INTO DORSCHEL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP. THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED GREASE AND I WAS ALL SET. THE REAR BRAKE CONTINUED TO SMELL LIKE SMOKE INTERMITTENTLY AND SHRUGGED IT OFF DUE TO LUBRICANTS. IN 2007 I COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM OF SMELL OF SMOKE AND A SOUND OF MEDAL ON MEDAL EVERYTIME I MADE A TURN. DORSCHEL INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND STATED I NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND NEW BRAKE PADS IN THE REAR. THE CAR ONLY HAD 14,230 MILES ON IT. WE ARGUED THAT A CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE SHOULD NOT HAVE A BREAK JOB DONE SO SOON. DORSCHEL DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AND BASICALLY STATED THEY HAVE CUSTOMERS WAITING. WE RELUCTANTLY DID THE BRAKE JOB IN ORDER TO PASS INSPECTION. HOWEVER, WE ASKED FOR THE PARTS. UNDER INSPECTION OF THE ORIGINAL BRAKES, THE BRAKES SEPARATED AND THE PADS DO NOT LOOK WORN. WE CALLED KIA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. WE RECEIVED A CASE NUMBER K1384334. KIA CLAIMS THIS IS OCCURRING DUE TO THE CAR SITTING. WE STATED TO KIA THAT THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD ON A DAILY BASIS IN ALL TYPES OF WEATHER. KIA STATED IT IS OUR FAULT, CLOSED THE CASE, AND DID NOT RESOLVE THE BRAKE ISSUE. WE LET THIS ISSUE GO, UNTIL RECENTLY. WE TOOK THE CAR BACK IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM OF SMOKING BRAKES AND MEDAL ON MEDAL SOUND, BUT THIS TIME WE TOOK IT TO VISION KIA. AGAIN, I CONTACTED KIA ABOUT THE SAME BRAKE ISSUE TO HAVE THEM WORK DIRECTLY WITH VISION KIA TO SEE IF KIA TRULY HAS A DEFECT IN IT'S PARTS. VISION KIA IS STATING THAT I NEED FRONT AND BACK BRAKE JOBS. AGAIN, KIA IS STATING THIS IS OUR ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR IS SITTING. AGAIN I EXPLAINED TO KIA THAT THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD ON A DAILY BASIS. THE CAR HAS 21,417 MILES. THERE ARE CARS THAT ARE OLDER THAN MY CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE THAT NEVER HAD TO HAVE BRAKE JOBS DONE. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE IS THAT THE KIA GENUINE PARTS ARE OF POOR QUALITY. WITH THE BRAKE PADS SEPARATING, I BELIEVE TO BE A DANGER OF BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

THE RECALL CONCERNING THE 01 -04 KIA OPTIMA SUBFRAME CAUSING THE CAR TO BE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT IS NOT BEING HONORED BY DEALERS. I HAVE MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO EITHER CONTACT DEALERS FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO WHICH THEY WOULD NOT RETURN PHONECALLS OR E-MAILS, OR IN ONE CASE ACTUALLY GOT HOLD OF A DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT AT 130,000 MILES IT WAS TIME TO REPLACE THE SUBFRAME AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. I HAVE BEEN EATING TIRES AND HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THIS CAR ALIGNED AFTER THE FIRST 20,000 MILES. I CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO REPLACE IT. I HAVE HAD TO PUT 2 CLUTCHES IN IT (THE FIRST ONE AFTER 29,000 MILES. FOR THE RECORD I HAVE DRIVEN STANDARDS FOR 27 YEARS BEFORE THIS AND HAD NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A CLUTCH) AND FOUND OUT AFTER THE SECOND CLUTCH (WHICH AT NO TIME WOULD KIA ACKNOWLEDGE A DESIGN FLAW OR ANY CULPABILITY) THAT THE ORIGINAL CLUTCHES WERE NOT LASTING ON THESE CARS AND A STANDARD PRESSURE PLATE CLUTCH HAD REPLACED THE ORIGINAL UNDER AN ENGINEERING CHANGE INSTEAD OF A RECALL. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE AND KIA CORPORATION AND ANY DEALER I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT SO FAR HAS REFUSED EVER TO MAKE GOOD ON ANY ASPECT OF THIS CAR. THIS CAR AND ANY 01-04 KIA OPTIMA SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BY THE KIA CORPORATION FOR THEIR BLATANT DISREGARD TO THE CONSUMER FOR THEIR SAFETY AND COSTS. I AM GOING TO ATTEMPT A MEDIA BLITZ TO INFORM THE AMERICAN PUBLIC OF THIS BLATANT DISREGARD AND THESE SAFETY ISSUES IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND FELT YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW IN ORDER TO GET YOUR DATA IN ORDER. *TR

RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FROM KIA JUNE15,2009, POSSIBILITY OF CORROSION OF THE SUBFRAME. I CALLED MY DEALER WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS AND WAS TOLD NO PARTS IN THEY WOULD CALL ME. ON AUG. 03 I CALLED THE KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND THEY CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD STILL NOT PARTS. I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE CALLED BACK WITHIN TWO DAYS TO LET ME KNOW WHY NO PARTS HOWEVER IT WAS THE SAME NO CALL. I AM CONCERNED THAT MY CAR MAY BE FAULTY AND I CAN GET NO SERVICE OR HELP. IF IT IS A RECALL WHY CAN I NOT GET HELP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. KIA MOTORS AMERICA INC. GAVE NO REPLY AND THE DEALER STILL SAYS NO PARTS. ON AUG 15TH IT WILL BE TWO MONTHS AND NO HELP. THANK YOU (THIS IS FROM A RECALL LETTER TO ME). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE WITH THE REMOTE ACCESS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE CONTACT PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH THE KEY, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT UNLOCK. SHE HEARD THE LOCKS CLICKING IN AN ATTEMPT TO OPEN, BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLATCH. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ENTER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH THE KEY OR REMOTE ENTRY. SHE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO ENTER THE VEHICLE BY MANEUVERING THE LOCK. THE CONTACT IS UNABLE TO LOCK THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT MAY NOT OPEN AGAIN OR SHE COULD BECOME LOCKED INSIDE. SHE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD COST $300 TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.