2003 Kia Spectra

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 2 CAR LENGTHS AHEAD OF ME AND OUR 2 YEAR OLD SON IN HIS CAR SEAT IN BACK. HE WAS DRIVING APROX 50 MPH. HE WAS IN A 2003 KIA SPECTRA. THE BACK WINDOW BLEW OUT. I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A WARRANTY UP TO 60000 MILES. WE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED THE CAR OFF. THEY SAID WE DID SOMETHING WRONG IE HIT SOMETHING THREW SOMETHING ECT. THEY CLAIMED THE FOUND A PEBBLE ON THE BACK LID (WE SEARCHED THE CAR) THE PEBBLE HAD THE SAME EPOXY FOUND ON THIER SHOP FLOOR. THEY DID NOT REPLACE NOR TAKE BLAME. WE WERE BLOWN OFF. AND SCIENTIFICALLY SPEAKING IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PEBBLE TO FLY BACKWARDS INTO A REAR WINDOW AND SHATTER IT. THERE ARE NO OVER PASSES OR ANYTHING IN THAT AREA. *AK

MY DAUGHTER, WHOM IS 7, WENT IN THE TRUNK TO RETRIEVE SOME BELONGINGS AND THE TRUNK CLOSED ON HER. SHE DID EXACTLY WHAT SHE WAS TAUGHT AND PULLED THE EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE. THE EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY (THE BALL AT THE END OF THE CABLE DISENGAGED FROM THE LATCH) AND MY CHILD WAS LOCKED IN THE TRUNK FOR 20 MIN. SHE STRUGGLED SO HARD TO GET OUT THAT SHE HAD CUTS ON HER HANDS AND FEET. I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE MY KIA SPECTRA 2003 INSPECTED. THE SERVICE TEC. STATED TO ME THAT IS WAS MOST DEFINITELY A PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS THAT WAY ON ALL 2003 KIA SPECTRAS. HE WOULD THEN TELL ALL THE APPROPRIATE HIGHER UPS ABOUT PROBLEM. I WAS CONTACTED A WEEK OR SO LATER AND A KIA SPOKES PERSON STATED TO ME THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE ETR AND THAT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT PLAY IN CARS. HE TOLD ME THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. MY DAUGHTER IS NOW TERRIFIED OF THE CAR AND WANTS TO GET A VAN SO THIS WONT HAPPEN AGAIN. *LA

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS SET IT SUDDENLY DISENGAGES BY ITSELF. WHEN THIS OCCURS VEHICLE DECELERATES TO A LOW SPEED. THEN, WITHOUT WARNING CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGES AT THE SPEED IT WAS PREVIOUSLY SET. DEALERSHIP REPLACED CRUISE CONTROL MODULE, AND REPAIRED THE WIRING AT THE HARNESS TO THE PIN CONNECTOR BECAUSE OF A SHORTAGE. HOWEVER, FAILURE RECURRED.*AK

THIS LETTER IS BEING WRITTEN AS A RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT (CASE # FHPH040FF003275) INVOLVING MY 2003 KIA SPECTRA GSX AND ANOTHER VEHICLE ON MARCH 6, 2004.*AK THE CRUISE CONTROL CONTINUED TO WORK UNTIL ABOUT 1:00PM ON INTERSTATE 10 WHEN I WAS IN THE SLOW LANE AND DRIVING AT 70 MPH (SPEED LIMIT) WITH THE CRUISE ON. I WAS SLOWLY CATCHING UP TO TWO TRUCKS IN MY LANE, WHEN THE REAR TRUCK STARTED TO PASS THE SLOWER TRUCK AHEAD OF ME. TRAFFIC BEHIND ME WAS CATCHING UP TO ME AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PASSING TRUCK PULLED INTO THE PASSING LANE. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO SLOW DOWN SO I PRESSED DOWN ON THE COAST SET BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL, FOUR OR FIVE TIMES AND MY KIA SLOWED DOWN TO 65 MPH. THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME SLOWED DOWN TO LET THE PASSING TRUCK IN THE FAST LANE GET BY. I PRESSED THE SAME COAST SET BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL FOUR OR FIVE TIMES TO SLOW THE KIA AND NOTHING HAPPENING. THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED AND THE KIA CONTINUED ITS SPEED OF 65 MPH. I THEN PRESSED THE SAME COAST SET BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE KIA INCREASED SPEED. I PRESSED THE CANCEL BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE KIA INCREASED SPEED. I STEPPED ON THE BREAK AND THE KIA CRUISE CONTROL DIDNT DISCONNECT. I PRESSED DOWN THE CLUTCH AND STEPPED ON THE BREAK THREE TIMES AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DIDNT OR WOULDNT DISCONNECT. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE COAST SET, CANCEL, AND RES ACCEL BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND PRESSED CANCEL A NUMBER OF TIMES. EVERY TIME I PRESSED THE CANCEL BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL THE CAR ACCELERATED BUT NOW I WAS OUT OF ROOM AND TIME. I HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING LITTLE DAMAGE TO THEIRS, RUBBED THEIR BUMPER BUT A LOT OF DAMAGE TO MINE, $1500 - $2000. WHEN OUR TWO VEHICLES COLLIDED THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTED.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONITUNES TO POP ON. AS OF 2/19/04, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS LIT UP 3 TIMES. ONCE IT WENT OUT ON ITS OWN, I LET IT GO. THE PAST TWO TIMES IT HAS BEEN RELATED TO THE P0442 EVAP LEAK (FUEL CAP). FUNNY THING IS, MY 2003 SPECTRA HAD A RECALL NOTICE COME IN TO HAVE THE FULE CAP REPLACED DUE TO A KNOWN 'LEAK'. I NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH THIS PRIOR TO THE RECALL FIX. I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 1 YEAR NOW AND NEVER HAD PROBLEMS BEFORE. SCHEDULED APPT FOR 02/23/04 AND DEALER ADVISED THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE AND RE-REPLACE FUEL CAP IF NEEDED. IT IS NOT A MAJOR PROBLEM, BUT AN ANNOYANCE. IT WILL MAKE ONE GET TO A POINT WHERE THEY MIGHT IGNORE THE ENGINE LIGHT DO TO IT CONTINUOUSLY COMING ON FOR NO SERIOUS REASON!

AIR CONDITIONING QUIT WORKING SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. KIA RETURNED THE CAR AFTER 2 WEEKS. IT WORKED FOR 1 HOUR. RETURNED IT TO KIA-KIA RETURNED AFTER 5 WEEKS. AIR WORKED FOR 3 WEEKS. RETURNED TO KIA-SAID IT WAS THE FREON. WORKED FOR 30 MINS AND QUIT. I CANNOT TAKE IT BACK TO HAVE IT WORKED ON BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT GIVE ME A CAR TO DRIVE. I AM CURRENTLY DRIVING IN THE HEAT WITH NO AIR BECAUSE THEY REFUSE TO ACCOMODATE ME. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AND ONLY DRIVEN IT FOR 3.5 MONTHS BECAUSE OF REPAIRS.