2006 Kia Sedona

I TOOK MY KIA INTO THE DEALER FOR A RECALL CHECK ON MY CONTROL ARMS. THE DEALER FOUND OUT MY FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING WAS IN PIECES ALONG WITH THE BEARING. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS BUT I NEVER RECEIVED ONE. I READ WHERE THE VAN HAD TO BE MADE BETWEEN DEC.20, 2005 AND MARCH 20, 2006. IF MY VAN WAS MADE LATER THEN THAT THEN THEY STILL DID NOT FIX THE CORROSION PROBLEM. I HAD TO PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS. I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ON A LATER MADE VAN. *TR

WAS DRIVING NORMALLY AND SUDDENLY LEFT FRONT WHEEL STARTED SKIDDING AS IT FELT LIKE IT WAS TURNED IN A DIRECTION THAT OPPOSED THE OTHER FRONT TIRE DIRECTION. VEHICLE QUICKLY BECAME UNSTEARABLE. LEFT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS FOUND TO BE TOTALLY RUST WEAKENED WITH LARGE RUST HOLES AND CRACKS.....AND AFTER PART WAS REMOVED BY A MECHANIC, I COULD EASILY BEND THE WHOLE CONTROL ARM IN HALF WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT. IF THIS SUDDEN FAILURE HAD OCCURRED MOMENTS EARLIER WITH MY KIDS ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL AND ON THE HIGHWAY....THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH WORSE RESULT. AS A RESULT, I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT TIRES, CERTAIN PARTS CONNECTING TO THIS CONTROL ARM AND HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REALIGNED. THE OPPOSITE CONTROL ARM ON THE RIGHT SIDE SEEMS TO LOOK 'NORMAL' WITH NO APPARENT RUST WEAKENING. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE INTACT SIDE HAS A TYPE OF COATING THAT IS INTACT AND THE FAILED SIDE IS MISSING MUCH/MOST OF THE COATING. *TR

LEAVING PARKING GARAGE TURNING ONE OF THE CORNERS A VIOLENT VIBRATION STARTED WITH A GRINDING TYPE OF NOISE AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION THE LOWER RIGHT CONTROLLER ARM SHOWED SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF RUST AND HAD COMPLETELY BROKEN IN TWO PIECES. LOOKING AT THE LOWER LEFT CONTROLLER ARM, SIGNIFICANT SIGNS OF RUST CAN BE SEEN ALSO. THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN A HIGH SALT ENVIRONMENT. THESE ARE THE ONLY 2 PIECES ON THE VEHICLE WITH SUCH A HIGH AMOUNT OF RUST. *TR

AS MY WIFE WAS MAKING A RIGHT-HAND TURN INTO A PARKING LOT AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MPH, THE VAN LURCHED LEFT AND SHOOK VIOLENTLY. AFTER CHECKING FOR FLAT TIRES AND FINDING NONE, SHE ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE DRIVING BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SHAKING TO MUCH TO DRIVE ANY FURTHER. AFTER HAVING THE VAN TOWED TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND CHECKED OUT, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND FAILED. I CRINGE AT THE THOUGHT OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEED, AS WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAS BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE AT THAT TIME, BUT CHANGED OUR PLANS AT THE LAST MINUTE. THIS VAN HAD ITS ANNUAL NH STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST AND WAS GIVEN A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. THE SHOP THAT DID THE INSPECTION AND THE SHOP THAT IS DOING THE REPAIR BOTH TOLD US THAT UNLESS THEY ACTUALLY SEE A CRACK, THERE IS NO WAY FOR THEM TO TELL IF THE PART IS COMPROMISED OR NOT. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN WORKING WITH METAL FOR 30 YEARS, I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE. LASTLY, I HAVE NOTED SIX COMPLAINTS REPORTED HERE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN JUST THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT IT IS TIME FOR A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND RECALL BEFORE THERE IS A SERIOUS OR (HEAVEN FORBID) FATAL ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM A CONTROL ARM FAILURE. *TR

PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, A LOUD BANG/THUD NOISE WAS HEARD FOLLOWED BY CAR NOSE DIVING TO LEFT AND STOPPED. REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THE LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM HAD 'SNAPPED IN HALF' DUE TO BEING FULLY ROTTED VIA RUST. THIS EVENT ALSO PULLED OUT THE LEFT DRIVE SHAFT. FURTHER INSPECTION INDICATED RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS IN SAME CONDITION (RUSTED THROUGH) AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY REASONS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS THIS EVENT HAPPENING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MAY LIKELY RESULT IN A ROLL OVER! *JS

DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AT A LOCAL SHOP, MAJOR CRACKS WERE FOUND IN RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM. WENT IMMEDIATELY TO KIA DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT CRACKS WERE SO BAD AND REMAINING METAL SO THIN "AVOID DRIVING, ANY POTHOLES OR BUMPS". NO KIA WARRANTY AT ALL, TOOK 5 DAYS FOR PARTS AND $500.00 FOR REPAIR. NOTE: VEHICLE HAD A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AT A KIA DEALER SHIP 5 MONTHS PREVIOUS AND THERE WERE NO DEFECTS LISTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS THAT THIS FAILURE WAS OCCURRING AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR IMMEDIATE RECALL TO AVOID FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALL PARTS IN QUESTION HAVE BEEN RETAINED FOR REVIEW. UPDATED 09/10/13*LJ *TR

DATE 7/24/20013 TOTAL FAILURE OF LOWER CONTROL ARM, FRONT WHEEL LEFT SIDE. MILEAGE: 76,450 PART #54500-4D101 PURCHASED NEW FEBRUARY 19, 2007 CAR GARAGED SINCE NEW, DRY SEMI-HEATED ATTACHED TO HOUSE. FAILURE: DUE TO EXTENSIVE CORROSION THROUGH OUT. POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF A SUB-STANDARD ANTI-CORROSION MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE RIGHT SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM SHOWS STANDARD WARE AND LITTLE RUST FOR THE SAME TIME IN SERVICE. MASSACHUSETTS STATE ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION: DATED 7-12-2013 DID NOT FIND THE DEFECT, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED DUE TO CRACKS IN TAIL LIGHT LENS EVEN THOU A FRAME AND SUSPENSION CHECK IS PART OF THE INSPECTION? THIS IS VERY MUCH A HIGH END SAFETY CONCERN. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ROLL-OVER CAN AND DO CAUSE DEATH. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE: SHOWING LEFT AND RIGHT CONTROL ARMS. MY SEARCH OF 2006 KIA SEDONA'S FOUND THREE FAILURES THIS MAKES FOUR. NO DEATHS YET, THAT'S A GOOD THING! THANKYOU AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. *TR