2005 Kia Sorento

I DROVE MY KIA AND PARKED IN A GROCERY PARKING LOT. I CAME BACK OUTSIDE TO FIND MY CAR'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ACTIVELY PUTTING OUT THE FLAMES AS I APPROACHED. NO WARNING THIS WOULD OCCUR. KIA HAS REFUSED TO RETURN MY CALLS OR EMAILS. VERY RELIABLE VEHICLES (I BOUGHT 2 BRAND NEW IN 2005). VERY DANGEROUS, AND APPARENTLY NOT AN UNHEARD OF EVENT WITH CERTAIN KIAS. SEVERAL REPORTS ONLINE AND IN PERSON. COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS HAD I BEEN DRIVING, OR PARKED CLOSER TO OTHER VEHICLES (OR ANY STRUCTURE).

TRUCK HAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT (AMONG MANY) AS STATED IN SERVICE BULLETINS 2004-2014 THAT CAUSES ALTERNATOR RADIO FREQUENCIES TO INTERFERENCE WITH TRANSMISSION SIGNALING THUS SHUTTING OFF OR INTERRUPTING SHIFT SIGNALING DUE TO INADEQUATE SHIELDING OF TRANSMISSION TO TCM CABLE. THIS CAUSES THE TRUCK TO CUT OUT BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR CONSISTENTLY WHEN ASCENDING OR DESCENDING STEEP MOUNTAIN PASSES AT HIGH ALTITUDE. AS THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING OF FAILURE OF SHIFT KIT TO DOWNSHIFT, BRAKES HAD TO BE USED ON ICY ROADS TO SLOW AN UNDERPOWERED/OVERWEIGHTED TRUCK. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE REQUIRING EXPERT DRIVING SKILLS TO NAVIGATE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, BUT WAS NOT, BY KIA MOTORS AS A REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE AND RECALL OF TRUCKS. THE FILES REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE SO VAST THEY WOULD CRASH YOUR SYSTEM. I HAVE THEM IF NEEDED AND CAN PROVIDE HARD COPIES AS THE STACK IS ABOUT 3 INCHES DEEP AND SPANS 11 YEARS. I HAVE 2 KEY FACTORS THAT ARE ALSO FACTORS HERE. !. I AM THE DAUGHTER OF A RACE CAR DRIVER AND SKILLED AT NAVIGATING CAR ISSUES. 2. I HAVE BEEN VERY ILL FOR A DECADE AND UNABLE TO WORK SO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN THE REFUSAL OF KIA TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE AS I AM UNABLE TO SELL THE CAR. I WOULD FEEL IT UNCONSCIONABLE TO PASS THESE ISSUES ON TO ANOTHER LESS CAPABLE DRIVER. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT HAS BEEN ENORMOUS STRESS TO OWN THIS DEFECTIVE CAR AND STRESS TO TRY TO GET KIA MOTORS TO STEP UP TO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THEIR WARRANTIES, AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEES IN SPITE OF THE PROBLEMS BEING APPARENT ALMOST FROM POINT OF SALE.

HAVE EXPERIENCED REPEATED FAILURE OF CAM SENSOR, CAM SHAFT PULLEY BOLT, FAILURE OF ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM, FAILURE OF CLUTCH ASSEMBLY AND TRANSMISSION, FAILURE OF AIR CONDITIONING, FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR EXTERIOR LIGHTS.. ALL ISSUES ARE AS DOCUMENTED BY THE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS BY OTHER OWNERS WHO ARE WAITING FOR AN INVESTIGATION, A RECALL, OR ENOUGH DEATHS AND INJURIES TO RECEIVE ANY ASSISTANCE OF ANY KIND FROM THIS ORGANIZATION OR THE MANUFACTURER. I CAN NOT JUSTIFY SPENDING ONE MORE DOLLAR ( $16,000 IN THE 3 YEARS SINCE PURCHASED FOR $4,000).TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS ONCE AGAIN INOPERABLE FOR THE SAME ISSUES. . NO CAR DEALER WANTS IT AS A TRADE IN, THE STANDARD OFFER IS $300. I CANNOT SELL IT TO ANYONE AND THEN FACE MYSELF IN MIRROR. PERHAPS A PUBLIC SAKE... $1 PER MINUTE TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BASH A KIA (SLEDGEHAMMER PROVIDED). PROCEEDS WILL BE APPLIED TO PURCHASE OF REPLACEMENT VEHICLE, WHICH WILL NOT BE A KIA.

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50 MPH. REPAIR SHOP INFORMS THAT THE TRAILING ARM SUPPORT BRACKETS AND REAR OF THE FRAME ARE SO BADLY CORRODED THAT THE AXLE WAS DISLODGED FROM THE FRAME. THE MOVEMENT OF THE AXLE SEVERED A BRAKE LINE, WHICH IS SECURED TO THE CROSS MEMBER STRUCTURE. CORROSION WAS FROM THE INSIDE OUT. ON VISUAL INSPECTION THE METAL IN THE CROSS MEMBER AND BRACKETS APPEARED TO BE SOUND, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PEAL AWAY THE STRUCTURE WITH OUR FINGERS. THIS TYPE OF CORROSION BEGINS YEARS BEFORE FAILURE.

THE GAS PEDAL ON THIS VEHICLE, WHICH ONLY HAS 22K MILES ON IT, IS HARD TO PRESS DOWN INTERMITTENTLY WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN YOU PULL OUT IF IT'S GOING TO GO OR NOT AND HAVE TO PRESS HARD ON THE PEDAL. I'M TOLD IT WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED WHICH THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND THE 2016 KIA SORENTO IS UNDER RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE SO WHY ISN'T THE 2005 INCLUDED? ALSO, IT HAS A GAS GAUGE ISSUE, WHICH THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ON.

PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR FAILED, VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE IN PERFECT CONDITION. THE REPAIR IS ALMOST 2000.00. WITH THIS REPAIR NEEDED THE VEHICLE WON'T PASS INSPECTION, SO WHAT IS OTHERWISE A PERFECTLY FINE VEHICLE IS NOW SCRAP. THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS HARDLY USED ( MAYBE 20% OF THE VEHICLE USE ) SO A FAILURE OF AN EXPENSIVE OCCUPANCY SENSOR LIKE THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.