2002 Kia Spectra

ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2008 AT 4:45PM, I WAS DRIVING ON STATE HIGHWAY 58 BY JENKINS AND ROSEDALE HIGHWAY IN BAKERSFIELD, CA. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES DUE TO THE CAR IN FRONT OF MY BRAKING AUTOMATICALLY, MY BRAKES LOCKED UP AND I WAS IN A FRONT END CRASH. NOT ONLY DID MY BRAKES LOCK UP, BUT MY DUEL SIDED AIR BAGS IN MY 2002 KIA SPECTRA WHICH I HAVE ONLY OWNED FOR FOUR MONTHS DID NOT DEPLOY. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BADLY INJURED BUT DUE TO THIS INCIDENT MY MUSCLES ARE BADLY SORE AND BRUISED. THE WHOLE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE IS DESTROYED AND MOST IMPORTANTLY MY HEADLIGHTS WHICH ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE, ARE SHATTERED. *TR

THREE YEARS AGO WHILE TRAVELING DOWN I-40 THE CRUISE CONTROL STUCK ON THE CAR, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE CAR HAD CLIMB TO 90 MPH IN A 65 BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE CAR WAS TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND CUT THE ENGINE. THANK THE DEAR LORD IN HEAVEN ME AND 2 OTHER CO-WORKERS WERE NOT IN HEAVEN TRAFFIC THAT DAY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO KIA IN WINSTON SALEM, NC WHERE THE MECHANICS ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT HAD EVER WORKED ON THAT CAR AT THAT TIME. THEY TRIED TO SAY THAT IT WAS AN ANIMAL OR SOMEONE MUST HAVE TOUCHED THE CABLE CAUSING IT TO SLIP OUT OF THE GROOVE WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE CRUISE CONTROL TO STICK. THEY FLIPPED IT BACK ON AND IT WORKED FINE UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 1, 2008 AROUND 9:00 AT NIGHT WHEN ME AND MY 10 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS COMING HOME FROM HAVING DINNER OUT. AGAIN THE CRUISE CONTROL STUCK STARTED ACCELERATING WITH NO WAY OF STOPPING IT AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE CAR HAD CLIMBED TO 70 MPH IN A 55 BEFORE I FINALLY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND CUT THE ENGINE. THE CAR HAS SCARED ME TWICE NOW. I AM SCARED THAT IT WILL HAPPENED IT AGAIN AND NEXT TIME WE WANT BE LUCKY. I AM AFRAID THIS CAR MAY END UP HURTING US OR SOMEONE ELSE REALLY BAD. I COMPLAINED TO KIA 3YRS AGO THEY DIDN'T CARE WHEN THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I SURE DON'T SEE THEM CARING NOW. DO YOU? *TR

I WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND MY KIA SPECTRA WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE FOR NECK AND HEAD INJURIES. MY AIRBAG NEVER WENT OFF. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD HAVE. THE INSURANCE WANTS TO CLOSE OUT THE CLAIM AND I ADVISED THEM THAT I WANTED KIA TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AS TO WHY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. WOULD LIKE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS WITHOUT HAVING TO GET A LAWYER INVOLVED. I WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL WITH WHIPLASH AND PAIN MEDS. I NEED TO GET A NEW VEHICLE AND LIKED MY SPECTRA BUT AM UNSURE AS TO ITS SAFETY. THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING BUT NOT SURE AS TO WHAT CAUSED IT. FIREMAN BROUGHT OVER AN EXTINGUISHER BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THEY USED IT. *TR

1. MY SON WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON US 280 IN ALABAMA JUST SOUTH OF BIRMINGHAM WHEN HE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT HE WAS TRAVELING AT 45 MPH WHEN HE IMPACTED THE REAR OF ANOTHER CAR. 2. AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT HE WAS THROWN FORWARD AND HIS HEAD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD. HE SUFFERED A MILD CONCUSSION AND CUTS AN BRUISES. THE AUTOMOBILE HAS FACTORY INSTALLED AIR BAGS FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. 3. STATE FARM (THE INSURER) WROTE THE CAR OFF AS A TOTAL LOSS. I SENT PHOTOS OF THE CAR TO KIA CORPORATE IN IRVIN, CA. THEIR COMMENT WAS THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AND ACCIDENT OF THIS NATURE. NO ONE LOOKED AT THE CAR TO DETERMINE WHAT FAILED IN THE SYSTEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 MPH THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT BROKE. THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS SECURED IN THAT SEAT BELT WHEN IT BROKE. THE CHILD WAS NOT INJURED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE LABOR RATE IS $70 AND THE COST TO REPAIR IT IS $85. AS OF MARCH 24, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE SEATBELT. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED SINCE HER CHILD CAN REACH THE DOOR HANDLE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VIN APPEARED TO BE INVALID. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 89,300. UPDATED 05/19/08. *LJ

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPECTRA. THE VEHICLE HAS STARFIRE FLITE-LINE IV, SIZE P185/65R14 (NA) TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SWERVED BACK AND FORTH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRE TREAD WAS WORN. THE DEALER EXPLAINED WHAT CAUSED THE TIRES TO CONTINUOUSLY WEAR; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT COULD NOT REMEMBER THE INFORMATION. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED SEVEN TIMES WITH DIFFERENT TIRE BRANDS AND LINES. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 KIA SPECTRA. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW FELL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR CAUSED THE FAILURE. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS POOR QUALITY AND THEY REPLACED THE WINDOW REGULATOR AND RE-ATTACHED THE WINDOW CABLE. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDOWS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FELL SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WEATHER CAUSED A PLASTIC PART ON THE WINDOW REGULATOR TO FAIL. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL THREE WINDOW REGULATORS. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,140.

THE REAR DRIVER TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THE WINDOW WAS DOWN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN A TAPPING NOISE STARTED TO SOUND, WHEN THE CAR STOPPED BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS FEELING SHAKY, THE TIRE HAD A RIP IN THE SIDE OF IT, THE WIRES WERE SHOWING, IT LOOKED LIKE A CUT BUT IT HAD JUST HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS SCARY TO SAY THE LEAST. THE TIRE HAS ALOT OF TREAD LEFT ON IT AND I THINK THE OTHER MATCHING SET OF TIRES MAY EXPLODE ANY DAY. AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR NOW WITH THE TIRES BEING THIS WAY. *TR