2006 Kia Sportage

BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, I HEARD OF A RECALL FOR GAS TANK STRAPS ON MY CAR - SO CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID TANK STRAPS HAD BEEN RECALLED AND CORROSION PROTECTION (UNDERCOATING) WAS ALSO A REMEDY THAT WAS COVERED BY THE RECALL. I ARRANGED RECALL SERVICE AT CLOSEST DEALER (1 1/2 HOURS AWAY) WHO ORDERED THE TANK STRAPS FOR ME. UNFORTUNATELY, ONCE AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE SERVICE TECH SAID THAT HE COULD NOT REPLACE THE STRAPS BECAUSE HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE GAS TANK "WOULD FALL APART DUE TO CORROSION ALONG THE WELDED SEAM OF THE TANK" A COMMON PROBLEM KNOWN TO KIA. BECAUSE THE TECH DID NOT HAVE A NEW TANK IN STOCK, I ASKED HIM IF HE COULD GET ONE FROM A JUNK YARD, HE SAID THAT SUCH A USED TANK "WOULD LIKELY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM." I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET KIA TO REPLACE THE STRAPS AND TANK AT THEIR EXPENSE AND TO FOLLOW-UP WITH UNDERCOATING AS THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO DO - FOR MONTHS! I HAVE CALLED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND KIA AMERICA MANAGEMENT IN IRVINE CA MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE PAST MONTHS. THE ONLY RESPONSE I HAVE HAD THUS FAR WAS FROM JESSICA WEAVER OF KIA'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPT (520 772 4714) MS WEAVER HAS REPEATEDLY REQUESTED THAT I GIVE HER MORE TIME AND SHE REPEATEDLY FAILS TO FOLLOW-THROUGH ON HER COMMITMENTS TO CALL BACK. MY LATEST CONTACT FROM HER WAS TWO WEEKS AGO WHERE SHE AGAIN REQUESTED MORE TIME (FIVE DAYS) TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE - - I AGAIN NEVER HEARD BACK FROM MS WEAVER. WHAT MS WEAVER HAS CONVEYED TO ME IS THAT THE REGIONAL PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER NEEDS TO APPROVE THE REPAIR AND REVIEW THE PHOTOS THAT WERE TAKEN OF THE GAS TANK ...AND SHE CANNOT GET TO HIM. I HAVE REPEATEDLY RESPONDED THAT THERE MUST BE SOMEONE AT KIA WHO CAN APPROVE THE REPAIR. MY SENSE IS THAT THIS POOR WOMAN HAS BEEN TOLD TO JERK ME AROUND UNTIL I GIVE UP ...THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN GETTING KIA TO MEET THEIR OBLIGATION. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SPORTAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNDERCOATING PROCEDURE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE VOLUNTARILY, BUT THE FRAME BECAME CORRODED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FRED BEAN'S KIA OF MECHANICSBURG (6302 CARLISLE PIKE, MECHANICSBURG, PA 17050) WHO VERIFIED THE CORROSION AND THE FACT THAT IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS UNREPAIRABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS AWAITING A CALL BACK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,700.

NO FAILURE/CRASH/INJURY TO MYSELF OR ANYONE I KNOW, BUT DESIGN COMPLAINT THAT COULD RESULT IN INJURY. MY 2006 KIA SPORTAGE RECEIVED GOOD CRASH TEST RATINGS, WHICH IS WHY I PURCHASED THE CAR. I HAVE 1 CHILD, UNDER 3, WHO'S CAR SEAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK BECAUSE THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES CAR SEATS ARE UNSAFE ON EITHER SIDE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS. THE ONLY LOCATION FOR LATCH IS IN EITHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I AM ABOUT TO HAVE A 2ND CHILD, AND NOW HAVE NO SAFE WAY TO PLACE 2 CHILDREN IN THE REAR OF THIS VEHICLE. I KNOW IT IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT THAT ALL VEHICLES HAVE LATCH IN THE CARS, BUT HOW LEGAL CAN IT ACTUALLY BE, IF THE LOCATIONS OF LATCH ARE NOT SAFE FOR THE CHILDREN? *TR