PURCHASED A SET OF 4 MICHELIN X RADIAL TIRES 10/2005. IN MAY 2006 NOTICED A CRACK/CUT IN SIDEWALL OF TIRE. TIRE REPLACED AT COSTCO UNDER ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. IN AUGUST 2006, ANOTHER TIRE SUFFERED A RUPTURE IN THE SIDEWALL CAUSING CAR TO HIT CURB. AGAIN REPLACED UNDER COSTCO ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY, DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO PROVE WE DIDN'T HIT SOMETHING THAT CAUSED SIDEWALL RUPTURE. OCTOBER 2006 STILL ANOTHER TIRE WAS NOTICED WITH A LARGE BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL. REPLACED AGAIN UNDER ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY AT COSTCO. ALL TIRES THAT WERE REPLACED WERE DOT HCP8HYUX2505.
NHTSA complaint #10171704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TIRES THAT WERE PUT ON THE VEHICLE WERE THE INCORRECT SIZE.
NHTSA complaint #10091988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
GEAR SHIFT IS MY BIG PROBLEM RIGHT NOW WITH MY CAR. IT HAS BEEN IN 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. 1ST TWO TIMES WAS DUE TO THE IN-ABILITY TO GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK. 1ST REPAIR COULD NOT GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK. REPAIR WAS LUBRICATE THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE. (ACCUSED DRIVER OF GETTING POP IN THE GEAR SHIFTER) 2ND REPAIR COULD NOT GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK. REPAIR WAS TO REPLACE THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE. 3RD REPAIR CAR STALLED ON THE ROAD AND WOULD NOT START. REPAIR "FREE-UP SHIFTER SHAT IN TRANSMISSION (WOULD NOT GO ALL THE WASY IN PARK AND WAS HARD TO FIND ANY GEARS AND WOULD CAUSE A NO START)". THIS IS THE QUOTE ON THE BACK OF THE REPARI TICKET. WHEN THE CAR WAS PICK-UP. THE CAR AGAIN REFUSED TO START. WAS TOLD THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER ON THE FLOOR HAD TO BE SHOVED TO THE CONSOLSE TO MAKE THE CAR RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS IN THE "PARK" LOCATION. WHAT I WANT IS FAIR MARKET VALUE FOR MY CAR FROM KIA. RIGHT NOW GETTING RUN AROUND. THEY NEED MORE INFORMATION FROM THE KIA REPAIR AND SERVICE MANAGER BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE. RIGHT NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE IF IT STALLS ON A BUSY ROAD, IT TAKES ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO FORCE THE GEAR SHIFT INTO THE RIGHT LOCATION TO GET THE ENGINE TO TURN OVER. SECOND COMPLAINT IS NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE CAR NEEDS NEW TIRES AND BRAKES (ROTORS). AGAIN KIA BLAMING THE DRIVER, BREAK DOWN IS DUE TO BAD BRAKING HABBITS.
NHTSA complaint #10070775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR DIED ON THE ROAD FOR NO REASON. THEN CAR WOULD NOT START. DRIVER VERIFIED THAT GEAR-SHIFT WAS LOCKED IN "PARK" POSITION. JUST GLAD THIS DID NOT HAPPEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE REPAIR SHOP DUE TO GETTING THE CAR INTO OR OUT OF PARK. REPAIRS OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS HAVE BEEN RE-LUBRICATED THE GEAR-SHIFT CABLE (1ST REPAIR). REPLACE THE GEAR-SHIFT CABLE (2ND REPAIR). THE LAST (3RD) REPAIR WAS A RE-LUBRICATION OF THE REPLACED GEAR-SHIFT CABLE AND RE-ADJUSTMENT OF THE LINKAGE SO CAR COULD RECOGNIZE THAT IT WAS IN PARK. THESE REQUIRED REPAIRS ARE BEING BLAMED ON NOT DRIVING THE CAR ENOUGH. ALSO HAVING TROUBLE WITH PREMATURE WARRING ON THE BREAK ROTORS AND PADS. CAR HAS JUST OVER 22,000 MILES ON IT. REASON IS DRIVER (THAT IS NOT DRIVING ENOUGH) IS TOO HARD ON THE BREAKS. (MY OTHER CAR HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOW READY FOR THE 1ST BREAK JOB.) I AM ALSO BEING TOLD THAT THE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. AGAIN THE CAR HAS ONLY 22,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE READ REPORTS ON THE INTERNET THAT MIS-ADJUSTMENTS FORM THE FACTORY CAN LEAD TO EARLY WARE.
NHTSA complaint #10043482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OUR KIA SEPHIA 2000 IS A LEMON. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES FOUR TIMES BECAUSE OF PREMATURE WARE AND SHAKING DUE TO POOR DESIGN. WE RECEIVED THE CAR WITH A DEAD BATTERY. WE ARE ON OUR THIRD BATTERY. WE WERE ON OUR THIRD SET OF TIRES BEFORE 30,000 MILES. THE GEAR SHIFT WILL STICK SO THAT YOU CAN NOT TAKE IT OUT OF PARK. THE WEATHER MOLDING IS FALLING OFF. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND THEY COULD NOT KEEP IT FROM COMING ON.
NHTSA complaint #10018598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TEN TIMES! I CANNOT SPECIFY A PART, MOST PARTS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. WHEN I SAY TEN TIMES, IT IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE 10TH TIME NOW BUT NEEDS 8 DIFFERENT REPAIRS. (NOT TEN TOTAL REPAIRS) AS FAR AS SAFETY, THE TIRES (DIFFERENT BRANDS) HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY SEASON... 2 SETS A YEAR! THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THEY CHECKED OUT OKAY LAST TIME IT WAS IN, BUT THEY CONSTANTY SHUDDER AND GRIND, AND HAVE COMPLETELY GONE OUT. THEY ALSO SQUEAL VERY LOUD AT ABOUT 60 MPH WHILE DRIVING. NOT SURE IF IT IS THE BRAKES OR TIRES. I JUST FEEL UNSAFE IN MY VEHICLE. IT HAS BEEN TOWED THREE TIMES, LEAVING ME STRANDED. MY HEATER ALSO QUIT WORKING AND I LIVE IN ALASKA. I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE COMMON PROBLEMS, BUT I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE THAT I FELT SO UNSAFE IN. I ALSO GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT IN 200, IN WHICH I WAS HIT HEAD ON BY AN EXPLORER. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH AND SHE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 10 MPH. IT BROKE OUT MY HEADLIGHT, DENTED THE HOOD UP AND PUT A HOLE IN THE BUMPER.... THIS MUCH DAMAGE AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED! THIS WAS NOT CALLED IN TO THE POLICE, I JUST LET HER GO (IT WAS HER FAULT). I WISH I HAD REPORTED IT.
NHTSA complaint #756897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, HOOD RELEASED AND SMASHED INTO WINDSHIELD WHICH BLOCKED VISION OF DRIVER, CONSUMER FELT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS THAT CAUSE SEVERE VIBRATION AND HAD TO BE REPLACED FREQUENTLY, THERE WAS NO CRASH OR INJURY TO REPORT WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.*AK BRAKES WOULD VIBRATE AND WERE NOISY, REQUESTED REAR BRAKES BE CLEANED LUBED, DEALER FOUND ROTORS WARPED AND PADS WORN AND EXCESSIVE DUST IN REAR BRAKES, NUMEROUS ENGINE PROBLEMS SUCH AS COOLING FAN RUMBLE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, ENGINE STALL, BURNING SMELL, BELT SQUEAKS, ELECTRIC COOLING FAN INOPERATIVE, FAN BLADE, PLUG WIRES AND COIL BOOTS, VALVE COVER GASKET WERE REPLACED, EVAPORATOR WAS REPLACED AND RECHARGED, MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDING IGNITION SWITCH, STARTER, ALTERNATOR, MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, BATTERY TERMINAL, AND BULB FAILURE, DEALER HAS ALSO FOUND CORROSION, POOR CONNECTIONS AND LOW VOLTAGE, CONSUMER STATES NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTER, HARSH SHIFTS AND CLUNKS, DEALER REPLACED OLD STYLE FLEX PLATE, BINDING SHIFTER WHICH WAS CLEANED AND LUBED, FLUID LEAKS, DEALER REPLACED LEAKING POWER STEERING HOSE, MULTIPLE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS MISSING WIPER ARM CAP, KEY WILL NOT OPEN TRUNK, TRUNK LEVER DOES NOT RELEASE, BROKEN TRUNK RELEASE HANDLE, LEFT REAR DOOR MOLDING COMING OFF, DEALER REPLACED TRUNK RELEASE, REINSTALLED DOOR WEATHERSTRIP, FOUND OIL LEAKS, AND UNDERCARRIAGE SHOWING SIGNS OF DAMAGE, BUBBLES IN DASH PAD, SUNVISOR COMING LOOSE, DEALER REPLACED DASH PAD, DEALER FOUND TAIL PIPE DAMAGED, BOTH FRONT AFTERMARKET TIRES (NO TIRE INFORMATION) WORN, LEFT REAR RIM BENT, REAR TIRES (NO TIRE INFORMATION) CUPPED AND FEATHERED DUE TO LACK OF ROTATION AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS, CONSUMER ALSO REQUESTED DEALER TO CHECK CV BOOTS FOR GREASE LEAK, DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8001511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY LEFT FRONT TIRE IS COMPLETELY THREAD BARE, AND MY MECHANIC TELLS ME THE REMAINING THREE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF REPLACEMENT AS WELL. THIS IS THE SECOND PAIR OF THESE TIRES TO BE REPLACED ON THIS CAR. THE FIRST PAIR WAS AT 2,000 MILES. I HAVE READ OF MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MANUFACTURER'S TIRES IN THE NHTSA DATA BASE. MOST OF THE REPORTS FOR THE KIA SEPHIA DID NOT MENTION THE MAKE AND MANUFACTURER OF THE TIRE. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TIRE TO BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. HAD I NOT HAD MY CAR IN TO HAVE IT SERVICED AND THE TIRES ROTATED I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE SEVERITY OF THE WARE PROBLEM AND COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. IN REFERENCE TO THE TRANSMISSION ON THE KIA SEPHIA I HAVE HAD TWO TRANSMISSIONS INSTALLED IN THIS CAR SINCE APRIL OF THIS YEAR AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD RETURNED THE CAR TO THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. WHY IS KIA PERMITTED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE DEFECTIVE MATERIALS FOR THESE VEHICLES?
NHTSA complaint #754251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE ORGINALLY STARTED WITH A VERY HARD PULL TO THE RIGHT & VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, TOLD THAT SERVICE TECHS WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO HAVE BACK UNTIL REPAIRS MADE BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. AFTER CROSSMEMBER REALIGN, STILL HAD A HARD PULL & VIBRATION. RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP. FRONT TIRES REPLACED. STILL HAS HARD PULL & VIBRATION BUT NOW AT LOWER SPEEDS. MANUFACTOR CONTACTED ALL TIMES BUT UNABLE TO REMEDY PROBLEM AT THIS POINT. VEHICLE DANGEROUS AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 40MPH SINCE VEHICLE WILL VEAR HARD TO THE RIGHT ESPECIALLY UPON ACCELERATION.
NHTSA complaint #753815 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HANKOOK MODEL UNKNOWN, P185/65R14, DOT T7HCA3Y478, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1999, KIA, SEPHIA WITH 29000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION, DID $ 1200.00 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. PLEASE ADD MODEL OF TIRE.
NHTSA complaint #892306 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A KIA, SEPHIA 1999, DOT7HCA3Y478, AND TIRE SIZE P185/65R14. RIGHT FRONT TIRE TREAD CAME COMPLETELY OFF, CAN ONLY SEE STEEL BELTS GOING AROUND TIRE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE . *AK THERE WAS 1225 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGES TO VEHICLE, TIRE WAS HANKOOK.*SLC
NHTSA complaint #891674 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE FOR FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS OVER 6X..3 RECALLS & STILL SEEMS TO RUN HARD/STALL. TRANSMISSION FIRST BROUGHT IN ON 1/1/00, THEY COULDN'T DIAGNOSE AND THEN 3/23/01 DIAGNOSED FOR SAME PROBLEM- REPAIRED. NOW STICKS IN 3-4TH GEAR. ALL 4 ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE SEPARATED AND BEEN REPLACED (15K MILES AND 24K MILES). ELECTRICAL STILL CAUSING POWERTRAIN AND ACCESSORY-RELATED (RADIO) RECURRINGLY FAIL. CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND KIA/DEALERSHIP FAILS TO DIAGNOSE/REPAIR ONLY UNTIL RECALL ON EXACT PREV BROUGHT IN PROBLEMS OCCUR (AND KEEP RECURRING). THIS PARTIC VEHICLE IS EXTREME HAZARD/LIABILITY TO DRIVE. (TIRESIZE: 185/65R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 185/65R14 )
NHTSA complaint #743082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT, SHORTY AFTER THE RIGHT TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ANOTHER TIRE WAS GOING FLAT WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. NLM
NHTSA complaint #559795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN THE FIRST 12 MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THAT I PURCHASED BRAND NEW, I HAVE BLOWN AN ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRE(NO PUNCTURES - BELT EXPOSED); HAD THE DOOR LOCKS AND COMPARTMENT LID REPLACED BY (NO CHARGE).*AK (TIRESIZE: P185/65R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185/65R14 )
NHTSA complaint #741314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING SEVERAL PROBLEMS RELATING TO THE TIRES, VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AFTER 45MPH, VEHICLE VIBRATES, 3 TIRES HAVE WENT FLAT, A RING OF ONE OF THE TIRES BENT AND WAS REPLACED, ONE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE WEARING AFTER CONSUMER HAD NUMEROUS ALIGNMENTS, TIRE ROTATIONS, BALANCING, AND LOWERED TIRE PRESSURE, CONSUMER DID NOT GIVE A TIRE MAKE, MODEL, OR SIZE, THIS PROBLEM COULD ALSO BE RELATED TO A SUSPENSION PROBLEM. *SLC *SLC
NHTSA complaint #559316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ORIGINAL TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE THREAD WITH LEST THAN 7,000 MILES ON THE TIRE. VEHICLE ALSO WILL NOT START AT TIMES. WIND SHIELD WIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #726398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT SAW/SMELLED SMOKE. AFTER INVESTIGATING WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM, CONSUMER RAISED THE HOOD AND FOUND SMOKE COMING FROM THE CONJUCTION BOX. TIRES HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER 27,667 MILES. *AK
NHTSA complaint #861357 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.