Kia Motors Consumer Reviews - Page 4

NEW JERSEY -- We bought a brand new Kia Sorento 2014, which ended up giving us a huge problem within the first 30 days of purchase. We got the vehicle towed to the dealership. They sent photos of the vehicle to the corporate office in California, and then proceeded to tell us the deficiency in the vehicle wasn't covered under the 10-year warranty we had paid for, and that we would need to spend $3500 out of our own pockets to fix the car. An absolutely horrific experience with the Kia corporate offices.

For one thing, the customer service representatives were unprofessional and totally adamant in not being helpful. Purchasing the warranty is so not worth it. We bought a brand new car so we wouldn't have to worry about any major issues with the car. But we were proved wrong within the first 30 days. I will never buy a Kia ever again, and will recommend anyone looking at buying a Kia to reconsider their decision. Go with an auto manufacturer that actually values its customers and stands up to their word.

SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA -- I have two 2011 leased Kia Sorentos, neither of which, by the way, has lived up to the low mileage promises. But the worst of my experience has been dealing with Kia Motors Finance. They have a process center that receives check payments. It's the only company I deal with that repeatedly fails to credit my account even though checks are mailed 10 or more days prior to due date.

I've had to stop payment on two checks to avoid being double-billed because Kia Finance's process center fails to credit my account. Adding insult to injury, their phone in "customer service" center has never once recognized my account number or the famous "last four of my SSN", requiring that I remain on hold for long periods before being transferred to at least 3 departments. Unbelievable!!

Thank the good Lord for online banking through my trustworthy and competent credit union. I would never trust KIA Finance to pay online either. The good from all this? I'll pay cash for my next vehicle and I can pretty much guarantee it won't be a Kia.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA -- Well owning 2 Kias now and never having a problem with either one, I can honestly say that they're a great car. We have to remember anything made by man will fail at some point. Kias are like any other car. You must follow the service schedule. If Kias were a piece of junk why are they up double digits and the American cars are down. OH! let's not forget the bail out and that is why some of the American cars dealers are up because they can afford to cut the price of their cars. Kia didn't take a bail! So all you out there that haven't seen or looked at the Kia product in the last 5 years, wake up and take a look...

FT. PIERCE, FLORIDA -- Just wanted to let the world know what a rip off Kia's Powertrain 100,000 mile warranty is. They make that promise but then they find any technicality to be sure they don't have to honor it. Just a warning if you buy one... You better read the warranty cover to cover with a magnifying glass, tie your salesman to a chair and torture the info out of him because Kia will NEVER tell you what you have to do to avoid voiding your warranty. They were such a good company when I bought my Sephia and then my Spectra, but after what they did with the Rio... NEVER again.

I am a hospice nurse who lives in Northeast Ohio. I own a 2010 Kia Soul purchased five months ago. Today for the first time I was in need of use of 24 hour road assistance that comes with each new vehicle. I want all present and future buyers to be aware of what I was informed of today. I got stuck slightly in snow today and called the 24 hr road assistance number. I was disappointed and disheartened by what I was told. Due to weather conditions, that was not a service that Kia would cover. What good is this service if Kia is going to be selective about what assistance they will cover?

I guess to say they offer 24 hour roadside assistance looks good on paper in the buyer's contract. Until now have been extremely satisfied and promoted Kia to everyone. My niece and son-in-law have since purchase Kia vehicles, but now my opinion has drastically changed. If you offer something, what good is it to have it if the rules of the game are changed and it's not there when you need it most! Thankfully I had to rely on the goodness of strangers who got me rolling again.

My family owns plenty of Kia vehicles. I have 5 family members who all own Kia, so when I went to buy a car I chose Kia. I love my car, it's nice, but the warranty is horrible! My car is broken (under warranty) it broke a few months earlier, and a Kia dealer in Indiana "fixed" my car. Well yesterday the piece they "fixed" fell off of my car while I was driving. And I have to say their road side assistance is pretty good. But now I am car-less for a week, until they get the replacement part in. Because their warranty does not cover car rental even if it is a part that is covered under warranty. So read your warranty carefully. Because there are better deals out there.

A few days ago my child was involved in a frontal collision while driving her 2005 Kia Rio. While she was braking her seatbelt locked but then released on impact. In addition to this, the front driver side airbag also did not deploy on impact. As a result of these malfunctions, my child was injured when the face hit the steering wheel.

Considering the severity of the crash my child is lucky to have survived. If the seat belt had worked properly and the airbag deployed as it was supposed to do, my child could have been spared the injuries and the pain. I am afraid that if the same thing happens to someone else while driving a Rio, they might not be as lucky. Kia needs to correct the seat belt defects and most importantly the airbag defects before they kill somebody.

ROCHESTER HILLS, MICHIGAN -- I took my 2002 Sedona in for its 60,000 mile check up as required and was told that the timing belt needs replaced. I checked in the warranty book and this is considered a part of the power train and is covered under the 120 month/100,000 mile warranty that they advertise so proudly. Well guess what, they would not cover it with the excuse of "We won't cover that because it falls under normal wear and tear."

The almost uneducated call center person then said, "That is the same as tires or brakes, they are not covered because of normal wear and tear." I asked her, "Why this part is in the warranty manual" and she said, "Well, if it would have broke, we would have covered it, but since it was only worn, that falls under normal wear and tear." The KIA tech told us "You need to replace it as it is worn and will probably break before too long." I asked the service rep then if it would have been better for me to just not have it replaced until it broke? She then said, "We would not cover any damage at that point because you were advised that it was bad and needed replaced."

Talk about double talk, I had it replaced as per the KIA tech suggestion, and then am told it was not covered because of wear and tear, but then told that if it broke it would be covered, but not really because I was told it was bad. Can you say what a bunch of double talking crap to avoid paying a warranty. NEVER will buy a KIA again, they will not honor a warranty regardless of the circumstances.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND -- I can only hope that some highly placed executive at KIA reads this complaint and gives it reasoned consideration. Headlight bulbs burned out on my 2005 KIA Amanti. Such an assumedly simple procedure as changing a bulb turned out to be the equivalent of brain surgery at Johns Hopkins. Consider this: (1) the owner's manual is useless depicting a procedure not applicable to the car; (2) a superfluous engine shroud needs to be removed; (3) the front bumper has to be removed for adequate access to the headlights.

Only two possible reasons for this engineering absurdity: (1) incompetence in design; (2) a conscious corporate decision to force the consumer back to the dealer for trivial yet costly maintenance. Either reason is unconscionable.

This incident may seem like a triviality but it isn't. It's emblematic of corporate disdain for the consumer who it is assumed will sheepishly concede to insane requirements to keep his car in good driving condition. A true and valid picture of an enterprise can usually be seen in microcosm and, therefore, the microcosmic matter of the headlight bulb replacement reflects very badly on KIA. Is my dissatisfaction sufficient to reject KIA in future plans for car buying or to badmouth KIA to my considerable circle of family, colleagues and friends? That'll depend on any answer I might get from KIA re this complaint.

PENSACOLA FL, FLORIDA -- I have only had my KIA RIO for 3 years. I bought it new and was impressed with the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty package. However, this week, my transmission blew. Now Kia does not want to honor their warranty because I did not use the RECOMMENDED transmission fluid last time I had it changed. It was one year ago, I changed the fluid and now they are telling me that this caused the problem. Come on. For one thing, the transmission should not blow after 3 years.

For another thing, I took care of the car and they still do not want to honor it. I am wondering how many KIA owners have run into this problem. I am not sure what to do at this point, other than make all phone calls I can and stir up as much ruckus as possible until someone from KIA can explain this to me about the quality of their vehicles. I will never buy another KIA. Their product sucks and so do their warranties. It's a hoax to get you to buy and that's it. Very depressed and disgusted! And soon to be broke for having to buy a new transmission!!!