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Kia Motors Of America Transmission Trouble. I was accused of Abuse! Atlanta Georgia
I recently had a problem with my 2002 Kia Rio. It only has 48,000 miles and my 5 year 60,000 mile warranty doesn't expire until March 26, 2008 and then my 10 year 100,000 mile warranty will kick in. While driving home with my three children on October 1 the stick in my standard Kia went completely loose and I was unable to change gears. I was 1.2 miles from home and continued to my home only having to put my foot on the clutch a few times to slow down and gradually get back up to speed.
When I came home my husband called the local Kia dealership (Kia of Augusta) and was told by the service manager that my cars warranty had expired. They stated someone had changed it from new to used and it stated we bought the car in April 2002. We bought our car new on March 26, 2003. Spencer at customer service had us send the contract by fax to him. Luckily we had it and then it took over a week for them to correct it and we could have nothing done to the car until that point. The warranty manual states on page six that if your car is not operable due to a warranty covered item then towing would be covered.
Then the customer service rep, Sue, stated that Roadside Assistance expires 5 years after date of purchase on page 9 section A in the owners manual which had not come to pass but they stated the Roadside assistance was expired even though it has not been 5 years. She refused to allow towing. I paid out of my pocket to have my car towed to the Kia dealership and for them to begin working to find out what was wrong on Sunday, October 14.
I called Monday about 10 am and spoke to Alicia to verify that they had indeed starting working on it and they had not. She stated there was a $80 diagnostic fee I would have to pay for them to find out what the problem was and if it was the transmission then I wouldn't have to pay that. I agreed because we have to find out what was wrong for it to be fixed.
Tuesday around noon Alicia fro m the service department called and stated their seemed to be two problems. The clutch smelled burnt and the transmission was stuck in third gear. She then stated it would be $255 to find out for sure what was wrong. I don't understand how it went from $80 on Monday to find out the problem to $255 on Tuesday. And when I asked if the $255 would come off the repair she stated no because the mechanic would have to take the clutch apart. Wouldn't he have to take it apart to fix it as well?
Wednesday I did not hear anything about the car and I called Thursday to find out what was going on with it. The Service manager stated the district parts manager, Clyde Teasley, was looking at it and said there were burnt spots on the clutch and that it needed a new clutch and pressure plate and he would not cover the transmission under the warranty. The transmission had the transshifter bar break off inside the transmission. That is suppose to be covered under the warranty.
I feel Kia is not standing behind their own warranty and are wanting to pick and choose what they are going to cover and that is not how it is suppose to be. When they state you have a warranty and the transmission is covered in that then they should replace my transmission instead of trying to charge me $2,500. What is the point of having a warranty if they aren't going to stand behind it?
I spoke with Danielle at the Kia office (678-385-8567) and she stated the District Manager looked at the clutch and stated I abused and misused the vehicle and that I broke the steel control rod inside the transmission. I am a mother of three, I do not race the roads. I drive my vehicle to and from work, and my kids to appointments. I am rarely without my children and drive very safely. He stated the hotspots on the clutch pressure plate showed abuse.
No they showed a mother driving home with her car acting up and not knowing what was wrong and then having to put it on a tow dolly in third gear because Roadside Assistance was refused. I was exactly 1.2 miles from my home and didn't know what was wrong so why pull over? I just drove it home that way. They refused to tow it because they had made an error when entering in the purchase date and I had to get a tow dolly to get it to the dealer. In order to get it on the tow dolly the clutch was road on a bit. That is what caused the hot spots. Never before has it been road on! She stated Clyde Teasley's decision was final and there was nothing else to be done.
How can I brake a STEEL Rod inside the transmission? Clyde stated there was no manufacture defect in the transmission but he didn't look inside the tranmission they only took the clutch apart. They stated they don't take them apart they just replace the whole unit. I asked to speak to her manager and she stated he would have to get back with me. I also asked to speak to Clyde Teasley and she stated she would give him the message that I would like to speak with him.
Please help me. I have not ever abused my vehicle and I am in desperate need of your help. I have not done anything wrong and I am being blamed to get more money.
After speaking several times with Kevin Williams I received a message on my answering machine and he stated they would pay labor but I would have to pay for parts. I explained that the vehicle is covered under warranty and I should not have to pay for this. I asked how much it would cost and he stated warranty cost would be $823 for the transmission and $326 for the clutch. I spoke with John Weeks at Weeks Transmission and he stated my cost for repairs from them would be $1200-1500 including labor and stated that I could not have broken the tran shifter.
I asked Kevin if he had spoken to Channel 12 and he stated he did not have to. I asked have you spoken to them and he said "No have you?" and I said yes that I had contacted Twelve on Your Side, the Better Business Bureau and The Federal Trade Commision and he stated that since I had done that, "He won't do anything for me now." Even though before I told him I was going to do that and he stated "that is your right." I stated I have you recorded stating your offer and now you are going to take the offer back and he said I did not give you permission to record me. I said you left the message on my answering machine how can you not have given permission? He said he had nothing further to say to me and hung up.
I am really getting cheated here and would like help. I am very upset with Kia Motors for this entire sequence of events. I have a warranty and my vehicle should be repaired under that and my towing costs refunded to me. I would appreciate anyones help in this matter and be proved wrong that I am being cheated as a consumer.
Shannon
Martinez, Georgia
U.S.A.
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