Complaint Review: KIA Motors USA - Chattanooga Tennessee

I am not a corporate shill for Kia either. I do not work for them, nor do I work in the auto industry. I am an owner of a 2002 Kia Spectra that has 146,000 miles on it. The only repairs I have ever had to do on it are as follows. 18,000 miles - check engine light came on, some emissions related part had failed, replaced under warranty. 32,000 miles - radio went out, replaced under warranty. 123,000 miles - timing belt broke, my stupidity for never changing it. I didn't realize that most foreign cars have interference engines and can be damaged by a broken timing belt. I ended up with a bent valve that I never fixed, but the car runs fine. Cost $600 to replace the belt and water pump. I have never owned a car for this many miles, but I think 3 problems in almost 150,000 miles (one of them my fault) is very good for a car that only cost $12,000. I would recommend a Kia to anyone who wants a low priced car that is reliable.

Glad to hear they repaired the engine ... I had a simular issue with our mitsubishi .. except it was sludge ... I had reciepts showing oil changes ... was under the 60k warranty and they refused ... then we met with the regional "WITCH" and got no where ... when I said i guess i will take it to court then she stood up and marched out ... she said fine go ahead .. you will never win this one ... I went to an attorney and I had signed an agreement that i would first go through arbitration first to resolve .. My first thought was that this would be a waste .... but i had no attorney fees and they agreed to get an answer within 30 days ... well sent in my paper work and i got a new engine ... so to everyone out there ... if you think you dont have an option ... and cant afford an attorney .. go through arbitration ... it's free and fast ... and one more thing .. if we had lost we still could have taken it to court ... but for them the answer is final .. that cant appeal.. BTW .. the dealer quoted us $9400.00 for a used engine with 98,000 miles on it ... we got a remanufactured one for $0.00 ..

In no way am I corporate schill. So i resent that. I dont even work in the car indusrty. What am I a general contractor who happens to have a bad hobby or cars. And I will tell you that in the last 15 years I have had over 50 (yes 50) cars. The two Kias I have owned have been the least problems filled new car si have even owned. I have had plenty of new cars Fords, and GM,s and even Nissans and every on eof them have had problems. Thank God for Ford and GM warranty or I would have been out thousands. Im d**n lucky that Kia has good warranties. Long after the FOrd and GM Warranty ran out did i end up paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars to keep them running. My Kia problems 2000 Sephia LS Replaced front brake pads at 34,000 miles Replaced front brake pads rotors 71,000 miles Replaced right side CV boot, joint and axel 91,000 miles Never a transmissioon problem, or elec problem 2004 Optima LX 13000 miles All that ive done was 4 oil changes Now for comparison 1997 Mercury Tracer 3 months old Car died (4 days to diagniose computer lost memory) 10 minutes to fix and had to rent a car 8 months old parking brake locked up 2 days in the shop 1 year car ran rough replaced emngine ground strap 13 months air bag lights malfunctioned and bags blew while driving 18 months parking brakes locked up again 20 months master cylinder went out and almost had an accident 26 months cv joint broke 31 months engine lost memory again 36 months and warranty expires car was overheating replaced water pump Now I have to start paying out of pocket 40 months timing belt broke well before scheduled maintinence $590 46 months fuel pump quits $370 49 months front brake caliper locked up $175 56 months head gasket blew and resulted in warped head $1300 out of pocket at 60 months the transmission failed. $680 for a used one then was traded in Ill stick with my low maintinence Kias thank you very much and would have NO problem recommending one.

Don't take anyone's word for Kia's quality - especially a corporate shill talking about his 2 great Kias. Do a google search on Kia quality. Read the horro stories of owners having tansmissions replaced multiple times, electrical systems that are pathetic, brake systems that require replacement every month. Read the stories and decided for yourself. For my part, purchasing a Kia was one of the worst financial decisions I ever made. Low on money due to a layoff, and needing a new car for my wife, we purchased a Kia. We had the usual host of problems - brakes, tranismissions, electrical as well as our own special issues - an exhaust system that could never pass state EPA tests. I ended up paying off that car 2 years after we junked it. Never, ever, under any circumstances, should you purchase a Kia. Unless you are incredibly wealthy and enjoy seeing your car towed to the shop, that is.

To Sean in Oregon. KIA's are not crap. I have owned 2 of them and are very happy with them and their warranty (although i havent needed them) THeir warranty and service isnt any different that Ford or GM. I have owned Fords and GM's with way more problems and had more trouble getting things replaced under warranty. I will give you this Some dealers are not as helpful as they should be but that doesnt mean that the car line is crap. Ill run my Optima next to any other regular car all day long because im confident in their product.

To Sean in Oregon. KIA's are not crap. I have owned 2 of them and are very happy with them and their warranty (although i havent needed them) THeir warranty and service isnt any different that Ford or GM. I have owned Fords and GM's with way more problems and had more trouble getting things replaced under warranty. I will give you this Some dealers are not as helpful as they should be but that doesnt mean that the car line is crap. Ill run my Optima next to any other regular car all day long because im confident in their product.

To Sean in Oregon. KIA's are not crap. I have owned 2 of them and are very happy with them and their warranty (although i havent needed them) THeir warranty and service isnt any different that Ford or GM. I have owned Fords and GM's with way more problems and had more trouble getting things replaced under warranty. I will give you this Some dealers are not as helpful as they should be but that doesnt mean that the car line is crap. Ill run my Optima next to any other regular car all day long because im confident in their product.

To Sean in Oregon. KIA's are not crap. I have owned 2 of them and are very happy with them and their warranty (although i havent needed them) THeir warranty and service isnt any different that Ford or GM. I have owned Fords and GM's with way more problems and had more trouble getting things replaced under warranty. I will give you this Some dealers are not as helpful as they should be but that doesnt mean that the car line is crap. Ill run my Optima next to any other regular car all day long because im confident in their product.

Hello, I'm not sure how or why, but after being told there was no way Kia would cover the damage to my engine, I RECEIVED A CALL TODAY FROM KIA AND THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY. After further review, it was determined that the bolt is covered under the warranty. I am very thankful, but I was prepared to go as far as I had to go with this...it was an issue of what is the right thing to do. For all of you others -- I SINCERELY wish you the best of luck in your situations. Thanks,

Most likely had a very short bumper to bumper warranty, and the 100000 mile warranty has a lot of stipulations. One being, only "lubricated" parts are covered. The timing belt and tensioner are not a lubricated part. Neither is you exhaust, header, radiator, A/C, brakes, stearing, clutch, transmission, etc. So basically, you are covered for engine seals, and that's about it. READ THE WARRANTY! Oh yeah, KIA's suck. You get what you pay for.

You won't get satisfaction from KIA. You need to contact the Attorney General's office. That tensioner bolt IS covered under the warranty. You entire motor is covered. That is what a new car warranty is for. Don't let them get away with it. If your car has been maintained properly, and in accordance with the warranty service policies of KIA, then they have no choice but to replace your motor. If you haven't maintained the car properly, then they may have a case, stating that 'the book says to check the tensioner bolt at xxxxx miles'. If your car was at KIA for a maintenance visit/checkup recently, then you shouldn't have a problem.