- Report: #249271
Complaint Review: Kia - Irvine California
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Kia
Po Box 52410 Irvine, California, U.S.A.
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Kia sorento ripoff undisclosed maintenance requirements renders warranty useless Irvine California
Purchased a 2005 Kia Sorento. At 42,000 miles the rear end and drive shaft have to be replaced. The drive shaft was covered by the warranty, but not the rear end. This is because we didn't follow the "recommended" service schedule.
We have had the car maintained according to the brochure that we were given with the car. This list left off that the transaxle fluid must be changed every 15k miles. When we questioned this, the dealership said that I should have read the owner's manual and not relied on the brochure that they issued.
I can find no record of any other car that requires this service at 15,000 miles. The repair is $2,100. When I called the manufacturer, they said that they can't help me because each dealership is individually owned and operated.
When I went back to the dealership to see if we could come to a compromise, they said that since I had contacted the manufacturer, they would not help me.
To make matters worse, there are certain parts that Kia will sell only to the dealerships and not to outside mechanics. Therefore, I have to pay the dealership for the repair.
Beverly
Auburn, Georgia
U.S.A.
We have had the car maintained according to the brochure that we were given with the car. This list left off that the transaxle fluid must be changed every 15k miles. When we questioned this, the dealership said that I should have read the owner's manual and not relied on the brochure that they issued.
I can find no record of any other car that requires this service at 15,000 miles. The repair is $2,100. When I called the manufacturer, they said that they can't help me because each dealership is individually owned and operated.
When I went back to the dealership to see if we could come to a compromise, they said that since I had contacted the manufacturer, they would not help me.
To make matters worse, there are certain parts that Kia will sell only to the dealerships and not to outside mechanics. Therefore, I have to pay the dealership for the repair.
Beverly
Auburn, Georgia
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Cory
San Antonio,Texas,
U.S.A.
That's The Way It Is
#2Consumer Comment
Sat, May 19, 2007
If you did all their required maintance at the dealer, you'd end up paying for close to a new car over. They figure how many many people are gonna do that, 2-3%? The rest aren't, so they're gonna void out their warranty. Just another way to get out of their honoring that so called warranty, as you found out.
Cory
San Antonio,Texas,
U.S.A.
That's The Way It Is
#3Consumer Comment
Sat, May 19, 2007
If you did all their required maintance at the dealer, you'd end up paying for close to a new car over. They figure how many many people are gonna do that, 2-3%? The rest aren't, so they're gonna void out their warranty. Just another way to get out of their honoring that so called warranty, as you found out.
Thomas
Anderson,South Carolina,
U.S.A.
Reading ALL documentation that you receive with a (new) car is a Best Practice.
#4Consumer Comment
Sat, May 19, 2007
So you read the operators manual, the recommended maintanence booklet, the warranty booklet, etc. In other words, you must be a compulsive reader. Maybe now you know why. If a dealer's brochure or booklet conflicts with the manufacturer's documentation, I see no reason to not follow the manufacturer's documentation. Changing transaxle fluid every 15,000 miles does seem a bit much, but these little details should be found out BEFORE you ever plunk your money down. I prefer my "new car surprises" to be pleasant surprises. I am curious what the transaxle (usually in the FRONT, attached to the engine) has to do with "the rear end", i.e. the rear drive axle.... unless the engine & transaxle are in the rear. Anyway, you want to view the recommended maintenance as the absolute minimum maintenance that you should perform. Note the word "minimum".
