2005 KIA AMANTI Power Train Problems

ADMINISTRATION ON 6/26/20 A DEALERSHIP MADE A TENATIVE SALE ON A USEC 2005 VEHICLE INTENTIONALLY DECIEVING POTENTIAL BUYER. VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IT MADE MISFIRE AND THE FLUIDS IN VEHICLE WERE ALL MISSING FROM EACH TANK. THE SALESMAN DENIED ME THE RIGHT TO TEST DRIVE OR OPPORTUNITY TO REPLENISH MISSING FLUIDS,ADVISING VEHICLE IS AS-IS. I EXPLAINED I DROVE 60 MILES ONE WAY AND WAS NOT TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS AS -IS OR IN SUCH TERRIBLE CONDITION. MANAGER REFUSED TO ASSIST ME OR SPEAK WITH ME AS I WOULD COMPLAIN. THE SALESMAN SAID,"TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT"!!! I DID NOT PURCHASE THE VEHICLE BUT IT MUST BE LISTED AS UNSAFE IN A NATIONWIDE ALERT AS LEFT DRIVER SIDE IMPACT ON DOORS FROM BUMPER TO FRONT PASSENGER DOOR, LEFT SIDE FENDER HANGING OFF , VEHICLE SHAKING BAD, COMPUTER HARDWARE AND CAPS MISSING ON ENGINE. PLEASE HAVE DMV IN DELAWARE RED FLAG THIS DEALERSHIP AND RECALL THIS VEHICLE AS I WAS ALMOST A VICTIM UNDER LEMON LAW HERTRICH BUICK GMC OF SEAFORD 26953 SUSSEX HIGHWAY SEAFORD, DE 19973 WWW.HERTRICHGMCBUICK.COM (888) 313-4253 DEAR [XXX], WE HAVE RECEIVED YOUR PRICE QUOTE REQUEST AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST. TO HELP US MAKE THE RIGHT DEAL FOR YOU ON THE 2005 KIA AMANTI, PLEASE CONTACT US AT YOUR NEAREST HERTRICH LOCATION.. THANK YOU, HERTRICH BUICK GMC OF SEAFORD HTTP://WWW.HERTRICHGMCBUICK.COM 2005 KIA AMANTI BASE PRICE: $1,897.00 BODYSTYLE: SEDANINT. COLOR: GRAY ENGINE: V-6 CYLODOMETER: 131200 TRANSMISSION: AUTOMATICSTOCK #: 40510B EXT. COLOR: BLACKVIN: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CC *TR

I READ ABOUT RECALL ON 2007 KIA AMANTI AND THE STOP LAMP SWITCH. IT SAID COULD MAKE IT HARD SHIFT FROM PARK TO GEARS. I OWN A 2005 KIA AMANTI AND YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL HOURS WITH NO PROBLEMS, I STARTED IT OUT IN REVERSE IT WAS A SEMI HARD SHIFT THEN PUT INTO DRIVE AND IT WAS A EXTREMELY HARD SHIFT. AS WELL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I ALSO READ ABOUT A SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT CAN BE DONE BUT CAN NOT FIND HOW TO PREFORM THE UPDATE.

Mileage: 265,457

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS CAR. HOWEVER, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT MOST OF THE TIME DO TO INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION. AT TIMES, WHEN I STEP DOWN ON THE GAS NOTHING HAPPENS, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR TAKES OFF LIKE A RABBIT. ON A TRIP TO SOUTH DAKOTA, AFTER USING THE BLINKER TO CHANGE LANES, THE BLINKERS WENT CRAZY, BOTH ON AT THE SAME TIME, THEN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, I COULDN'T GET THEM TO STOP AND THE ESC LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND ALL WAS GOOD ,FOR A FEW MORE MILES ANYWAY. I HAD TO DO THIS SEVERAL TIMES ON MY WAY HOME. THIS WAS SCARY AS I WAS 1500 MILES FROM HOME. HAVEN'T HAD THAT ISSUE SINCE AND THAT WAS 4 MONTHS AGO (NO ENGINE LIGHT FOR CODES AT THIS POINT). NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR IS RUNNING LIKE CRAP. ENGINE LIGHT FINALLY CAME ON AND THE CODE IS STATING MISFIRE IN #3 SPARK PLUG. THE CAR IS RUNNING VERY POORLY, UNDRIVEABLE. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH THIS CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT A YEAR AGO. I HAVE READ CHANGING THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR AND UPDATING THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE MAY BE WHAT'S WRONG. HOWEVER, TRYING TO CONVINCE KIA TO DO THIS IS ANOTHER BALL GAME. THERE IS ALSO A HIGH PRIORITY RECALL ON THE STOP LAMP SWITCH, RECALL #SC077. ALSO SEE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #KT2007030801. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ACCELERATION ISSUE, SOME INVOLVING ACCIDENTS. WHY WONT KIA ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AND OFFER A RECALL ON THE TPS AND A REFLASH ON THE COMPUTER??? ALL WE GET IS THE RUN-A-ROUND AND THE SHOP NOT HEARING OF SUCH A THING. REALLY???? COME ON!!!!! *TR

Mileage: 91,575

SUDDEN ACCELERATION. I WAS SLOWING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT I EXPECTED TO TURN RED. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE FLOOR BOARDS, AWAY FROM THE ACCELERATOR, LETTING THE CARE SLOW BY ITSELF. THE LIGHT DID TURN RED AND I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES. I KEEP MY LEFT FOOT TO THE LEFT OF THE BRAKES ON THE FLOOR BOARD. AS I APPLIED THE BRAKES WITH MY RIGHT FOOT I FELT MY LEFT FOOT SO I KNEW I APPLIED THE BRAKES. CAR ACCELERATED. ONLY PUTTING THE TRANSMISSION I NEUTRAL AND FLOORING THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET PREVENTED A WRECK. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. IN OCTOBER OF 2011 THE DEALER REPLACED IGNITION COIL; PACKS SPARK PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES. HOWEVER ON 5/7/12 THE PROBLEM RETURNED- WORSE THAN EVER BEFORE THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED TACHOMETER READING WAS 4700 RPM. DOCTORS OFTEN ASK PATIENTS TO RATE PAIN OPEN A SCALE OF 1-10. THIS INCIDENT WOULD RATE AN 8. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE MORE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THIS AND COULD KILL PEOPLE.OR A BUYBACK FOR WHAT THE BUYER PAID INCLUDING ALL LOAN FEES AND INTEREST.. I ALSO REQUEST A FEDERAL DIRECTIVE REQUIRING ALL CARS TO HAVE BRAKE OVERRIDES AND FOR A FREE RETROFIT OF ALL CAR MODELS WITH A HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ONLY 68,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND 66,800 WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 68,000

TWICE WITHIN 2 MILES WHEN I APPLIED BRAKES ENGINE SPED UP INSTEAD. THE ONLY THING PREVENTING TWO ACCIDENTS WAS PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TILL IT SETTLED DOWN. *TR

Mileage: 66,979

MY 2005 KIA AMANTI HAS A PROBLEM AS WHEN DRIVING IT WILL LURCH AND LAG "BUMP". IT HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERS SHOP MANY TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF 38 DAYS. THE DEALER DID REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILT UNIT. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND THE DEALER SAYS HE CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SO HE CANNOT FIX IT. A WEB SITE HAS MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE AND THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS; THE DEALERS CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM; SO THEY CANNOT FIX IT. A MECHANIC AT THE SHOP SAID THAT KIA KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM; BUT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THE LURCH HAS OCCURRED AT STOP SIGNS AND CAUSES THE CAR TO JUMP AND IF I HAD NOT BEEN ALERT I WOULD HAVE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE AND THE REAR VIEW IS BLOCKED BY THE VEHICLE AND IF A PERON OR VEHICLE IS IN THE BLIND SPOTS; INJURY COULD OCCUR. *TR

FOR @ 6 MONTHS THE CAR JERKS WHEN I AM DRIVING. WHEN I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR IT WILL DO 2-3 JERKS THAT ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO JERK YOU FORWARD IN YOUR SEAT. IT FEELS AS IF THE CAR HAS FORGOTTEN WHAT GEAR IT IS IN AND IT IS SEARCHING TO FIND IT. OR YOU COULD DESCRIBE IT AS THOUGH IT IS NOT GETTING FUEL WHERE IT IS NEEDED EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE HAD EVEN PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR. THIS HAS MAINLY OCCURRED WHILE DOING ABOUT 40 MPH GOING UP AN INCLINE BUT IT HAS ALSO OCCURRED ON LEVEL DRIVING AREAS WHILE DOING AROUND 40 MPH. MOST RECENTLY THE CAR HAS BEEN JERKING IN TOP GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES. JUST YESTERDAY I PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER WHO HAD IT FOR A WHOLE 7 DAYS!! THEY WERE ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM BUT CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REGISTER ON THE OBC. THEY HAD ME DO A $450.00 MAINTENANCE ON IT TO SEE IF IT WOULD HELP AND OF COURSE IT DID NOT. THEY SAID THEY REPROGRAMMED IT BUT THAT DID NOT HELP EITHER. DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE EITHER BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR DAYS OR HAVE HAD TO RENT A VERY COSTLY RENTAL CAR FOR A WHOLE WEEK. THE DEALER CLAIMS THEY TOOK THE CAR TO THEIR RESIDENCE TO TEST DRIVE IT, (APPROX. 80 MILES) BUT WHEN PICKING THE CAR UP YESTERDAY THEY WERE RUDE ENOUGH NOT TO REPLENISH MY FUEL. WHEN I ASKED THEM ABOUT IT THEY SAID IT WAS NECESSARY TO DO THE ROAD TESTS. AS A CONSUMER WITH A CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE GAS AND PAY FOR MY CAR RENTAL. BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO HELP WITH THIS SITUATION AT ALL. NOW I AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR AND I DEPEND ON IT FOR MY PROFESSION. *TR

SHORTLY AFTER GETTING THE CAR, IT INTERMITTENTLY WOULD FAIL TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PUSHED. BY PUSHING IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR IT SOMETIMES WOULD THEN ACCELERATE EXCESSIVELY, OR BY LETTING UP ON THE ACCELERATOR AND REAPPLYING IT A SIMILAR EVENT WOULD HAPPEN. SOMETIMES THE CAR JUST MUDDLES ALONG VERY SLOWLY IN TRAFFIC UNTIL ONE OF THE ABOVE ACTIONS IS TAKEN, AND SOMETIMES PUSHING TO THE FLOOR STILL DOES NOT MAKE IT ACCELERATE. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC AT TIMES CAUSING AN UNSAFE EVENT DUE TO SURPRISE WHEN EXPECTING TO CLEAR TRAFFIC ETC. EARLY ON IT WAS RETURNED TO DEALER ON AT LEAST TWO OCCASIONS FOR LENGTHS OF SEVERAL DAYS EACH TIME AND WE ALSO INVOLVED COMPANY REPS, BUT THEY OFFERED NO SOLUTION BUT SAID IT SEEMED TO BE FINE. CAR CONTINUES TO ACT UP AND NOTICE THAT OTHERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF A SIMILAR EVENT ON A WEBSITE WE MONITOR. *TR

Mileage: 10

SEVERAL TIMES, INCLUDING TODAY THE CAR HAS JUMPED FORWARD OR BACKWARD IN REVERSE WHEN PUTTING IT IN GEAR WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. IT HAS OCCASIONALLY MOVED VERY SLOWLY AFTER BEING PUT INTO DRIVE AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN FOURTH GEAR. THEN WHEN PUSHING FURTHER ON THE GAS PEDAL TO GET IT TO MOVE IT WILL SUDDENLY JUMP INTO FIRST AND TAKE OFF. VISITS TO THE SERVICE AREA WERE FRUITLESS DUE TO THEIR NOT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE EVENT. THEREWAS APPARENTLY NOTHING STORED IN THE COMPUTER, YET IT KEPT HAPPENING TO US. IT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH KIA'S DRIVE BY WIRE SYSTEM, AND IT SHOULD BE FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE WOULD BE INJURED. *AK

I BOUGHT MY 2005 KIA AMANTI IN OCT 2005. ON FOUR OCCASIONS WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE.....A HESITATION TOOK PLACE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR IS PUSHED ALL THE WAY DOWN....THEN THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE AT TOP SPEED. IF THIS EVER HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC COULD CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. MENTIONED THIS SITUATION TO THE DEALER AND NOTHING CAN BE DOWN UNLESS THE "SO CALLED" HESITATION HAPPENED AT THE TIME WHEN IT WAS IN THE SHOP. *NM

Mileage: 2,000

THE VEHICLE HAS HAD SPORADIC PROBLEMS WITH 'JACK RABBITING', WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WITH A LIGHT TOUCH TO THE GAS PEDAL, THE JARS LITERALLY JUMPS FORWARD. IN EACH CASE, IT TAKES ABOUT THREE TOUCHES TO THE GAS PEDAL, TO GET TO 'NORMAL DRIVING. IT IS A FAST ACCELERATION, WHICH CAUSES THE TIRES TO 'SCREECH' SOMETIMES AND THE CAR TO JUMP FORWARD. THE SECOND ITEM THAT STARTED HAPPENING IS THAT THE CAR APPEARED TO BE STUCK IN FIRST AND WOULD NOT SHIFT. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THIS HAS NOW CAUSED ME TO ALSO GET RUN OVER TWICE, DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE. ANOTHER PROBLEM APPEARED YESTERDAY. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP. THE ENGINE REVVED UP, NOT FAST, BUT IT WAS ENOUGH TO KEEP THE CAR MOVING FOR A SHORT DISTANCE, BEFORE IT STOPPED. IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE THAT WITH A VEHICLE. *NM

Mileage: 16,400

I NEVER KNOW WHEN MY CAR WILL START JERKING. THE CAR WILL RUN FINE THEN OUT OF THE BLUE WHEN I AM BACKING UP THE CAR WILL START JERKING. I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND PRESS ALL THE WAY ON THE GAS -BUT THERE IS NO POWER. I PRESS AGAIN AND THE CAR WILL START JERKING . I HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES,EVEN LEFT IT THERE FOR 3 DAYS BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN TWO DOZEN TIMES. THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. I ALMOST HIT A CAR TWICE WHEN I WAS BACKING UP- YOU ARE POWERLESS AND YOU CAN NOT CONTROL THE JERKING. I PULLED OUT IN TRAFFIC AND THE CAR BEHIND ALMOST HIT ME BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO. I SURE HEARD HIS HORN BLASTING AT ME. THERE IS ALSO A BLUE FLASH OF LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. IT IS A QUICK FLASH-THEN IT IS GONE. I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM - THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE IT. SOMETHING IS DRASTICALLY WRONG. I WROTE TO KIA- BUT DID NOT RECEIVE AN ANSWER. *JB

Mileage: 14,000