1998 KIA SEPHIA Visibility Problems

DEAR SIR: KIA SEPHIA 1998 HAS SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS WHICH NEVER BEEN REPORTED. MY CAR (VIN# [XXX]; 52,000 MILES) HAS (1) AN OIL LEAK FROM THE ENGINE HEAD (VALVE COVER) GASKET, WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY CREATE A FIRE, AND IT HAS (2) VERY PURE AIR FLOW ON THE WINDSHIELD WHICH REDUCE MY DRIVING VISABILITY DUE TO FOG ACCUMULATION INSIDE OF THE WIENDSHIELD. BOTH CONDITIONS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND MAY LEAD TO A CAR CRASH. PLEASE INFORM KIA MANUFACTURING CORPORATION THAT THESE DEFICIENCIES SHOULD BE FIXED FOR FREE. THANKS! SINCERELY, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] *AK UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS

Mileage: 50,000

PRE OWNED VEHICLE PURCHASED IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND STILL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. AT PURCHASE FRONT OF DASHBOARD WAS SLIGHTLY WARPED. SINCE PURCHASE, FRONT OF DASHBOARD HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY WARPED, DEFROST VENTS ARE SEVERELY CRACKED, CAUSING FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROST NOT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY.*JB

Mileage: 19,830

WHILE IN MOTION, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW CRACKED IN TO VERY SMALL PIECES. *JG *JB

Mileage: 18,000

WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CAME LOOSE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. CONTACTED DEALER . PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

THE PASSENGER AIR VENTS ARE BROKEN. *YH

GLOGGED NOZZLE CAUSED THE WASHER TO BE INOPERTIVE, THE NOZZLES WERE ALSO MISADJUSTED. NLM

IN 2 YEARS I HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION, REPLACE MY BRAKES 6 TIMES, SERVICE ENGINE PROBLEMS 7 TIMES, FUEL PUMP, 8 RECALLS, WIPERS, NEW TIRES, AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS... COPIES OF REPAIRS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. I HAVE ALSO BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE DEALER MANY TIMES.

SIGNAL LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY WHEN IN USE DURING COLD WEATHER FOR 15 MINUTES OR SO. SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS WHEN IT'S RAINING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HAZARD SWITCH AND THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY FAILURES SINCE. SEAT BELTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. BRAKES AND ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES. WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL. HEAD GASKET REPLACED AT 3500 MILES. MOLDING ON THE DOORS FELL OFF AND WAS REPLACED. TAILPIPE WAS REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE EXHAUST FUMES. *SLC

DRIVER SIDE WIPER LINK FALLS OFF WHEN WINDSHIELD GETS ALITTLE DRY & WIPERS START TO DRAG

DRIVER SIDE WIPER LINK FALLS OFF WHEN WINDSHIELD GETS ALITTLE DRY & WIPERS START TO DRAG

PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES.*AK IN ADDITION HEATER CORE, ALTERNATOR, STARTER,SPARK PLUGS, FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DOOR WEATHER STRIPS FAILED. *YH

PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES.*AK IN ADDITION HEATER CORE, ALTERNATOR, STARTER,SPARK PLUGS, FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DOOR WEATHER STRIPS FAILED. *YH

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. NLM

FAN MOTOR FAILED CAUSING THE CUSTOMER TO SMELL A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX AND UNDER THE HOOD. NLM

WIPERS FAILED. YH

WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES FAILED. YH

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 99V271000/WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE PIVOT DRIVE. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP FOR APPOINTMENT. WAS INFORMED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. WOULD CALL WHEN PARTS WERE IN. *AK

CAR NEEDS FRONT AXLES. ALSO, MOTOR MOUNTS WERE REPLACED ALONG WITH FLYWHEEL AND FUEL PUMP. IN ADDITION, CONSUMER JUST RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE 99V271/ WINSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE. CAR IS 1 YEAR OLD AND HAS 26000 MILES, OWNER HAS ALREADY EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS WITH IT. *AK *ML

SINCE THE TIME THAT I HAVE PURCHASED THIS CAR IT HAS BEEN FALLING APART. THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY SHUTTING DOWN OR IT JUST WON'T START. AT THIS PRESENT TIME MY CAR IS SITTTING AT STONEMOUNTAIN KIA WHEREAS IT IS IN NEED A THIRD BATTERY ALL WITHIN LESS THAN A YEARS TIME. EVENTHOUGH THEY KNOW THE DANGEROUS HISTORY OF THIS CAR THAT I PURCHASED NEW, THEY CONTINUALLY RETURN THE CAR TO ME WITHOUT DOING A SAFETY CHECK. I HAVE HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THEIR LOCATION SEVERAL TIMES IN THE SAME WEEK BECAUSE THEY HAVE FELLED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. ONCE AGAIN MY CAR IS CONTINUALLY SUFFERING FROM THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT ARE CONTINUING TO GROW WORST. THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FAILS TO WORK PROPERLY. THE DRIVESHAFT IS ALWAYS STICKING IN THE GEARS. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUALLY BLINK AND STAY ON FOR PERIODS AT A TIME. THE EXHAUST STILL MAKING LOUD NOISE THAT I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT SINCE I BROUGHT THE CAR. THE ENGINE JERKS AND THE CAR IS BURNING A LOT OF GAS. THE BATTERY ACID CONTINUES TO LEAK OUT INTO THE CAR. THE AIR VENTS BROKE JUST FROM A SLIGHT TOUCH AND SO DID THE KNOB THAT CONTROL THE AIR CIRCULATION. THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY STALLING. THE CAR SHAKES BADLY WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKES. FIRESTONE REFUSES TO WORK ON KIA'S BECAUSE THEY ARE AWARE OF ALL THE FAULTY SYSTEM PERTAINING TO KIA'S. LATION

REAR VIEW MIRROR BROKE OFF. YH

RECALLED WINDSHIELD WIPER REPAIR COMPLETED HOWEVER CONSUMER FEELS THEY STILL DON'T OPERATE PROPERLY. NLM

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER 99V271000 FOR A WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. DEALER HAS NOT RECEIVED THE CORRECTION PARTS. *AK

DEFROSTER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *MJS

A/C AND DEFROST DO NOT WORK CORRECTLY. NLM

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES 99V318000 AND 99V271000. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO TAKE CARE OF THE RECALLS. ALSO, DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. *AK

WINDSHIELD SPRAYER FAILED. *MJS

WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE NOT ATTACHED PROPERLY. NLM

WINDSHIELD WASHER NOZZLE FAILED. NLM

DEALER REFUSES TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIR (99V-271) OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BECAUSE CONSUMER INSTALLED AFTER MARKET BLADES. NLM

DEALER REFUSES TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIR (99V-271) OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BECAUSE CONSUMER INSTALLED AFTER MARKET BLADES. NLM

REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER REPAIRED ONCE HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL. MJS

THE POWER WINDOWS & DOOR LOCKS WOULD GO UP & DOWN ON THEIR OWN. THE DOORS ARE NOT LOCKED SECURELY. THE WINDOWS FAIL TO REMAIN CLOSE OR OPEN WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE AFTER VEHICLE IS STARTED. WHENEVER THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE SHAKES. THE TIRE MOULDING & THE TRIM IS PEELING OFF. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE STOPS, IT WOULD TO BE JUMP STARTED, CONSTANTLY. TAKING VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER TO REPAIR PROBLEMS. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER INOPERATIVE. NLM

WINDSHIELD WIPERS INOPERATIVE. NLM

A/C VENTS FELL OUT. NLM

A/C VENTS WON'T WORK. NLM

CONSUMER HEARS GRINDING NOISE WHEN TURNING ON WIPERS. NLM

WHEN GENTLY BRAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES BADLY. ALSO, WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP, THE CAR DOES NOT STOP SMOOTHLY. IT JERKS AND VIBRATES WHEN THE BRAKES ARE USED UNTIL I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE ROTERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE ALREADY. ONE WINTER MORNING, I NOTICED THAT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THEY HAD SOMEHOW LOOSENED. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO PRECIPITATION THAT DAY. WHEN HAVING THE PROBLEM LOOKED AT BY ONE OF KIA'S SERVICE CENTERS, THE GUY THERE INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS COMMON.

SINCE PURCHASED THE MV HAS BEEN IN SHOP FOR NUMEROUS (13+) PROBLEMS AND DEFECTS. MY CONCERN OVER SAFETY ISSUES HAS BEEN DISMISSED OR GIVEN MANY DIFFERENT ANSWERS. DEALERSHIP DOES NOT ALWAYS GIVES REPAIR ORDER SLIPS WHENEVER THE CAR IS LOOKED AT OR SERVICED. THE SAFETY AND DEPENDABILITY OF THIS MV IS QUESTIONNABLE GIVEN THE NUMBER OF TIMES IN THE REPAIR SHOP. DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE CLAIMS NOTHING WRONG, ALTHOUGH MANUFACUTER'S REPRESENTATIVE DID OFFER REIMBURSEMENT OF 3 CAR PAYMENTS. THE ISSUE OF THE LACK OF DECELERATION HAS STILL TO BE RESOLVED. AS A FEMALE CONSUMER, I FEEL THAT I AM BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS A "LEMON" AND IN ALL LIKELIHOOD WILL CONTINUE TO PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE.

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WHEN HEAT WAS TURNED ON. YH

BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED DISCS WARPED AND PADS DEPLETED. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT DURING A SNOW STORM, DRIVERS SIDE ONLY. DEALER FIXED BUT WE WERE ADMONISHED ABOUT USING WIPERS DURING HEAVY SNOW STORM. DUH?

WATER LEAK FROM REAR GLASS WINDOW SHORTED OUT THE FUEL PUMP WIRES CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO START.

WINDSHIELD GLASS IS TOO THIN, CAUSING STRESS CRACKS WHILE DRIVING. *AK

WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED.

VEHICLE VIBRATES DUE TO WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS/PADS. ALSO, DEFECTIVE WINDSHIELD/PLASTIC PIECES ON SEATS STICKING AND DIGGING INTO SKIN, AND STTERING WHEEL RUBBE RLOOSE ON SPOKES. AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPING/ STRIPPING OF WINDSHIELD WIPER GEARS/ SPEEDOMETER HEAD BROKEN.