2007 KIA AMANTI Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA AMANTI. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG WAS INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 10106. UPDATED 1/4/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT HIS WIFE CARRY EXTRA WEIGHT IN HER LAP OR RIDE IN THE BACK SEAT. UPDATED 01/06/10.*JB

THE DATE BELOW REFERS TO MOST RECENT EVENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED AROUND 10 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE (2007 KIA AMANTI PURCHASED NEW). IN THE MOST RECENT EVENT I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR FROM RUNNING A RED LIGHT, ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AND NEARLY HAD A COLLISION IN THE PROCESS. THE PROBLEM IS THIS: EVERY NOW AND THEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES--WHICH OF COURSE IS SUPPOSED TO STOP THE CAR--ACTUALLY CAUSES THE CAR TO ACCELERATE DRAMATICALLY--TO JACKRABBIT I THINK IT IS CALLED--WITH SUCH FORCE THAT EVEN FULL PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKES CANNOT STOP IT. THE TACHOMETER GOES INTO THE RED OR DANGER ZONE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I HAVE NOTED ON KIA FORUM (A WEB SITE FOR KIA OWNERS WITH NO CONNECTION TO KIA MOTOR COMPANY) OTHER AMANTI OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE KIA COMPANY DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM AND SAYS THAT I MUST TAKE IT IN SO THAT IT CAN BE FIXED IF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. OF COURSE, GIVEN THE INFREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHEN I HAVE TAKEN IT IN--MOST RECENTLY A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. SINCE I CAN NEVER KNOW WHEN IT MIGHT HAPPEN, ALL DRIVING OF THE CAR MAKES ME VERY ANXIOUS--AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I APPROACH A CROSSWALK FULL OF CHILDREN. I FEEL I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO GET RID OF THE CAR. I WILL, OF COURSE, FEEL MORALLY OBLIGATED TO REVEAL THE PROBLEM WHEN I TRADE THE CAR IN AND WILL THUS NO DOUBT TAKE A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL LOSS. THIS WILL BE BETTER THAN HURTING SOMEONE EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE CAR, HOWEVER. I KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT CARS, BUT I WOULD GUESS IT IS SOME KIND OF COMPUTER PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS ONLY UNDER CERTAIN UNPREDICTABLE CONDITIONS. JUST KNOWING IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, HOWEVER, MAKES THE CAR TOO SCARY AND DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. IF I CAN, I WILL GET RID OF THE CAR AS EARLY AS TOMORROW EVEN IF I TAKE A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL LOSS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA AMANTI. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE FLOORMAT WAS SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH A HOLE BENEATH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS. ONCE HALF OF THE FLOORMAT BECAME STUCK IN THE ENGINE, IT CAUSED THE BRAKES TO STOP WORKING AND THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND MANAGED TO REACH UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PULL THE FLOORMAT OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,000. UPDATED 6/9/08 *CN UPDATED 6/16/08 *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 KIA AMANTI. THE DASHBOARD TRIM IS ALUMINUM AND REFLECTS THE SUNLIGHT ONTO THE SIDE MIRRORS OF THE VEHICLE. THE REFLECTION FAILURE HAS ALMOST CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE HE PURCHASED IT SO THEY CAN CHANGE THE TRIM. HE HAS NOT YET BEEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 600 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. THE CONSUMER STATED THE KIA AGREED TO PAY TO HAVE THE REFLECTIVE ALUMINUM STRIP PAINTED BLACK. UPDATED 09/05/07. *JB

I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 AMANTI ON THE I-10 WHEN THE SUN ROOF SUDDENLY SHATTERED. THERE WAS NO EVENT THAT LEAD TO THIS OCCURRENCE. THE GLASS SIMPLY EXPLODED OR IMPLODED. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS CAR WAS LESS THAN 3 MONTHS OLD AND WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP FOR AN EXPLANATION. OF COURSE, THERE WAS NONE. KIA WAS FILING THIS WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT THIS WAS A DEFECT OF SOME SORT THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS SO NEW THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. I NOW HAD A RENTAL FOR AN UNDETERMINED PERIOD OF TIME. *AK