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Kia Brakes

Common Kia Problems • Brakes • Stalling • Sudden acceleration • Transmission • Collision Damage • Just everything! --- News • Kia.com Rated Best Web Site for New-Vehicle Shopping • Kia Owners Awarded $6 Million in Class Action • Hyundai Offers $85 Million to Settle Horsepower Suit • Kia Aces J.D. Powers Survey • Horsepower Overstated

Jonathan of Carlsbad CA (3/9/04):
I have bought a Kia Spectra 2003 and have been driving, not the KIA, for 3 years -- never had one problem driving no bad record at all. As I started to work I was driving down this residential area, I was going around 40-45mph and was going down this slight curve. As I applied the brakes to slow down a bit, the wheels locked and the car started to skid unto the wrong side of the road, as I started to correct myself the car fishtailed and I ran into a wall. I was uninjured but my car is a wreck.

Brenda of Atlanta (7/7/03):
Since my purchase of a used 1998 Kia Sephia in 2000, my car has been back to the dealership's service shop more than 12 times for major repair. The brakes continuously go out on this car and Kia has now refused to repair them without charge although they know the brakes on this model are defective.

It took more than 5 trips to the service shop the year I bought my car and a call to the general manager and the threat of the lemon law before they would replace my warranty-covered fuel pump; and now my car is right back in the shop for the third time this week for a serious stalling and jerking problem. I have gotten the general manager involved again, but they have already charged me over $700.00 for the first two times my car was in the shop this week and the work they've done has not even addressed the stalling problem. They keep charging me for "repairs" without repairing the car! I feel very unsafe in this vehicle and wish they would buy it back from me or HONOR THEIR WARRANTY and repair the engine once and for all.

I had to have the car towed to the dealership twice in two days because they kept telling me it was repaired and sending me home with a broken car. My car stalled out in traffic two days in a row AFTER having been in the shop and I had to complete my trip home at 5 mph with the hazards on. I was left stranded twice and the brakes keep going out if I do not constantly sink money in them to repair them every few months. I have been without my car now for a week and have to pay for rides to work and home because Kia refuses to give me a loaner vehicle or to pay for the tow trucks.

I am convinced the braking system is not designed correctly. I have contacted KIA motors but they refuse to take any action. I have found many other KIA owners who are having the exact same problem. That is why I am convinced it is the company's fault and they should be held responsible.

I have to take the vehicle to be serviced every 8,000 miles. This will continue after the warranty expires. I believe the company should be responsible for their poorly designed product.

Lisa of Odenton, MD:
I bought a 1998 Kia Sephia LS in August of 1998. I am presently going through the Consumer Protection Division (Attorney General Offie) in Baltimore, MD to get a replacement car. It will be a long process and I may have to go to arbitration with Kia Motors of America. I have had my brake pads, rotors, and calipers repaired many times now.

My first brake failure was at 1,149 miles. Then it was the domino affect thereafter. At 5,454 miles, I was almost in a bad car accident because of brake failure. (Brakes locked up) At that time, the dealership (Kia of Glen Burnie, MD) replaced a frozen caliper & both rotors and pads. The Dealerships (Kia of Glen Burnie and Foreign Motors) are telling me a lot of excuses of what can be wrong and actually admitted to me that Kia brake pads are made soft and they wear easily.

Dale, who is serving in the U.S. military abroad:
My husband and I purchased a 1997 Kia Sephia. Since we purchased the car we had have problems with the front rotors on the brakes. After less than 8 months we took the car to the dealer to get the front rotors fix. We took the car to the dealer twice for repair.

Now we are in Germany and we're having the same problem again. We call the dealer and the person we talked to was not helpful at all. She stated that Kia is not responsable for anything that goes wrong with the car outside the USA. She stated that the warranty don't cover when the vehicle it's ouside the USA.

Celeste of Irvington, NJ:
I have had a Kia Sephia for almost a year, and have taken it in for five repairs for rotors and brakes. It has been a nightmare. I have spoken to Kia several times with no results. I am told that I would receive a call back within 3 to 5 business days. No one ever called back. When the problem first occurred, I was told that maybe as a woman I was applying to much pressure to the brakes. I found that very insulting. My brother purchased this car for me.

I am very fearful that if Kia does not replace this lemon, a serious accident may happen.

Ed of Virginia Beach, VA:
On May 4 1999, I bought a new 1999 Kia Sephia at Greenbbrier Kia in Chesapeake. On June 2, the car was returned to dealership for brake noise. They replaced the disc pad and rotors. On June 8, replaced disc pads.

On June 30, the car was returned because AC was making grinding sounds. They replaced the belts. On July 6, they replaced the AC compressor and said that was causing grinding sound. On August 3,the car was back at the shop for the following: ac grinding,drain ac for excess moisture on dash, replace heat sheilds (resonator pipe), redo vents on dash(to help stop moisture build up).

Marie of Beechwood, NJ:
I bought the car, a Kia sephia, in 1997. It has be a pain in the butt. After a few months, the car started to "shutter" as I put on the brakes. I was told this was a manufacturer's defect. It took 6 weeks for the new rotors to come in to have the car fixed. I have brought back this car another three times to have the rotors replaced, being told all but the last time "it will give me no problems anymore."

I have had replaced the trunk molding, because of leakage, windshield, because of moisture inside the vehicle, had the window handles repaired because they were and still are to hard to turn when it is humid outside, and once again the car is starting its quarterly stutter.

What am I supposed to do? I can't afford another down payment and really don't want to stick someone else with this problem with a trade in.

Lisa of Akron, OH:
Since leasing my 1999 Kia Sportage 2/11/99 I have had to have the brakes replaced three times. The most recent repair was on 12/6/99 and the vehicle only had 7,400 miles on it! Each time I have had excessive brake dust, squealing, grinding, pulsating, and on one occasion the brake pedal went completely to the floor without slowing the vehicle down.

I have contacted the Ohio Attorney General and the BBB Auto Line. Ms. Williams, from Kia, informed me that my car was not a lemon because the problem did not currently exist and Kia does not take into consideration the past history of a vehicle when they evaluate it for repurchase.

Being without a vehicle while mine is in the shop is horrid. I have a full time job, and am in graduate school. I am diabetic which means frequent appointments and supply runs. I have a cat that has kidney disease and must go to the vet for treatment once a week, and parents in their 70's who often need things and depend on me. Being without a car for even one day is impossible to schedule, but I have no choice when we are discussing the brakes! I bought my new car to replace a 1989 Toyota Corolla - I expected to get a trouble free, dependable car at least for the first few years. I now have a vehicle that I don't trust.

Christy of Wake Forest, NC:
I bought a 1998 Kia Sephia in Oct. of 1998. As soon as I drove it off the lot I had to have the brakes repaired. About a month and a half later I was having the brakes repaired again. This procedure went on every month and a half for a little over a year.

They finally had the brakes where they would laast longer then two months, when I was driving to get my son from school and the car died and would not start again. I had to wait for two hours with my son on the tow truck. That problem was fixed and I went on my happy way.

A week ago I was with my family going to the store when sitting at a light the car started to smoke. We all got out and walk to call a tow truck when we got to the dearlership in Wendell they informed me that I would not be getting a rental car from them and to call Monday about the problem.

When I called the Wendell dearlership Ricky said that he would need the records of when it had a oil change. I informed him that it was done at a Kia dearlership in Cary. Ricky said, "Someone has put on two seals around your oil filter and when the seal blew that it went down the line blowing everything." I would need to spend $3,000 to get it fixed. I have not had the car a year and a half and all I have had is a headache and hard times. We bought a new car so we would not have problems like this.

I have had to miss my son's events to have the car in the shop. I have been let twice on the side of the road with my son. I now have to try to get $3,000 to fix the car. I have no idea how long that will take but while I am tring to raise the money for the repairs I will still have to pay on a car I can not drive anywhere.

Rae of Dallas:
Since I bought my KIA Sephia in 1996, in Dallas, I have had numerous mechanical problems. While living in Dallas I was always having brake problems. I spent a large amount of money getting my brakes fixed and had a car accident because of the continuing problem. Also, I have had several problems from CV joints to my car stopping on me everytime I come to a stop sign or applying my brakes. This is very frustarating!

I am spending close to $1,000 every year on getting this car fixed. I really like my car. I think it is a wonderful model but the mechanical part of it STINKS!

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