moinmoin
1000 Posts Club!
So, here we are, all waxing and dreaming, me included, about the new Stinger that will be soon on sale. Not wanting to brag, but I have been around the block a few times, and it came to mind, that it would be prudent at this time to get a sense of Kia, the company. After all, we may get into a long term relationship, and if and when, it should be a happy one. But what are the chances that the experience will be a positive one. One way to find out is to look at how after sales service, warranty recognition and repairs are conducted. Basically, how are customers treated 1,2, 5 years (or longer) into the ownership.
Well, I did what everybody does these days, I googled…..and the results were not encouraging.
While the stats on initial ownership satisfaction and quality seem to be going up, and that’s good for the company, the general echo from my admittedly cursory investigation on service quality and warranty repairs appears to be pretty dismal , sometimes disheartening and not on the same trajectory as the initial satisfaction stats assembled by JD. Power and such. I looked at owners comments/complaints over a period spanning the years 2008 to 2017 covering USA, Canada and UK.
I am well aware, that owners will more often publicly complain than praise, and that goes for anything. But there seems to be common thread to most comments, that is that either Kia or the dealership are trying to avoid any and every expense. Doubts were raised about the validity of the 10/7/5 year warranties – the years seem to be reducing as we go along - and what country we are in– and that the “real” warranty is only 3 years on the important parts. The consensus seems to be, that the “bumper to bumper” warranty claim is a farce, as Kia seem to avoid honoring claims at all costs come crunch time.
Now, one might say that certain models had more problems than others, or one could blame certain engines, place or manufacture and other factors, but what is worrisome to me is the breadth of models that came up in the consumer remarks: Amanti, Forte, Optima, Rio, Soul, Sorento, Sportage. I don’t think I have a complete list there but it is enough to get a sense of extent of the problem which seems to be, to be repetitive and staying in focus:
Will Kia make good without a hassle when problems with their cars arrive?
I have my doubts that Kia will do the right thing, when I read the following:
· An idler pulley was not considered part of the drivetrain and therefore nor warrantable,
· Spurious reasons were given why warranty repairs were declined or not attempted
· That oil changes at other places than a Kia dealership voids the warranty
· No loaners were provided when warranty repairs were required. If it is a safety related repair the dealership will not release the car until repaired, even when the new part is not available or will take a considerable length of time (weeks, months) to obtain. Of course, the owner is SOL without the car, unless….
· Charge for warranty repairs, as in “we’ll have to check it out and you pay for the hours”…
Mind you, I was not present when these reported incidents occurred, and maybe these were all happening in new and inexperienced dealerships, or the reporting is inaccurate, or……but it makes you really think.
Last night I watched a weekly auto show on a Toronto station and a woman from Nova Scotia, 3,500 km east of Ontario called in and reported that she bought her first Kia in 2013, the motor gave up after 2 years, she got another vehicle and that motor went she is now on her third wrecked engine and Kia “cannot find” a replacement, so the suggestion was made to get the parts and build an engine. The hosts were flabbergasted and told her to insist on a crate engine and to involve the courts. She of course is stuck with Kia because of the warranty carrying over from one vehicle to the next.
I compare all the above to my Ford dealer of record, who has been taking good care of my F150, and when my truck was getting close to 100,000 km, they suggested that I bring the truck in before warranty expiry, so they could go over the vehicle “with a fine tooth comb” and repair anything they could find under warranty.
Maybe the solution lies in finding a dealership that is knowledgeable and willing to go to bat for you.
From comments I read on the forum, a number of my fellow forumists (is there such a word?) already own Kia cars and maybe some of you had warranty repairs. It would be interesting to hear, how those went. Whether dealers were helpful or had to be pushed.
I would also encourage everybody else to check into this, do their own readings and come to their own conclusions. And come back and report on their findings. I maybe wrong, and I sincerely hope so, but I think it is important to find out what is what. After all, it’s one thing to offer a long warranty, and another to interpret and apply it.
My last point is this recent letter, from a Canadian Kia customer, in commuting distance to Toronto:
Ags Farmer to Kia Canada
13 August 2014 ·
OPEN LETTER TO KIA CANADA ( If you have ever had issues with a dealership not covering a major repair because of insufficient records then this needs to stop ASAP. Your warranty should NOT BE VOID because you have chosen to take your car to get its oil changed at a reasonable price outside of the dealership) *pls share*
Good Morning,
I wanted to start with the fact that due to Kia's incredibly arrogant customer service I will NEVER purchase another Kia product nor will I EVER Recommend this company to anyone.
I run a business in Milton and am very involved in the community and I can not imagine providing the type of service your service department has provided our family. Because if I had that type of service I wouldn't have any returning clients.
Our 2013 Kia Sorento has been in the service bay since Sunday, today is Wednesday and still no one can actually fully explain to us the problem with our car. Your service department wants us to pay for 6 hours worth of labour to even check the car??? Most mechanics charge maybe $100 to diagnose a car but apparently not KIA. Kia wants to charge us for 6 hours labour at approx $100/hour to fully check and diagnose the car. Really??
This car is still UNDER WARRANTY and we have had regular oil changes one which was done July 5th, everything was topped up the oil change facility saw no problems with the Engine. But according to your service department they require further records. We have in fact provided you with 4 records that should be enough information to conclude that yes this car has been serviced over the year and half that we have had it. Let me repeat that...WE HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. This type of issue should NOT be occurring in a truck that age with ONLY 80K on it.
Further to this, this is our ONLY FAMILY car, we both have to work everyday and I am disgusted and thoroughly disappointed that a company of this size would not even offer us a loaner while our car is being fixed. Your lack of customer service is down right frightening. To have the service manager tell us that he doesn't feel the need to meet and speak with us about this or that he is fine with the car sitting as is?? Then to have to call the owner of the dealership and while speaking to him about a rather important issue he puts me on hold to take another line?? and then proceed to leave me on hold until I hang up. And when I finally do hang up not to have enough respect to call the customer back is appalling customer service.
We NEED this issue resolved as we have done everything correctly and have maintained our car. This car is STILL UNDER WARRANTY so Kia needs to honour their service warranty.
I will be notifying the bank which holds the loan for this car of this situation as well.
Thank you,
Agatha & Derek Farmer
Well, I did what everybody does these days, I googled…..and the results were not encouraging.
While the stats on initial ownership satisfaction and quality seem to be going up, and that’s good for the company, the general echo from my admittedly cursory investigation on service quality and warranty repairs appears to be pretty dismal , sometimes disheartening and not on the same trajectory as the initial satisfaction stats assembled by JD. Power and such. I looked at owners comments/complaints over a period spanning the years 2008 to 2017 covering USA, Canada and UK.
I am well aware, that owners will more often publicly complain than praise, and that goes for anything. But there seems to be common thread to most comments, that is that either Kia or the dealership are trying to avoid any and every expense. Doubts were raised about the validity of the 10/7/5 year warranties – the years seem to be reducing as we go along - and what country we are in– and that the “real” warranty is only 3 years on the important parts. The consensus seems to be, that the “bumper to bumper” warranty claim is a farce, as Kia seem to avoid honoring claims at all costs come crunch time.
Now, one might say that certain models had more problems than others, or one could blame certain engines, place or manufacture and other factors, but what is worrisome to me is the breadth of models that came up in the consumer remarks: Amanti, Forte, Optima, Rio, Soul, Sorento, Sportage. I don’t think I have a complete list there but it is enough to get a sense of extent of the problem which seems to be, to be repetitive and staying in focus:
Will Kia make good without a hassle when problems with their cars arrive?
I have my doubts that Kia will do the right thing, when I read the following:
· An idler pulley was not considered part of the drivetrain and therefore nor warrantable,
· Spurious reasons were given why warranty repairs were declined or not attempted
· That oil changes at other places than a Kia dealership voids the warranty
· No loaners were provided when warranty repairs were required. If it is a safety related repair the dealership will not release the car until repaired, even when the new part is not available or will take a considerable length of time (weeks, months) to obtain. Of course, the owner is SOL without the car, unless….
· Charge for warranty repairs, as in “we’ll have to check it out and you pay for the hours”…
Mind you, I was not present when these reported incidents occurred, and maybe these were all happening in new and inexperienced dealerships, or the reporting is inaccurate, or……but it makes you really think.
Last night I watched a weekly auto show on a Toronto station and a woman from Nova Scotia, 3,500 km east of Ontario called in and reported that she bought her first Kia in 2013, the motor gave up after 2 years, she got another vehicle and that motor went she is now on her third wrecked engine and Kia “cannot find” a replacement, so the suggestion was made to get the parts and build an engine. The hosts were flabbergasted and told her to insist on a crate engine and to involve the courts. She of course is stuck with Kia because of the warranty carrying over from one vehicle to the next.
I compare all the above to my Ford dealer of record, who has been taking good care of my F150, and when my truck was getting close to 100,000 km, they suggested that I bring the truck in before warranty expiry, so they could go over the vehicle “with a fine tooth comb” and repair anything they could find under warranty.
Maybe the solution lies in finding a dealership that is knowledgeable and willing to go to bat for you.
From comments I read on the forum, a number of my fellow forumists (is there such a word?) already own Kia cars and maybe some of you had warranty repairs. It would be interesting to hear, how those went. Whether dealers were helpful or had to be pushed.
I would also encourage everybody else to check into this, do their own readings and come to their own conclusions. And come back and report on their findings. I maybe wrong, and I sincerely hope so, but I think it is important to find out what is what. After all, it’s one thing to offer a long warranty, and another to interpret and apply it.
My last point is this recent letter, from a Canadian Kia customer, in commuting distance to Toronto:
Ags Farmer to Kia Canada
13 August 2014 ·
OPEN LETTER TO KIA CANADA ( If you have ever had issues with a dealership not covering a major repair because of insufficient records then this needs to stop ASAP. Your warranty should NOT BE VOID because you have chosen to take your car to get its oil changed at a reasonable price outside of the dealership) *pls share*
Good Morning,
I wanted to start with the fact that due to Kia's incredibly arrogant customer service I will NEVER purchase another Kia product nor will I EVER Recommend this company to anyone.
I run a business in Milton and am very involved in the community and I can not imagine providing the type of service your service department has provided our family. Because if I had that type of service I wouldn't have any returning clients.
Our 2013 Kia Sorento has been in the service bay since Sunday, today is Wednesday and still no one can actually fully explain to us the problem with our car. Your service department wants us to pay for 6 hours worth of labour to even check the car??? Most mechanics charge maybe $100 to diagnose a car but apparently not KIA. Kia wants to charge us for 6 hours labour at approx $100/hour to fully check and diagnose the car. Really??
This car is still UNDER WARRANTY and we have had regular oil changes one which was done July 5th, everything was topped up the oil change facility saw no problems with the Engine. But according to your service department they require further records. We have in fact provided you with 4 records that should be enough information to conclude that yes this car has been serviced over the year and half that we have had it. Let me repeat that...WE HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. This type of issue should NOT be occurring in a truck that age with ONLY 80K on it.
Further to this, this is our ONLY FAMILY car, we both have to work everyday and I am disgusted and thoroughly disappointed that a company of this size would not even offer us a loaner while our car is being fixed. Your lack of customer service is down right frightening. To have the service manager tell us that he doesn't feel the need to meet and speak with us about this or that he is fine with the car sitting as is?? Then to have to call the owner of the dealership and while speaking to him about a rather important issue he puts me on hold to take another line?? and then proceed to leave me on hold until I hang up. And when I finally do hang up not to have enough respect to call the customer back is appalling customer service.
We NEED this issue resolved as we have done everything correctly and have maintained our car. This car is STILL UNDER WARRANTY so Kia needs to honour their service warranty.
I will be notifying the bank which holds the loan for this car of this situation as well.
Thank you,
Agatha & Derek Farmer