KyleSC
Member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2019
- Messages
- 54
- Reaction score
- 45
- Points
- 18
My Kia Nightmare
I’ve read a lot of dealer praise and dealer problems on this forum, but what happened here goes beyond the word nightmare. Had my Stinger GT2 brought in on a flatbed after the driver turbo blew a seal and emptied the oil through the exhaust. Towed to my house as it was close by and looked at the compressor fan. The edges were damaged and it broke the seal. I took out an air box, 2 pieces of tubing, and the driver side recirculation valve. I made an appointment and had the flat bed transport it there. Told the writer up front that I took the mentioned parts off to take a look, and couldn’t find the recirculation valve and the 2 pieces of tubing. Told him..my fault on those, I’ll pay to replace them. Next morning he called abruptly stated they are denying warranty claim for all of. I asked for manager who recommended calling Kia customer service and they would likely approve it and they did. Kia said they received the report, when I talked to the Service Manager 2 days later he stated he has to submit a report (which Kia said they have) for official approval (which Kia gave me 2 days earlier). I said “Rick would you mind CC the report to me?” He said he would. Guess what. No report sent to me. I follow up and more and more BS about the approval. Call Kia and they said we did approve it. I’m already documenting everything at this point and verifying anything they say. Back to dealership...I talked to Kia they authorized 7 days ago. Please check your system while we are on the phone and let’s get this turbo ordered. Oh..oh..ok we’ll get that ordered. Yes, it gets a lot worse....follow up call days later...”I ordered it beau, but no telling when it’ll get here. Hell it may not have been built yet” -where’s it coming from? “South Korea” -it’s a Garrett, believe they’re made in the US. Why would they build it here only to ship it to Korea, to then ship it back. Don’t you have part distribution centers? “Yea, but this is on Backorder“...2 weeks later. “Still on backorder” ...makes no sense to me either. I hit the internet and contact OEM Kia parts sites and discover it’s not on backorder and can ship in 2-3 days. Back to Kia customer service I advise now I’m recording all communications upfront. Told her what I found out, she read the notes, then took notes and stated my case manager will call back today.....crickets. I call again a day later and get a nice rep same story with me case mgr. I asked her to see if the dealer ordered the part and gave the part#. They did, days after what they told me and received it 12 days ago...I have that call recorded. I hang up and call the service rep “DJ” I stated upfront “our communications are now being recorded“ what’s the status on the turbo, DJ? Still on backorder....I just talked to Kia and they said that’s not true. In fact...it wasn’t on backorder. You ordered it several days after the date you told me, and it’s at the dealership. Oh..oh..oh...oh let me put you on hold and check the parts department. He comes back...”it’s here, just hasn’t been checked in yet” wow!!! It’s been there 12 days and hasn’t been checked in??? “Well sometimes it takes a while” —-that’s nutty. Let me speak to the GM. “Not available” have him call me....crickets..I call Kia to update them, and they ask if I’ve been told what I will owe for the 2 pieces of tubing and recirculation valve. I told her I looked the parts up and couldn’t believe they were $200, but I lost them so I will pay. She said the dealer said $800. I told her I will not pay that and asked why it was so high. The dealer stated that it comes as an assembly and that is the only way to order it. I told her they either don’t know how to look up parts or they’re trying to pull a fast one. Advised I’ll send proof tonight....sent 5 screenshots of shopping carts with parts listed individually. No call back. Check dealer, car will be ready next week. Pick up car...looks like shit. Starts smoking on the way home. No coolant and coolant hoses weren’t secured. I clamped them. Data logged from my phone and under load timing was 7 degrees and AFR was rich....10:1. Called service manager and said I’m not dealing with DJ. Asked him about the $800 bill and said will have to check with regional parts manager. Next day...he said no go. I said I’ll pay for the parts, but not your mistake. Offered to meet me half way $400. I asked why he would need to get approval to cover their mistake. Told him I want someone who isn’t thinking in terms of how cheap they deal with this to think about all the headache, lies, and BS and imagine it was them it happened to and get back to me. Crickets,,,I call Kia cares update them again....go through the whole ordeal.....oh, also when I looked the engine over there were over a dozen missing bolts....important bolts, not bullshit bolts. I sent 20 photos to service managers...crickets, then called Kia. Gave account to one rep who stated this is serious misconduct and then another rep called me and I went through it line by line. She agreed with my account, I offered recordings, take a video of the shit job they did, even put a snazzy report together with Adobe Illustrator. She said she’s taking care of that and it’s going to Kia regional VP or something, and the dealership’s owner. How will Kia be successful if their dealers treat their products, and more importantly their own customers like shit...think twice before driving into that parking lot.
I’ve read a lot of dealer praise and dealer problems on this forum, but what happened here goes beyond the word nightmare. Had my Stinger GT2 brought in on a flatbed after the driver turbo blew a seal and emptied the oil through the exhaust. Towed to my house as it was close by and looked at the compressor fan. The edges were damaged and it broke the seal. I took out an air box, 2 pieces of tubing, and the driver side recirculation valve. I made an appointment and had the flat bed transport it there. Told the writer up front that I took the mentioned parts off to take a look, and couldn’t find the recirculation valve and the 2 pieces of tubing. Told him..my fault on those, I’ll pay to replace them. Next morning he called abruptly stated they are denying warranty claim for all of. I asked for manager who recommended calling Kia customer service and they would likely approve it and they did. Kia said they received the report, when I talked to the Service Manager 2 days later he stated he has to submit a report (which Kia said they have) for official approval (which Kia gave me 2 days earlier). I said “Rick would you mind CC the report to me?” He said he would. Guess what. No report sent to me. I follow up and more and more BS about the approval. Call Kia and they said we did approve it. I’m already documenting everything at this point and verifying anything they say. Back to dealership...I talked to Kia they authorized 7 days ago. Please check your system while we are on the phone and let’s get this turbo ordered. Oh..oh..ok we’ll get that ordered. Yes, it gets a lot worse....follow up call days later...”I ordered it beau, but no telling when it’ll get here. Hell it may not have been built yet” -where’s it coming from? “South Korea” -it’s a Garrett, believe they’re made in the US. Why would they build it here only to ship it to Korea, to then ship it back. Don’t you have part distribution centers? “Yea, but this is on Backorder“...2 weeks later. “Still on backorder” ...makes no sense to me either. I hit the internet and contact OEM Kia parts sites and discover it’s not on backorder and can ship in 2-3 days. Back to Kia customer service I advise now I’m recording all communications upfront. Told her what I found out, she read the notes, then took notes and stated my case manager will call back today.....crickets. I call again a day later and get a nice rep same story with me case mgr. I asked her to see if the dealer ordered the part and gave the part#. They did, days after what they told me and received it 12 days ago...I have that call recorded. I hang up and call the service rep “DJ” I stated upfront “our communications are now being recorded“ what’s the status on the turbo, DJ? Still on backorder....I just talked to Kia and they said that’s not true. In fact...it wasn’t on backorder. You ordered it several days after the date you told me, and it’s at the dealership. Oh..oh..oh...oh let me put you on hold and check the parts department. He comes back...”it’s here, just hasn’t been checked in yet” wow!!! It’s been there 12 days and hasn’t been checked in??? “Well sometimes it takes a while” —-that’s nutty. Let me speak to the GM. “Not available” have him call me....crickets..I call Kia to update them, and they ask if I’ve been told what I will owe for the 2 pieces of tubing and recirculation valve. I told her I looked the parts up and couldn’t believe they were $200, but I lost them so I will pay. She said the dealer said $800. I told her I will not pay that and asked why it was so high. The dealer stated that it comes as an assembly and that is the only way to order it. I told her they either don’t know how to look up parts or they’re trying to pull a fast one. Advised I’ll send proof tonight....sent 5 screenshots of shopping carts with parts listed individually. No call back. Check dealer, car will be ready next week. Pick up car...looks like shit. Starts smoking on the way home. No coolant and coolant hoses weren’t secured. I clamped them. Data logged from my phone and under load timing was 7 degrees and AFR was rich....10:1. Called service manager and said I’m not dealing with DJ. Asked him about the $800 bill and said will have to check with regional parts manager. Next day...he said no go. I said I’ll pay for the parts, but not your mistake. Offered to meet me half way $400. I asked why he would need to get approval to cover their mistake. Told him I want someone who isn’t thinking in terms of how cheap they deal with this to think about all the headache, lies, and BS and imagine it was them it happened to and get back to me. Crickets,,,I call Kia cares update them again....go through the whole ordeal.....oh, also when I looked the engine over there were over a dozen missing bolts....important bolts, not bullshit bolts. I sent 20 photos to service managers...crickets, then called Kia. Gave account to one rep who stated this is serious misconduct and then another rep called me and I went through it line by line. She agreed with my account, I offered recordings, take a video of the shit job they did, even put a snazzy report together with Adobe Illustrator. She said she’s taking care of that and it’s going to Kia regional VP or something, and the dealership’s owner. How will Kia be successful if their dealers treat their products, and more importantly their own customers like shit...think twice before driving into that parking lot.
