Reliability issue

[Reader Questions]

Hi.

I am at the end of my rope. I have a new Rio5 standard transmission. It will not go into reverse at times. It is completely useless to go to my local dealer as they are well schooled in the art of ignoring you and then once you get fed up, we don't deal with disgruntled customers once we have their money and the sale. It seems like this sort of thing is commonplace throughout the country. I am paying 22 thousand dollars for a car that is one problem after another. All I want is a car I can drive without the worries of having it blow apart at the seems at any given moment. I rely on my vehicle to get my kids to school and drive my wife and her mother to the hospital to see her father who has had 3 major strokes. I can't deal with the run around anymore. I am asking very nicely and sincerely for help. Is that so much to ask to fix it or replace it? It can't cost all that much out of somebody’s pocket book besides my own to have this happen?

[The General]

Some of these questions may seem a little pointless but are important nonetheless.

1- Have you tried going to another dealership?
2- Have you contacted Kia Canada and lodged a complaint?
3- Has the dealer noticed the problem?
4- Have they put it in a work-order or are they telling you that it's warranty work and that none are necessary?

Now, unfortunately, you have to do the work if the dealers will not. Should all your efforts fail, find an independant shop (corner garage) that will put on paper (an estimate if you will) of what seems to be wrong. Make sure that they will be willing to testify in Court on your behalf should you need to go that far.

Once you have the estimate, send a registered claim letter to your dealership and Kia Canada demanding that a repair be done. Should they decide to ignore you, pay for the repair (again, making sure that the garage will testify in Court on your behalf) and send a second claim letter to both parties demanding your money back.

If this fails, you will have to go to Small Claims Court. For more info on what to do, you can contact the Automobile Protection Association (APA) @ 514-272-5555. They can help you with letters and the garage if you become a member of their association.