NHTSA complaint: 2008 KIA SPORTAGE — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
LAST MARCH, I WAS TRYING TO STOP TO AVOID REAR ENDING A VEHICLE TURNING LEFT INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. I WAS DOING LESS THAN 25MPH WHEN I SAW HER BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNAL. ADDITIONALLY, I HAD PLENTY OF TIME AND DISTANCE TO STOP SAFELY. HOWEVER, AS I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE THE ESC, BRAKE WARNING AND BRAKE LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AND THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I PRESSED HARDER AND HARDER UNTIL THE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. AT THIS POINT THEY LOCKED UP PREVENTING ME FROM STEERING AWAY FROM THE CAR THAT I THEN HIT. AFTER THE COLLISION REPAIRS, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THE ABS COMPUTER FAILED CAUSING THE BRAKING FAILURE. HE SUGGESTED TAKING IT TO KIA. THE DEALERSHIP THEN CONFIRMED THAT THE ABS COMPUTER MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT THAT TIME MY CAR ONLY HAD 78,000 MILES ON IT. THERE IS NO REASON FOR THE ABS MODULE TO FAIL WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MOSTLY HIGHWAY (NO BRAKING NECESSARY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DRIVE) MILES ON THE CAR. THE IS, OBVIOUSLY, A SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY WANT $2,500 TO REPAIR AN ISSUE THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT. I WAS TOLD THEY HAVE REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THESE MODULES BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE A SEATBELT/AIRBAG SENSOR DINGING ALL THE TIME SO THAT'S ANOTHER SAFETY ISSUE WITH MY RESTRAINT SYSTEM!
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation