KIA SONET - FORMAL COMPLAINT REGARDING SUBSTANDARD VEHICLE QUALITY, FALSE COMMUNICATIONS, AND UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE DELAYS

FORMAL COMPLAINT REGARDING SUBSTANDARD VEHICLE QUALITY, FALSE COMMUNICATIONS, AND UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE DELAYS – KIA SONET I am writing to formally lodge a severe complaint regarding the appalling level of product quality and after-sales service I have experienced since purchasing a brand-new 2026 KIA Sonet from KIA Umhlanga in January this year. The treatment I have received from both the Umhlanga and Mobeni branches falls catastrophically short of the standards KIA promises its customers.

1. Defective Delivery and Dismissive Management (KIA Umhlanga) The day after collecting my vehicle, I noticed a blatant misalignment of the boot/tailgate and immediately reported it to the manager of KIA Umhlanga. Upon assessment, I was dismissively told that this defect was "within manufacturing specifications." Furthermore, the Branch Manager explicitly stated that I could not return the vehicle for this reason—a claim I find entirely unacceptable for a brand-new asset. Proving how flawed KIA’s "manufacturing specifications" defense was, my vehicle unfortunately required a tailgate replacement following a subsequent accident. The original tailgate misalignment was so bad that I could not see a branch of a tree while reversing and drove into it. The approved repairer, Panel Rite, fitted the new tailgate perfectly with zero misalignment. If an independent panel shop can align a KIA body panel flawlessly, KIA’s factory defect cannot be excused as an acceptable "tolerance."

2. Battery Failure and Repeated Falsehoods (KIA Mobeni) Shortly after, the vehicle experienced a major electrical failure where the battery died three separate times within a single week. After KIA Mobeni jump-started the vehicle on the first two occasions, it had to be towed to their workshop on the third instance. What followed was a masterclass in poor communication and outright deception: • It took an astronomical 8 days just to diagnose a battery issue only to find that the battery was faulty and needed to be replaced. • During this window, KIA Mobeni staff contacted me on two separate occasions to inform me that my car was repaired and ready for collection. • On both occasions, I inconvenienced myself to travel to the dealership, only to find the vehicle was not ready. Being **** to about the readiness of a vehicle is a flagrant disrespect of my time and consumer rights.

3. Inefficient Supply Chain Logistics I have also been informed that KIA centralizes its battery orders exclusively through Johannesburg, regardless of where the vehicle is stranded in the country. Forcing a customer to wait over a week for a standard battery replacement due to rigid, inefficient logistical frameworks is entirely unbefitting of a major automotive brand.

4. Millage discrepancy Upon collecting my car from KIA Mobeni, I noticed that they had driven approximately 100 km with my car while it was at their shop and they claimed that it was not ready for collections. I understand that a car might need to move from one department to another but the setup of KIA Mobeni’s workshop allows for diagnostics to be run on the plant. I see this as further flagrant disregard for my time and money spent on fuel as a customer of KIA. No efforts were made to expedite the process until the 7th day from when my car arrived at their workshop.

Summary of Demands As a consumer who invested heavily in a brand-new vehicle to ensure reliability, I have instead been met with defects, deceptive customer service, and unnecessary delays. I require the following actions within 5 business days: 1. An assurance from KIA South Africa Head Office regarding how my future warranty claims will be handled. I am also requesting free scheduled maintenance for 1–3 years (oil changes, tire rotations, inspections) given that the original battery was faulty, the dismissive attitude initially displayed by KIA Umhlanga and the incompetence of KIA Mobeni’s Service department. This compensation will allow me to trust that my car will be taken care of as it should. 2. An extended roadside assist and warranty. 3. Some sort of compensation for the disgracefully poor product quality and customer service I have received from KIA, which wasted both my time and money.

Should this matter not be resolved to my satisfaction, I will have no choice but to escalate this complaint to the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (MIOSA) and the National Consumer Commission (NCC) for a breach of the Consumer Protection Act.

KIA HEAD OFFICES: *** KIA UMHLANGA: *** KIA MOBENI: ***