Slow response on warranty repair outcome

I have a Kia Sedona with +/- 110 000 kilometres on the clock.

I had several electronic issues with the vehicle. Electronic sliding doors not working, cruse control not working. Sliding door buttons not working. Radio, display not working.

Kia Bloemfontein replaced the lock set of the vehicle and several of the above symptoms might well be as a result of the repairs done on the electronics to replace the lock set of the vehicle.

The vehicle has a 10 year 150 000 km warranty.

Kia Bloemfontein and Kia South Africa declined the warranty claim based on the fact that the 65 000 service was overdue by +/- 9 000 kilometres. I had the vehicle in the Kia workshop 6 times in 2014 for the lock set issue with come backs. I accidently incorrectly assumed that the vehicle was in for its 65 000km a service that year as well.

Now, when I have issues with the above mentioned, Kia do not want to cover that under the warranty due to the fact that I accidently was late with my 65 000km service.

What is worse, I tried to speak with the dealer, I also lodged a complain at the Kia customer care desk without any success.

I have not received any feedback in a week.

When I followed up again, today, I was informed that the extra 5 year warranty on the vehicle is not directly with Kia and that it is with Liquid Capital, a third party under writer. The customer care desk said that apparently the decision maker at Liquid Capital is away for another week and as a result he cannot commit to a date, when I might have an answer.

As a customer, this is a nightmare, it is hard enough to try and get a response or manage one supplier (Kia), now Kia has informed me that the warranty issue is out of their control also. It is now the customer's problem that the extra 5 year warranty which Kia proud themselves on when selling the vehicles and which is designed as a sales trick for peace of mind that you will not be out of pocket on material malfunctioning of major mechanical and electrical parts of the vehicle, is not within Kia's control.

Customers, please be careful. The Kia, 10 year 150 000km warranty should not be enough peace of mind to buy a Kia.

Kia will search for every reason possible not to cover anything within this additional 5 year warranty, and what is worse, if you want to complain about it, you alone are insignificant to try and fight this battle. They will even pass the issue to their under writes (Liquid Capital) to further discourage you as a customer. You will be lucky if you can even get any form of response in time.

They will also go out of their way to find a reason in the fine print of the contract and deny the warranty claim due to technicalities. The whole reason for a warranty is that you should have peace of mind that you would be covered in the event of material malfunctioning of major units under warranty within this period.

Customers, please be careful. The Kia, 10 year 150 000km warranty might be worthless and should not be enough peace of mind to buy a Kia.

Kia, since the additional 5 year 150 000 km warranty is also not within Kia's control but with another third party, please consider to disclose this fact to prospective buyers.