Kia SA & Kia The Glen - Dangerous Safety Defect, Broken Promises & Refusal to Honor CPA Rights

I am writing this as a warning to potential Kia buyers and to plead for executive intervention from Kia South Africa. I have been subjected to months of terrible service, broken promises, and a complete disregard for my safety.

We purchased a Kia Sportage in November last year. Two months ago, I took it to Kia The Glen for a service and reported a critical safety defect: the driver's seat physically shifts and moves dangerously while driving, especially when turning.

The service consultant confirmed the issue and quoted a repair cost of R40,000, stating it needed to be escalated to Kia SA.

Since then, the experience has been a nightmare:

· We were promised feedback by 3 October. That date passed with zero communication. · I had to relentlessly call and email just to get a response. · Eventually, I was told the repair is under warranty but there is no ETA for parts. · I escalated to Kia SA Customer Care (Kefentse), who promised feedback by 20 October. Again, silence. · Finally, after sending a formal letter of demand, Kia SA responded yesterday. They refused to cancel the contract or replace the vehicle, stating the car is "a year old" and I "initially agreed to repairs." · They are now saying the parts ETA is November 2026 (or Nov 2025, they aren't even clear) and offered a mere 5-day courtesy car in the interim for a repair that takes months to source.

This is a clear violation of the Consumer Protection Act (Section 56). A car that cannot be driven safely is not fit for purpose. It is unacceptable that a massive brand like Kia expects a customer to drive a vehicle with a structurally defective seat that jeopardizes control of the vehicle.

I am now forced to escalate this to the National Consumer Commission and the Motor Industry Ombudsman, as well as legal counsel.

Kia South Africa and Kia The Glen: You have my emails, my ***, and my contact details. I am demanding a full refund or a replacement vehicle. I will not accept a "welded" seat or an indefinite waiting period for a dangerous vehicle.