VEHICLE manufacturer Kia South Africa has allegedly sold a client a defective vehicle and refused to fix it.
Chris Pylman purchased a Kia Seltos 1.6 EX on October 27, 2021. He said shortly after he purchased the vehicle he realised it had some serious technical issues.
The vehicle was purchased at Kia Springs, east of Johannesburg. Pylman said the manufacturer had failed several times to resolve the problem.
He escalated the matter to the Motor Industry Ombudsman of South Africa (Miosa), the National Consumer Commission (NCC), and WesBank, who financed the vehicle.
He contacted the dealership which recommended that he should return the vehicle. He said the vehicle was taken to various branches but they were still trying to solve the problem.
Pylman said the vehicle passed on the paperwork but failed during the test drive. He said this showed further investigations were needed.
Pylman, who has now been without the vehicle for 27 months, said Kia managed to repair the safety belt sensor, reverse camera, fender and bonnet while acceleration and water leakage remain the biggest problems.
He said he had done all the software updates but the problem remained the same.
Kia customer care manager Thokozile Khumalo on Wednesday confirmed the case. “In each instance, Kia has responded timeously, carried out extensive testing to establish the cause of the complaints, and subsequently repaired the vehicle under warranty to manufacturer standards, always abiding by the rulings of the Motor Industry Ombudsman,” she said.
WesBank head of marketing and communication Lebogang Gaoaketse said the dispute was before the NCC and WesBank was not privy to its details.
“The dispute remains between the customer and the dealer, and WesBank will be guided by the decision of the NCC or any other competent adjudication body in determining its involvement in this matter,” Gaoaketse said.
Miosa public affairs management Lucious Bodibe said the ombudsman received a registered complaint on November 24, 2022, and issued a recommendation on June 1 2023, after reviewing all the relevant supporting documentation.
“The Miosa does not express an opinion on such matters. We act in accordance with the legal framework that governs us and base our decisions on the facts presented in each individual case,” said Bodibe.
The NCC spokesperson Phetho Ntaba said the commission is aware of this complaint and that Pylaman filed it on July 2023.
“Upon assessing his complaint, it was determined that Mr Pylman and the supplier (Kia Springs) are in the same province - Gauteng.
His matter was referred to the Gauteng Office of Consumer Affairs in accordance with section 72(1) (c) of the Consumer Protection Act number 68 of 2008. Mr Pylman was informed of this decision,“ she said.
In his formal complaint, Pylman said the vehicle had been problematic from the day he purchased it. He said the vehicle was taken to different branches such as The Glen, East Rand and Kia Springs but nothing changed.
Pylman said he might take the matter to the court if Kia and WesBank did not come up with a solution, adding that it was nearly two years without his vehicle.
“The Kia has now missed all the important services and extra warranties,” Pylman said. “My contract with WesBank was not for a faulty vehicle to occupy space on my premises. Kia Springs is your supplier and you should have made sure you have followed up when I brought this to your attention in 2021.”
Pylman also told the NCC that the dealership lied when they said he could not afford the vehicle and was looking for excuses. He said he received a call from the dealership on August 2023 to collect his vehicle.
However, the vehicle remained faulty. He said this was even admitted by a technical who tested the vehicle with him.
“Please don’t fall for all the lies they are telling. They got away with Miosa and WesBank. They said I can’t afford Kia and nothing is wrong with it and I am looking for excuses.
“Right from the beginning of 2021, Kia The Glen could not find the vehicle on the system. They referred the problem immediately to Kia SA who told me after a week to sort it out with Kia Springs and have since distanced themselves from the situation,” he said.
Pylman said, as a result, he lost faith in all Kia products, adding that this is especially because the dealership keeps denying the problems.
Pylman is not the first customer to complain about the manufacturer.
On March 5, 2024, a customer who introduced himself as Lesedi M Cjj said he bought a brand new KIA Sonet in Alberton and the vehicle started overheating after a few weeks and later the engine ceased.
Another one Thivhulawi M said his Kia Rio was damaged in an accident in November 2023 and it took months for the dealership to provide the parts after after the panel beater ordered them from Kia.
Both complaints were made via Pissed Consumer.
manyane.manyane@inl.co.za