I started reporting this problem to the dealer in May and later to Kia International. Because I had earlier complained to the dealer about their applying Celajet to my interior without informing me they would be - I had requested an exterior hard coat, not Celajet and not an interior treatment - because I have Chemical Sensitivity. When I later went back, as the weather heated up over the course of the spring, I complained of serious eye burning and irritation, vision changes, facial pain, scalp pain, throat and lung pain, nausea, loss of weight and tingling in my extremities, though I had taken a week off from work and Kia Corp had the car towed in for inspection, calling me everyday to inform me that they were working on a solution for me.
Come Friday, I found out they had done absolutely nothing over the course of the 4 days they had my vehicle. Because I was informed they would not be reaching a determination until the next week, I picked up the car and shampooed it that Saturday. Come Monday, I get an email from Kia directly, telling me that their only suggestion to me was to get back in the car and drive it - in those exact words. They were closing my case. I feel that had the dealer and Kia not known that I have Chemical Sensitivity, they would have perhaps taken my complaints more seriously and actually checked out my car. As they did know, they completely strung me along and didn't as much as sit in or, drive my vehicle and they did not check my engine for possible exhaust problems. They chose to do nothing despite the seriousness of the symptoms and their impact upon my health.
I feel I was discriminated against based upon my medical condition. The last time I picked up that vehicle from the dealer, after not being able to drive in for more than five minutes without serious impacts in the week following Kia's closing of my case, I opened the doors, rolled down all the windows and opened the sunroof, allowing it to air out for a few minutes before getting in to drive the two miles home. Arriving, I had serious eye redness and burning, lung and throat burning that caused me to have to go to the ER. Since that time, I have had my vehicle insurance changed to inoperable 2.5 months after buying my car and have accepted the fact that I can no longer be in it for even a short five minute drive without serious consequences. Still, not knowing the cause of my reactions, I have since that time had someone else just stick their head in my car and claim to have the same reaction I have.
This entire experience has been a nightmare from beginning to end. I have opened an insurance claim and am dependent upon them to find out what is wrong with my car because Kia Corp and the dealer refused to. Nor will either as much as loan me a car until I get a determination on this. All I have ever asked for is for someone to ensure to me that my vehicle was in fact safe so, with that reassurance in mind, I could decide what I needed to do about the fact that it is unsuitable for me personally, if that is the case. As is, I still have serious doubts that something else is not wrong with my car, and especially now that someone else has verified my symptoms.
I have to believe that is the case or, at best, that Kia knows this particular vehicle emits a high level of toxic gasses and that is the reason they chose to not as much as check it out for me. Either way, this situation, having to put inop insurance on my vehicle is totally unacceptable when I have a new loan for 22k outstanding. Even if this problem is due my personal health, Kia should WANT to take measures to help me make it suitable, as opposed to flippantly and very rudely telling me to merely continue driving a car that has made me so incredibly sick that I am now on my third week out of work.
I am at a complete loss as to why a company like Kia would want to operate so callously and hold the position that the health of their customers is not even a concern for them. I need help with this situation. All I've ever asked for was a vehicle that I can be in and drive without serious health ramifications that in my case, may eventually lead to blindness.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I started reporting this problem to the dealer in May and later to Kia International. Because I had earlier complained to the dealer about their applying Celajet to my interior without informing me they would be - I had requested an exterior hard coat, not Celajet and not an interior treatment - because I have Chemical Sensitivity. When I later went back, as the weather heated up over the course of the spring, I complained of serious eye burning and irritation, vision changes, facial pain, scalp pain, throat and lung pain, nausea, loss of weight and tingling in my extremities, though I had taken a week off from work and Kia Corp had the car towed in for inspection, calling me everyday to inform me that they were working on a solution for me.
Come Friday, I found out they had done absolutely nothing over the course of the 4 days they had my vehicle. Because I was informed they would not be reaching a determination until the next week, I picked up the car and shampooed it that Saturday. Come Monday, I get an email from Kia directly, telling me that their only suggestion to me was to get back in the car and drive it - in those exact words. They were closing my case. I feel that had the dealer and Kia not known that I have Chemical Sensitivity, they would have perhaps taken my complaints more seriously and actually checked out my car. As they did know, they completely strung me along and didn't as much as sit in or, drive my vehicle and they did not check my engine for possible exhaust problems. They chose to do nothing despite the seriousness of the symptoms and their impact upon my health.
I feel I was discriminated against based upon my medical condition. The last time I picked up that vehicle from the dealer, after not being able to drive in for more than five minutes without serious impacts in the week following Kia's closing of my case, I opened the doors, rolled down all the windows and opened the sunroof, allowing it to air out for a few minutes before getting in to drive the two miles home. Arriving, I had serious eye redness and burning, lung and throat burning that caused me to have to go to the ER. Since that time, I have had my vehicle insurance changed to inoperable 2.5 months after buying my car and have accepted the fact that I can no longer be in it for even a short five minute drive without serious consequences. Still, not knowing the cause of my reactions, I have since that time had someone else just stick their head in my car and claim to have the same reaction I have.
This entire experience has been a nightmare from beginning to end. I have opened an insurance claim and am dependent upon them to find out what is wrong with my car because Kia Corp and the dealer refused to. Nor will either as much as loan me a car until I get a determination on this. All I have ever asked for is for someone to ensure to me that my vehicle was in fact safe so, with that reassurance in mind, I could decide what I needed to do about the fact that it is unsuitable for me personally, if that is the case. As is, I still have serious doubts that something else is not wrong with my car, and especially now that someone else has verified my symptoms.
I have to believe that is the case or, at best, that Kia knows this particular vehicle emits a high level of toxic gasses and that is the reason they chose to not as much as check it out for me. Either way, this situation, having to put inop insurance on my vehicle is totally unacceptable when I have a new loan for 22k outstanding. Even if this problem is due my personal health, Kia should WANT to take measures to help me make it suitable, as opposed to flippantly and very rudely telling me to merely continue driving a car that has made me so incredibly sick that I am now on my third week out of work.
I am at a complete loss as to why a company like Kia would want to operate so callously and hold the position that the health of their customers is not even a concern for them. I need help with this situation. All I've ever asked for was a vehicle that I can be in and drive without serious health ramifications that in my case, may eventually lead to blindness.
- abused civic owner, Yuba City, CA, US