The Supremes once demanded that a wandering lover “Stop in the Name of Love!” Now it seems a New Jersey Judge has ordered Kia Motors America to “Stop in the Name of the Law!”
Kia has been accused of not providing long enough warranty coverage for the braking system on its less than class-leading 1997-2000 Kia Sephia sedan.
Apparently customers were unhappy with how quickly the brake pads and rotors wore on their vehicles. Most manufacturers only offer a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty on brake parts and it appears Kia followed the same formula.
In the settlement, 6,000 Sephia owners will each be given $750 for repair costs and inconvenience. If these people have to replace brake pads and rotors at less than 12,000 mile intervals we doubt that much money will get them very far. Additionally, if word gets out about this on the used car market, already soft Kia residuals will no doubt be doubly bad for the Sephia.
It is also odd to us that the “malfunction” of the braking system is only listed as “premature wear.”
The speed at which a person’s brake pads and rotors wear out is highly contingent on factors like driving style and driving environment. If you live in a hilly neighborhood your brake pads can wear out nearly 50% quicker than a person who lives in a flat part of town. Also, as anyone who drives on the freeway knows, there are plenty of people who ride their stoppers in such a fashion that their brake lights appear to be constantly illuminated.
Kia has stated that it has been held to an unfair standard regarding brake warranties and plans to appeal the court’s ruling. That means that if you are an owner of a 1997-2000 Sephia, don’t stand out by your mailbox all summer waiting for your check like you did for your Flat Screen TV buying Check, oops, we mean Economic Stimulus Check.
Our take? Maybe these disgruntled Sephia owners should take the money from their Economic Stimulus Checks and put it towards a down payment on a new car. Just a reminder—New Kias with the ten year warranty still only have a one year warranty on brake parts! So maybe try a different brand.