My 2024 Kia Sorento with just under 10,000 miles died on the highway on the way to work. The dashboard showed a message about the hybrid system, and the car just shut off. I had to get it towed to a local Kia dealership, but they can’t look at it until the end of February and they’re not offering me a loaner vehicle. I called another Kia dealer that’s about 2 hours away and they can take it in Thursday. The problem is, Kia won’t tow it there, even though the car is still under warranty. Is there anything I can do to get this sorted faster or get it to the other dealership without paying for towing myself?
The roadside assistance included with your warranty will only tow to the nearest Kia dealer. You can still tow it to any dealer, but you’ll have to pay for the tow yourself.
fatilo said:
The roadside assistance included with your warranty will only tow to the nearest Kia dealer. You can still tow it to any dealer, but you’ll have to pay for the tow yourself.
Yeah, it’s about 210 miles to get it to the other dealer, so the tow would probably be really expensive.
My insurance covers a couple of tows per year. Maybe check your policy and see if it covers this kind of thing. The process was easy for me: I paid for the tow upfront with the company I chose, then they reimbursed me after a few weeks once I submitted the receipt. Just make sure you ask your insurer about any monetary limits.
@Chris
I’ll check into this, thanks!
I think Kia Customer Care might be able to help in this situation. They could either speed up the diagnosis at the first dealership or make an exception for the tow to the other dealership. I’d recommend reaching out to them here: https://customercare.kiausa.com/
@TellurideTrekker
They’re pretty useless. It’s just a call center and they won’t really help you much.
Check your lemon laws. If the dealership doesn’t fix the car within a certain period, you might be entitled to a full refund, including taxes, fees, and extras. Kia should also cover a rental car for you. It’s a bit of a hassle, but you can get your money back in about 6 months.
@CarCraze
Oh, and don’t accept any offers for a cash settlement or a fix. Just ask for a buyback with the full refund. Kia is legally required to do this.
CarCraze said:
@CarCraze
Oh, and don’t accept any offers for a cash settlement or a fix. Just ask for a buyback with the full refund. Kia is legally required to do this.
Sometimes the cash offer is worth it though. I got $6,000 back for a Hyundai with a lot of issues, then traded it in for $14,000 with 40K miles on it.
Let them fix it at the closest dealership first. Once they have a diagnosis, you can call Kia corporate and open a case. Ask them for a rental car. I did this recently and they told me to rent one and submit the bill for reimbursement once the car is fixed. You might also be able to ask for a buyback if the car has been out of service for too long.
@gabu
Do you have Kia corporate’s phone number? I’ve just found an 800 number online.
nesh said:
@gabu
Do you have Kia corporate’s phone number? I’ve just found an 800 number online.
Just call the customer service number you found online.
I had something similar happen with my 2017 Niro. Mine didn’t shut off, but I heard a pop and got a notification about a hybrid system issue. I pulled over and had it towed to the dealership. They found that the high-voltage fuse had blown. Kia replaced it under warranty. I’ve heard they redesigned the fuse after that issue.
I’d definitely get a lawyer if I were in your shoes.
I think Kia won’t cover a rental car until they confirm it’s a warranty issue. However, I’ve heard they do reimburse you for the rental costs if the issue is confirmed as a warranty problem. I’d open a case with Kia corporate to get more details and avoid any lies from the dealership.
@OptimaOwner
Shouldn’t everything on a 1-year-old Kia be covered under warranty? It’s not like this is something that should wear out like tires or brakes.
Gordon said:
@OptimaOwner
Shouldn’t everything on a 1-year-old Kia be covered under warranty? It’s not like this is something that should wear out like tires or brakes.
I agree. It’s very unlikely this won’t be covered under warranty.
After reading stories like this, I’m glad I didn’t go for the Hybrid Sportage a couple of weeks ago. I chose the gas version instead, but I did want the hybrid.
Masitsa said:
After reading stories like this, I’m glad I didn’t go for the Hybrid Sportage a couple of weeks ago. I chose the gas version instead, but I did want the hybrid.
I’ve had my Sportage Hybrid for almost a year and have had no issues. I’ve just hit 10,000 miles and drive 50 miles to work every day.