Lawrence Kia

Lawrence Kia responded

Zach B. I have investigated the issue with our Service Manager Tim. Here is his account: On 2/14/2017 vehicle was brought in for a check engine light, drivers heated seat shutting off after 5 min, Audio volume not changing with knob, and dash gauges not working on left side. We fixed check engine light at no charge to customer, could not duplicate radio issue or seat issue, and all the dash gauges were working as designed. Victoria Bentley the owner of the vehicle called in and vehicle would not start on 5/26/217. We had the vehicle towed in at the dealerships expense and tried several times to duplicate the issue of no start which the vehicle started when it arrived at the dealership. They also asked to have the radio looked at again, and a running rough issue and vehicle shaking at stops while in drive. We got the customers into a vehicle to drive while we tried to duplicate issues on the vehicle. After about 1 week of driving and testing the vehicle no items could be duplicated. Had conversations with customer and explained we tested fuel and electrical and could not duplicate issues with vehicle. Ms. Bentley came in and talked with Sam the used car manager and after talking with Victoria Agreed to have taken to local Dodge certified dealership to have them look at it. We took vehicle down to Briggs Chrysler Dodge in Lawrence and they looked at the vehicle for a couple of days and could not duplicate the issues with the Caliber. Briggs did mention that the vibration was a known characteristic of the vehicle and it was normal. From the Dodge dealership telling us this. Tim contacted Ms. Bentley again the owner of the vehicle and explained the issue and what Briggs Dodge had told us, She was still not happy and we offered her to allow it to go to a dodge dealer of her choosing and we would pay for diagnosis for that also. Ms. Bentley chose to take it to Ottawa Dodge because it was close to her. We agreed to keep her in the loaner vehicle as hers was being looked at. Ottawa Dodge and Tyler the advisor was able to figure out the issue with the no start, but was not able to duplicate issues with radio and shaking while in drive. They did state it sounded like a radio issue with the volume control, so we ordered a radio as per Ottawa dodge. Tyler also stated they could not duplicate the shaking issue with the vehicle and also stated that the shutter in drive at stop was a characteristic of the vehicle but they saw no other issues with the vehicle that would be causing it, We had Ms. Bentley come by the dealership to have the radio installed and fixed. After all the problems that could be duplicated and recommend by 2 Dodge certified dealerships Ms. Bentley came by the dealership with Zach. They both sat down with Charlie the General Sales manager and Tim the Service manager and had a long discussion about the vehicle and the shaking issue that 2 Dodge dealerships had told us they have found nothing wrong and it is normal for the vehicle to do what it was doing. After a long discussion Tim picked up the phone and offered for the vehicle to go to one more Dodge dealership. I don't have the exact date of the day the vehicle is to go over but Ms. Bentley took it in and the vehicle was looked at. I received a call from the dealership and Greg, I believe his name was. Greg explained to me that they looked over the vehicle and the there could be several items that is causing it. The first one that they would recommend would be the transmission mount, although it showed no signs of being bad it was a little weak. He could not guarantee that it would fix it but that is what they wanted to start with. I had asked if that was going to fix the shutter and he explained that it might help but the cars are known for having vibration in drive at a stop. I had approved the part to be replaced and he would take care of it on his end. I had never heard back from dealer or customer after that conversation. We had gone over and above the situation trying to resolve the issues with the customers car from the very start. We had never left the customer without alternate transportation and we had sent it to 2 different dealers to begin with and they had same conclusions on the vibration issue and even the 3rd dealership had confirmed the issue with the Dodge calibers having the characteristic. We fell as a dealership we had really handled it to the best of our ability. We stood behind our product we had sold and took care of the issues the customer complained about.

Zach responded

Ok to fix a few things your wrong on. First the heated seat would only stay on for secs not 5 mins we have a video showing it that we should you guys and Dodge in Ottawa. Second the vulume knob did turn the volume up and down it was either full blast or nothing half the time. Also you fixed the check engine light free of charge BECAUSE it was under warranty don't act like you did us a favor out of your good grace and fixed it for free. Also we had a rental vehicle because that's your policy you didn't go out of your way to get us one to help. You claim to have drove and tested the car for a week I'm assuming you drove it very little because the car was filled when it died and was towed to your dealership. I drove from your dealership to Ottawa and filled it back up and it took under 3 gallons. Also I told the service department to try and refill the tank to see if that would duplicate it because that's when it happened to us AND the same the happened when we test drove another and it was filled up. I told them this but it's obvious they didn't do it because that's the whole reason I filled it again to see if I could get it to duplicate and guess what it worked. Limped the car into Dodge in Ottawa and the tech could tell right away something was wrong. Now you also claimed that after Briggs In Lawrence couldn't figure it out you gave my wife a choice to take it somewhere else which ended up being Dodge in Ottawa that's a lie. I don't know how many time we tried to tell you guys we did NOT choose them you asked if their was a dealer local to us she said yes so you guys said we could have it taken their that was not a dealer we choose. So don't say she choose it because it was close that was your guys choice not ours. Yes the cars shake that's normal but it's not normal to shake so hard the hood bounces all over it and feel like I'm in a diesel. The ONLY dealer we choose to have it teken to was Overland Park Dodge not any of the others those were suggestions by your guys. You claim they said there could be multiple issues causing it yet they looked at the car for 30 mins and came back in saying the mount was bad. I asked if you could tell that it was bad visually and he said yes. The reason I asked is because you guys said nothing was wrong. He also said you could just pop the hood and visually tell because the motor twisted to much when revved something YOUR techs should have seen. I'm not saying you guys didn't try to take car of the situation because you tried just enough to try and push us on our way. We was lied to over and over front the start saying nothing is wrong and tried to make us take the car home multiple times. Let alone made my wife take off work so she could drive back and forth to take the car to 2 dealers to get looked at when it should have been on you NOT us. Don't even get me started on how they tried to make us pay $700+ in repairs that was done to car before we even looked at it. I flat out told your sales people it wasn't my fault and we was not paying for the repairs that were done before we even knew about the car.