Air Bag Not Deploy problems of the 2004 Kia Motor Amanti

While making a left the card was struck on the driver side (rear passenger door) by a person running a red light. The impact was severe enough that my insurance company deem the car a total loss. The side curtain airbag was never deployed.

The contact owns a 2004 kia Amanti. The contact indicated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who reset the code in order to repair the failure. The contact stated that on a different occasion while traveling 35 mph attempting to make a turn, the contact lost control of the vehicle, slid over ice and crashed into a guard rail. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries to the neck and back. Medical attention was not required. The vehicle was not inspected, diagnosed nor repaired. The insurance adjustor and the manufacturer were further inspecting the vehicle to determine the failure. The approximate failure mileage was not available.

I have taken my 2004 kia Amanti in for problems with air bag light several time. I have 8 forms with backup but it was taken in more than that. They have replaced everything from the r/r clockspring, the airbag and modules, all more than once. The last time being in 10/2010. Then the light started to come on in 02/2011 but it would turn off again until it finally stayed on once again. I had made an appt to go in on April 13, 2011 but was involved in a fender bender April 12, so the vehicle was in the shop. The body shop ran a diagnosis on the airbag light and it showed the problem had begun 3 months earlier so it wasn't covered by the insurance since it was not due to the accident so I had to pay $112. 00. Then I took it to kia this morning and they told me I would have to pay for a diagnosis at the dealer as well, unless it was the same problem that occurred on my last visit. $86. 00! I asked, "after having brought my car in 8 - 10 times, I am going to be charged! they have replaced everything that come out on the diagnosis at least 3 times and checked the wiring according to what the last manager had said in summer 2010, but they would only consider the last visit! this kia dealer is know for replacing parts until they fix it. I know because I have a stack of receipts showing all the parts that were replaced on my vehicle. Rusty was the managers name at viva kia in el paso, texas. He is no longer there and it is now ruben, whom use to be the service clerk. I was highly upset. To top all this off, the body shop said that my air bag would not have deployed since the light was on so it was a good thing that it was only a fender bender. That, I believe is dangerous, considering that my airbag light is probably on for half of the year.

- the contact stated that the 2004 kia Amanti sd's airbag light had been turning on and off for over a year. On 01/13/06 the air bag light turned on and stayed on. T he took the vehicle to the dealership, and was informed that the air bag needed to be removed to check the pin tension. The contact stated that the remedy worked for about ten days. He took vehicle back to dealership, and they ordered a new clockspring and an air bag module ,and that worked for about three weeks, before the light turned on again. The contact stated that the air bag light didn't turn on for about 4 months. He contacted the dealership, and again and they replaced the clockspring. He stated that the light turned on again about 2 months later and the dealership adjusted the pin tension, and rerouted the airbag harness and plugs. That lasted for six months, and the light airbag light turned on again 02/27/07. The contact called the dealership again, and they reprogrammed the history code. This has occurred on too many occasions, and felt that the air bag may not deploy if a crash occurred. He contacted the manufacturer to file a complaint and was given case# 1213689. The contact stated that his first failure the vehicle had 7,301 miles and the current mileage was 11,056 miles. All repairs orders were available. Updated 04/12/07.