A Canadian called out Kia on TikTok after a terrifying experience her family had with their car.
The TikToker, who goes by @croissantwoman on the app, says the engine of their Kia shut down abruptly in the middle of the road.
“While everybody was going 110 the motor just stopped working, and the car slowed down to a full stop in the middle of the road,” she recalled. “We got out of the car safely, but it was an extremely dangerous situation.”
What happened next left @croissantwoman frustrated and angry.
She says they went to a Kia dealership to report the incident, but they weren’t happy with how the salesperson handled it.
“What he said to me was one of the most terrible things I’ve ever heard,” she said in the TikTok.
According to @croissantwoman, the salesperson told them that the Kia model they owned was “known for having engine problems.”
For context, in another TikTok, she mentioned that their car got recalled twice since they got it — before this incident.
While @croissantwoman doesn’t specify what model they have, Transport Canada did share a recall notice for a 2011 Kia Sorento with an issue similar to her situation about engine failure in January.
The TikToker says that the salesperson suggested that Kia allegedly “couldn’t spend the money” to recall all of the cars and repair all of the engines because “it would be too expensive.”
“We could have been rear ended, going 110 on the highway… and your excuse, or what you’re telling me right now is, ‘Oh, we know we’re in the wrong, but it’s just too much money to recall the cars and change all the motors.’ That’s what he said,” she recalled.
She added that the salesperson apparently also “cracked jokes” about the situation.
“He said, ‘Your car might have also been made on a Friday because, you know what they say about cars being made on Fridays. They’re not well made because people just want to go home,’” she recollected. “I didn’t laugh once… it’s not a funny situation.”
The salesperson then apparently attempts to sell them a 2021 Kia for $25,800.
“He was talking to me like I was the dumbest girl in the room,” said @croissantwoman. “I just want to say I got upset with him. I was rude the whole time, and I am not sorry for it because f**k your company. I almost died. My parents could have died.”
@croissantwoman I can’t believe he said this to me with a smile on his face. #kia #storytime #viral #car #canada ♬ original sound – Croissant Woman
In follow-up TikToks, @croissantwoman shared the hoops they had to jump through to get their car repaired.
She recalls talking to Kia customer service over the phone, which apparently said they can’t confirm or deny what the salesperson said about the car brand not recalling or repairing all affected vehicles because of the costs.
The TikToker does recall the customer service person saying how the salesperson handled the situation in a “very unprofessional way.”
She says that even though the customer service representative was helpful and promised to repair their car and provide a rental vehicle while it was being serviced, they still had to pay for things through insurance and out-of-pocket.
Getting the car towed came out of their insurance, and @croissantwoman said the company wouldn’t look at it unless they paid $300.
@croissantwoman @Kia Canada @Kia America this so unethical and disgusting. #fyp #viral #storytime #kia #kiacanada ♬ original sound – Croissant Woman
What does Kia Canada have to say?
In an email statement to Daily Hive, a Kia Canada spokesperson said it was made aware of the situation and has been in contact with @croissantwoman and her family.
“Though Kia dealers are independently owned and operated, Kia Canada intervened to ensure the repair was performed by the dealer as part of the recall. The vehicle has since been fully repaired and returned to the customer,” stated the spokesperson.
It’s important to note that the popular brand was hit with a class-action lawsuit that alleges certain vehicles “have a defect that can cause engine seizure, stalling, engine failure, and possibly engine fire, and that some owners and lessees have been improperly denied repairs under the vehicle’s warranty.”
While the company has not been found liable for any claims in the lawsuit, it did reach a settlement, promising those eligible reimbursement for out-of-pocket repair expenses, compensation for trade-ins and sales and vehicle losses, a warranty extension, and a rebate program.
The deadline to submit a claim was July 8, 2024.
Other Tiktokers share their experiences
@croissantwoman’s TikToks have been flooded with thousands of comments from people, some of whom have experienced similar situations.
“This exact same thing happened to my Kia Soul. Got a new engine through warranty. A month later the catalytic converter needs to be replaced now 😭” reads one comment.
“I had a 2014 Kia Sorento. I had two engines in it recalled. Never buy a Kia again,” added another.
“This literally just happened to our Kia Telluride three days ago! Our car suddenly slowed down on the freeway at night with my two babies in the car. So scary! 😔” recalled another commenter.
Daily Hive reached out to @croissantwoman for an interview but has yet to hear back from her.
The latest update from her TikTok is that their car was returned but that the air conditioning system no longer works.
“The mechanics at Kia told my dad ‘we already spent a lot of time on the car so we can’t afford to spend more time on it for the AC,’” reads her reply on her latest video.