All cars depreciate over time, and it’s reasonable to expect to have a few trips to the mechanic over the life of your vehicle. But this is ridiculous.
Saturday, Kia Sorento driver Dani (@dani_bananni) posted a jaw-dropping list of repairs and malfunctions she says she’s had to deal with. She says she bought the 2-and-a-half-year-old Kia Sorento “brand new.”
Dani posted the video to her TikTok account. And it quickly gained over 209,100 views and counting.
“Reminder, always go with @Toyota or @Honda because they would never!” Dani states in the video’s caption. The on-screen text goes into her specific claims. They state that her vehicle is on its “3rd transmission,” that the “oil pan/timing belt have been replaced,” and the sunroof doesn’t work properly.”
Dani also claims that the Sorento’s side time was “recalled” by Kia and that the dealership refuses to “do a buyback.” She states the car does not qualify for her state’s lemon laws and claims that it “just lives at the repair shop getting repairs under warranty for months at a time.”
In the video, Dani demonstrates the Sorento’s sunroof’s apparent malfunction, showing it closing but then stopping just short of completion and automatically reopening.
“Hey Kia, remember me?” Dani asks as she films the sunroof. “The person whose car doesn’t ever work? Well, watch my sunroof today.”
Kia Sorento recalls
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website, there is currently a recall in effect for certain 2021 Kia Sorento All Wheel Drive and Front Wheel Drive SUV’s due to “loss of drive power.” The recall is also due to a fuel leak and trailer hitch issues.
Despite Dani’s claim, there does not appear to be a specific recall concerning side trim.
Dealrater.com states that “Kia Motors, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles. The vehicle’s “fail-safe” limited-mobility drive mode may be impaired when prompted by a transmission oil pump malfunction, which can result in a complete loss of drive power.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kia via email for a statement.
@dani_bananni Reminder, always go with @Toyota or @Honda because they would never! #car #carsoftiktok #carissues #kia #honda #toyota #rant ♬ Creepy and simple horror background music(1070744) – howlingindicator
Regardless of any recall, Dani found many supporters in the video’s comments section.
Ash (@soflawatergirl) wrote, “I try to tell my friends not to buy them but they still do. Meanwhile my Subarus and Toyotas last 17-18 years.”
Another viewer claimed, “I’m on my third engine, will absolutely never buy another Kia.”
“People that buy Kia/Hyundai, Jeep or Chevy just boggle my mind,” another added.
One commenter offered the following suggestion: “There might be something stuck in the track. Most windows have sensors so you don’t get your hand or something closed in it.”
However, Dani responded, “It’s not. I’ve tried it all.”
In a follow-up video, Dani recounts in detail her journey of buying the vehicle and her claims of repeated trips to the dealership to take care of its malfunctions.
“If you wanna buy a new [Kia],” she warns her viewers, “go ahead but be careful. All the [expletive] might break in it.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dani via TikTok comment and messenger for further comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
