Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/27/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I purchased a 2025 *** K5 from ******************* at the beginning of September 2024. Starting in October I have had issues with cutting the car on and all the lights cutting on like something is wrong, but can cut the car off and right back on and it will go away. Around end of the year, beginning of January the car started cutting off on me while driving down the road. As of a month ago the *** has almost caused me to run off the road, jerking me around, and almost getting rear ended. I did contact the *** **** of Georgia however the do not have loaners so I was told to contact The Bulldog Kia of Athens. I have taken the car to them and was told they want to keep the car to try and find the problem, however they can not give me a loaner because they can not duplicate any of my problems. This is my only means of transportation so I can not go without having a vehicle as an only parent with a child in daycare and a full time job. I have also reached out to their customer affairs department with no resolution either. At this point I just want to feel safe driving my car and make sure my son is safe when we are on the road and I no longer feel that way. *** has been no help no matter who I have talked to. All of the problems listed above are reoccurring and now have happened more times than I can count.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/28/2025

  Ms. ***** thank you for reaching out and we are so sorry to hear about the trouble you have been experiencing with your 2025 *** *** When it comes to rentals, we are not able to provide rentals unless they are approved by *** with vehicles covered under warranty. In order for there to be a warranty claim, the issue has to duplicate when we have the vehicle. We are extremely limited on the rentals we have. If the issue is intermittent, there isn't anything we can do unless we keep the vehicle for an extended period of time and testing it often throughout the day.
  
  
  We understand this can be frustrating and being without the vehicle and in some cases, not an option. This is where we would suggest going to the dealership you purchased the vehicle from and holding them responsible for the vehicle's issues. They very well can and should resolve your issues. If we had a customer just purchase from us and the vehicle had problems, we could get our *** representatives to cover the rental and see what is going on with the vehicle. This isn't saying that we don't care about your issue because you didn't purchase from us. In fact, we are highly concerned about your vehicle and would love to assist you, but we also cannot offer rentals unless they're approved by ***. That is the company's policy and our hands are tied here. We are confused as to why we would get a complaint on BBB for an issue that isn't even our responsibility. We suggest you call *** consumer affairs and call back ************** to have them make this right for you.
  
  
  The only option we can provide here is to allow us to hold onto the vehicle and test it. If a rental is needed, we can set one up but it has to be covered by either *** or the customer out of pocket.
  
  
  We understand this situation is extremely frustrating and we wish we could do more to assist you. We appreciate when customers come to us for service, if they did or didn't purchase from us, and we do treat all customers the same regardless of where they purchased. We, unfortunately, do have to follow policies set by the manufacturer. Our suggestion is to contact the service and sales departments at the ********** location or to let us know if you are able to secure a rental out of pocket and we will do our best to duplicate the issue. If we are able to duplicate it, we can get *** corporate to cover the rental and will be happy to do our best to try and assist you.
  
  
  Thank you and please contact us directly if you have any other questions or concerns.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/28/2025

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and thought I sent the complaint to *** at the ***************. I have created a new case and made sure it was to the correct ***. Of course at the end of the day no matter what *** I purchased the car from it is ***'s responsibility to take care of me and the brand new car that was purchased. Your statement is exactly what I have heard over the phone time and time again when I have called in. Helping me would be making sure I was not driving around in a car that was unsafe for me and my child. I'll just pray and hope that someone finds it necessary to help me before something bad happens.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/11/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have took my car there 3 times for a oil leak and it's still leaking oil. It's like they want people to keep putting money into cars. The paint is suppose to have a 7 year warranty it's already chipping. Also they also check they fill fluids up when they don't many times I have looked and my antifreeze was low. They over charge and seems like they always find a problem with your car. And if you don't get it fixed within a month the price goes up. Mine with from 508 to 700. It's crazy. They won't even give me more money so I can trade it in.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/14/2024

  Good Morning, we received the complaint and wanted to respond as soon as possible to clear up any confusion. The customer's vehicle has over ******* miles on it so it is expected to have some regular maintenance and normal wear and tear repairs needed. The customer declined the service recommendations multiple times but because this was a necessary repair, we did recommend it at every visit. The vehicle is still leaking oil because the customer did not want to get the repairs done that were needed. Bulldog Kia honored a $50 coupon for the customer to help reduce the overall cost of the repairs that were completed, but with the vehicle having such high mileage and being out of warranty, payment is required from the customer in order to complete the repairs needed. We are happy to requote the customer for trading in her vehicle if desired. Please reach out if anything else is needed as we are happy to help work with you to resolve your concerns. Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/14/2024

   
  Complaint: 21414349
  
  I am rejecting this response because I understand my car has high millegae but everytime I bring it in its something over 1000 worth of work on it that a normal working American can't afford. That's why I rejected it because I don't have the money to fix it but at first I was quoted 530 to fix the oil leak and then said since it had been over a month that they price went up to over 600 dollars. And the paint is suppose to be a 7 year warranty but it's already chipping. I understand about mileage and wear and tear on a vehicle. I would like to trade it in but I will be so far upside no and no one is willing to help with that even after all the money I have put into the vehicle already. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business Response

  Date: 03/19/2024

  Hi ******************, we are so glad to hear that the team was able to assist you when you came in for service again on Friday and helped clear up any confusion. Please let us know if you have any other questions or need anything else answered before closing this case. Thank you and we appreciate your business and hope you have a great rest of your week!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/25/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Since Nov 23 2023 Bulldog Kia has made 5 attempts to repair my car that is under warranty. The car has broken down on me 3 times that had to be towed in. 2 times another two times the dealer has called to say the car is ready. Upon arrival it has not started. I dint Trust the car and dont want it back. I want It declared a lemon. Dealership is still trying to fix. Im 87 widowed and on a fixed budget. I have Incurred **** in rental car bills and three tow bills that corporate wont fully reimburse me for. Please help me to get another car. It is too dangerous for me to break down in traffic these days.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/31/2024

  Good Afternoon.

  The customer regarding this issue is not the person that filed this BBB complaint. This was filed by a relative and there has been multiple breakdowns in communication from what the customer is telling us to what is being referred to by the customer's niece. This vehicle was at the dealership for an extended period of time. We recognize the frustration from the customer and her niece and do wish that there had been a better way to handle the situation, however, Bulldog Kia cannot diagnose or repair a vehicle without having the issue duplicate. We have tested the vehicle numerous times and it was running correctly for over a week straight with multiple daily attempts to crank it. There are no further issues detected with the vehicle.

  We are unable to pay for towing or submit for reimbursement. The customer was instructed to call *** corporate to get it towed from them but did not do that and incurred outside towing fees that are not reimbursable per ***'s warranty guidelines. This was all explained to the customer and she did not have any further complaints. Her niece has continued to message on social media and file negative reviews for Bulldog Kia publicly despite our attempts to assist them as much as we are able to. Publicly shaming a business that has done everything in our power to assist the customer is not helping the situation. The false claims that our team members were rude to the customer has further damaged the situation. The customer hugged our employee and thanked him for helping as much as he could. We are unaware of where the claims that we were rude to her came from.

  The customer's niece is requesting that we replace the vehicle, however, Bulldog Kia is not able to replace a customer's vehicle simply because it had some issues with cranking, especially since new parts were installed and the issue isn't occurring anymore. This was explained to the customer and she said she understood. The vehicle has almost ****** miles on it, therefore, it does not fall under Lemon Law. We do wish that there was more that Bulldog Kia could do to assist the customer as we understand this is a unique and frustrating situation, however, we are unable to replace her vehicle for free. Our **************** is happy to assist her with getting a good deal on a new vehicle if she wishes to trade it in, however, we cannot replace her vehicle for free. Please let us know how you would like to proceed and we will be happy to help anyway that we can. We value our customers and want them safe. Bulldog Kia is willing to help as much as we can. Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/06/2024

   
  Complaint: 21201626
  
  I am rejecting this response.  

  I am the niece. ********************** is 87 and has a burner phone that she adds minutes to.  She doesn't know how to upload receipts, take pictures, send pictures, or get around on the internet. The advisor was kind enough to email them to me.  I can only pass on the information as received by her.  She states that she did not know the rules about corporate reimbursement, only to call them and open a case.    Her Expenses is what has her so upset.  She's at $2,100. and that's not something she can afford on her fixed income. And to date we have not heard from anyone at corporate on the submitted expenses.  She states that she was told there was 3 loaners but they were out.  The first incident of the car break down was on 11/6.  ******** her car stayed in shop for two weeks.  After off and on for over two months, she got a loaner for the last two days. 

  As far as the car goes she says she don't trust it and ask for a deal on a new car but the representative she spoke to wasn't very helpful in that ***** But in her opinion, he quoted her the same as a person off the street coming in to buy.  But the advisor tried I guess, but again nothing was in her favor. ********************** states that if you put yourself in her shoes, and your car stayed in the shop this long and you were incurring these type expenses, you would have the right to "say" something. When she did, you call it shaming. The rude comment was when she was told to come get her car right away or it would be towed. That comment caused her to get all nervous and was shaking.  I had to insist she not drive upset and wait until the following morning to get the car. She and the advisor did develop a relationship with the advisor after such a period of time. But to know avail he could only handle the repair and not with other issues of trusting the car and expenses. 

  Please put someone at the corporate level in touch with ********************** so that she can get what is owed on a reimbursement. She just wants to put all this stress behind her.  

  Thank you.

  **************************************************** / ************************;

  Business Response

  Date: 02/09/2024

  Hi ****************, we understand your frustration and as we have explained, there isn't anything Bulldog Kia can do to further assist regarding the rental fees. Bulldog Kia is not responsible for your aunt getting a rental vehicle and incurring over $2000 in fees. We simply cannot be responsible for everyone's transportation costs. That is not the responsibility of the shop or the dealership. We sell and service vehicles and have no bearing to the costs associated with renting a vehicle. We are willing to work with your aunt regarding the purchase of a new vehicle but you have stated that you want us to give her a new car. We cannot give her a new car or lose thousands of dollars on the cost of a vehicle because of a service issue she had with her car. Her vehicle is repaired now and she is fine to drive the vehicle now if she chooses to not purchase a new one. It is still under the manufacturer ******* mile warranty so she will be covered, per their terms, for almost ****** more miles. ** she still wants to trade it in, I can get her in touch with our General Sales Manager and he will be happy to see how much we can work with her on the price. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to assist her and we will be happy to discuss further.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/19/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My car had less than ***** miles on it Ive only had it two years. My motor blew up coming down the highway because two pistons flew apart and put a hole in the bottom of my motor and *** refuses to warranty my car when I have ******* mile warranty on it they said it was because there was sludge in my motor which is a lie because my husband is a mechanic for a living that is what he does. He changed my oil every three months. He knows what hes doing. He is one of the best pistons dont just fly apart in a motor that should be a defect in my car. *** spoke with several mechanics about that issue as well as my husband , they refuse to give me a rental and they refuse to put a new motor in my car

  Business Response

  Date: 01/24/2024

  Good Afternoon,

  Bulldog Kia denies the claim from the customer for the following reasons. If there is ever any sludge in a motor, *** will always deny it for lack of maintenance. That is the process set out by the manufacturer and most manufacturers adhere to this same policy. Attached is an example of the customer's oil change repair orders that tech line declined. These are not legitimate invoices nor do they have the proper information needed by a manufacturer to verify their validity. They are, therefore, declined by the warranty standards. Attached is also the repair order history that we have on file for the customer. The decline from tech line, on repair order *******, states there is a "Lack of proper oil change receipts or a clean valve train as the reason given for the decline. Due to not having proper receipts for vehicle maintenance and having sludge in the engine, the repairs are declined by warranty and must be paid out of pocket by the customer. The vehicle is still here and was dropped off December 12, 2023. The vehicle is invoiced and repairs were declined by the customer and *** on December 27, 2023. The vehicle is slated to be towed and impounded at end of the month if the repairs are not approved and paid for or the vehicle is not towed off of the property.

  Our hope is to come to a resolution with the customer, but we are not able to get the vehicle covered under warranty without it meeting the warranty criteria for approved repairs. If the customer can send over legitimate repair orders for the vehicle maintenance, we can submit that to the warranty company to try and get it covered, but with the existing ROs, they have denied it.

  Thank you,

  Bulldog Kia Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/23/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In *** of 2023, I reached out to KIA ********* about a recall notice I had for my engine on my 2014 *** ********* My engine had appeared to have gone out, and after speaking with ********* was referred to my local *** ********** to schedule the repair. I called in and spoke with *************************, the ****************** Manager, who told me to have it towed in, and that it may take about two weeks at the latest to even diagnose it. Upon diagnostics, I would have a 99$ fee, and if the engine is really out, they would call it in for recall repair approval. I got the car towed to *** *** 31. After two weeks, I didnt hear from ****, so I began to reach out every other day, sometimes with no response for several days. Finally the second week of June, **** says the car needs a starter and that they could install in for ******, or I could get it done somewhere else cheaper and then tow it back there for the engine work. So I paid for another tow to my mechanic 7/7 purchased a brand new starter, had it installed, and towed right back to *** 7/8. I called Beau to check in and he said three weeks. I advised him I have three kids in college, and could they get it done sooner. I didnt here from him, but popped up Thursday July 13, and in me and my husbands face **** said that ************, it just got approved today. He also stated that the part may be in and should be done the next day, he would text me. I didnt hear from him Friday the 14th of course. So, Monday July 17 after having had my car since *** 31, Beau of Bulldog Kia told me that the recall work wasnt approved because the car didnt have recall work done in 2017. I advised them I got the car in 2020, but they are still not honoring the work. Had **** called this in back in ***, I couldve made other preparations to get out of this cars contract and get a new car before over two months and several hundred dollars later. This was a poor experience, and corporate said file a report since its a local branch! Horrible!!!!

  Business Response

  Date: 07/25/2023

  Good Afternoon,
  
  The customer states that her vehicle has been at Bulldog Kia for an extended length of time with no response from the Bulldog Kia advisor. Upon looking into the call history and notes in the system, there were faults of the customer's that caused the delay in looking at her vehicle. We did need to install a new starter but that was delayed due to the vehicle being shut off from non-payment through the company it was purchased from. As soon as it was unlocked from them, we were able to complete the repairs. During this time, there were multiple calls made to the customer. Our phone records show outbound calls to follow up with the customer on June 7th, 9th and again on the 13th. The vehicle did not stay at Bulldog Kia the entire time from May 31st because the vehicle was, as stated by the customer, towed away from ********************** to a different mechanic and then returned. The process to get an engine covered through warranty takes weeks. There is nothing that we can do to expedite that process. In order for a vehicle to be approved by ***, we have to follow their guidelines and processes to ensure the vehicle actually meets the requirements for the repairs under the terms of the warranty. Unfortunately, after looking at the vehicle history and the information regarding the existing issues, the vehicle does not qualify for the repairs to be covered under warranty. There were existing recalls on the vehicle, that were registered as recalls on this vehicle, for years that were not taken care of. When a customer purchases a used vehicle, it is imperative to look at the Carfax report where it shows the recalls that exist and shows the past history. It is also important to service a vehicle with a manufacturer-affiliated dealership, regardless of where it was purchased, so that the customer is protected from such instances as this. The customer had from the time of purchase in **************************************** 2023 to get the recall taken care of. Due to the vehicle not having the recall, it does not qualify for the warranty replacement of the engine. Our service advisor called the customer back on the 17th and explained that the vehicle is not under warranty because of the recall. Please understand that we want to do everything we can to assist our customers in getting approved. If they don't get approved for the warranty work and they choose to go another path with the vehicle, we do not get paid. In this case, we did not charge the customer the $99 fee for diagnostics and we did everything in our power to try and get the engine approved. Our team worked diligently to help get the engine repairs covered, but we ultimately have to abide by ***'s warranty requirements and in this case, the requirements were not met.
  Bulldog Kia Management Team

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/22/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been having issues with my car since early this year 2022 regarding my car burning oil (loosing oil). I was told that there is a recall on the *** vehicles with my year regarding a covered under a warranty for a new motor if my car shuts off, check engine light comes on, or if I hear a knocking sound. I had had numerous all changes so many times even before its time, low oil along with being black. I recently had a issue 2 weeks ago with check engine light and was told the spark plugs needed replacing due to the oil was going into motor somewhere. Still no new motor. Had to pay $300 plus for a rental and oil change. Now again the oil was low and black, *** as been aware numerous times and do nothing but put oil in it and say when for one of those issues to happened. I am a woman and don't want to be on the interstate without any oil in it for my car to shut down like they stated is one of the signs that has to occur. Check engine came on and still gave me the run around on its not the motor or can not get the motor yet. I have been spending so much in oil changes or buying oil to put in my vehicle.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/23/2022

  Good Afternoon *****, 
  
  We reviewed your vehicle history and received clarification from our team as to the issue with the engine. Our Advisor explained at your last visit that the vehicle consuming and burning oil is not an issue covered on the recall nor is it covered from warranty because you are outside of the 10 year, ******* mile warranty. Burning oil is not covered by the recall, therefore, the vehicle is not covered under warranty. The recall will cover the issue if it is one of three things: First, the check engine light is flashing with a P1326 knock sensor code and a failed bearing clearance test. Second, the engine making a knocking noise that can be heard on video and sent to Kias Techline for them to evaluate and approve. Or Third, the engine seizes from rod bearing failure. Our team is here to help you and we are more than happy to go over everything with you again in person or over the phone if needed. If your vehicle experiences the issues that were discussed with you that would qualify it as being covered on the recall, let us know right away and we can look into that process, but for now, we are happy to assist you with getting it fixed outside of the warranty. 
  
  Thank you! 
  Bulldog Kia Management Team 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/28/2022

   
  Complaint: 18063784
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 10/03/2022

  Good Afternoon, the customer is rejecting the response but the only option for resolution is for the customer to pay for the services that need provided for her vehicle. Her vehicle is not under warranty and does not fall under the recall guidelines. The vehicle is out of warranty because it has over ******* miles and it is not covered under the recall because it is burning oil; an issue not covered by the recall guidelines. We are happy to assist the customer by doing repairs needed, however, they need to be paid for by the customer as they are not covered by warranty or recall.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/03/2022

  
  Complaint: 18063784
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I shouldn't have to keep buying gallons of oil to put in my car every other day. Oil change was done on Sept 6th along with spark plugs put in due to oil consumption. Took my car again to *** on Sept 21th because there was no oil in my vehicle, so they put oil in. Then on yesterday Oct 2nd I had to spend $44 on a gallon of oil because there was no oil in it once again. Its a recall and should be fixed regardless if it doesn't shut off while I'm driving, hearing the knocking noise, and or the check engine light comes on. First I was told to bring it or call if the check engine light comes on and stays on now i am told it has to come on and stay blinking. I can be on the highway with my family or infant grand child and my car shuts off what if I cause and accident, kill someone, or myself or family dies in my car. Would you rather have a lawsuit or fix the problem before that happens. I have talked to other mechanics that have went through it with their customers and they fixed the issue with the ***'s before it gets to this point. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/17/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  2016 **** 3rd engine issue since purchase. Bought with extended warranty. Engine blew up on my way to service the car. Towed to Bulldog Kia mid July. Bulldog Kia lost my keys for a week. Finally found them and started service on my vehicle and now we are a month out from start and they have told me for two weeks they are "waiting for response" from their corporate office. I called their corporate office and they say the same. Just have to wait. Now I'm 4 weeks without our only family car. No loaner to drive. Not even a sorry from Bulldog Kia in way of helping me. Just the "nothing we can do" excuses. The car is well under Warranty. They *** ***** or corporate is lagging terribly and it's costing me time and money outside of waiting for the car to be fixed. Me, wife, two kids. One family car that's been at *** over a month with no answers on what they are going to do to fix it. I'm seeking legal council as of today Aug 17, 2022.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/19/2022

  Hi ************, I spoke with our Fixed Ops Director and our Sales Manager who were both in contact with you. The vehicle is scheduled to be worked on next week and we have the approval for a rental through warranty so that your family has a vehicle for transportation. *** left you a message yesterday, last that I spoke with him, and said that he let you know that *** updated us with approval and parts order arrival times. We have records that we would be happy to share where our technician wrote corporate multiple times asking for an update on your vehicle as we are aware of your circumstances and situation with needing a vehicle to drive urgently. Bulldog Kia is doing everything we can to get your vehicle fixed as soon as possible. Please know that we have made great progress with getting the updates and schedule lined up for your vehicle to be fixed soon. *** can be reached at the numbers he provided to you and is happy to set you up with a vehicle in the meantime. Please let us know if we can assist further. Thank you!

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/21/2022

  Happy to have gotten a ****************. Still waiting for work to be done to the car. Will close case once job is complete. 

  Cheers 

  Chaz 

  Business Response

  Date: 09/02/2022

  Issue has been resolved per customer's message to ********************.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 09/02/2022

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/24/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Dropped vehicle off in April 2022 for engine failure to be repaired under ******* and ********************* , *** 8:17 cv ***** JLS JDE and ******** v. ******* Motor Company, et **** *** 18 cv ***** (C.D. Cal.) To date the dealership has failed to fully repair my vehicle. I have contacted several individuals at the dealership and ******************** with no resolution. - See letter for further details.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/29/2022

  The Customer's vehicle was originally written up on 4-26-2022 for an engine knock. It was put in line with the others and tested accordingly. Replacing the engine was approved by *** and replaced under the recall. The replacement was completed on 6-21-2022, approximately1.5 months after it was brought in, which was the norm for that time frame for a replacement. Another problem arose immediately after the new engine from *** was installed. The check engine light came on (code P0017 timing over advanced). The technician worked with tech line (the warranty company) almost daily and performed multiple tests and repairs. On July 19, a request for Field Tech was created to come out for inspection. Bulldog Kia was advised to take parts from the previous engine simply to test using a process of elimination due to this situation being out of the norm. It is possible that this is a faulty engine as well and we were using what we have available to simply test it out. No one has suggested that we use parts from an old engine to repair the new one. That is not how repairs work and we are not being told, nor telling the Customer, that this is how it will be repaired. That was being done simply to test out and see if we can find the issue and order the correct parts.
  
  On July 26th, the Field Tech from corporate came to Bulldog Kia to inspect the vehicle. At that time, the issue with the vehicle was duplicated and observed by the Field Tech in person. Several parts were approved and ordered for another repair to the vehicle. The Customer has been updated throughout the process by Beau, the Service Manager, and ***, the Fixed Ops Director. With engine repairs being done through warranty, there is a process we must follow and it does involve a significant amount of back and forth with Corporate to ensure everything is handled correctly. We understand the Customer's frustration with how long it is taking and are doing our best to get it completed as soon as possible. Right now, we are still waiting on parts to come in so we can finish the repairs. The Customer is welcome to reach out to *** Consumer Affairs and we are continuing to keep the Customer updated as we get ETAs for parts and work completed. We are getting the work done as soon as possible and will be in touch with the Customer early next week with a parts update.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/11/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have a 2013 Kia ***** that has been at Bulldog Kia for over a month. I have been without transportation and they have delayed repairing the engine issue. My car is under extended warranty. Every time I call they (**** & Bo) state that their waiting on the adjusters to come look at the vehicle. I understand they have other cars but I need my car fixed ASAP. My next step is to contact Channel 2 news. I need my engine replaced. I have spoken with everyone in the office except the General Manager ***** This is bad business. I was notified that they took the vehicle apart on July 7, 2022 of which they have had permission to do that for the entire month of having the vehicle and just now contacted the extended warranty department.

  Business Response

  Date: 07/29/2022

  The Customers have both been kept in the loop frequently. The Adjuster came out to inspect the vehicle and we were calling again to get an update. The issue is with the warranty company, not Bulldog Kia. We are working the vehicle repairs as fast as possible and it ultimately boils down to how fast repairs can get approved from the warranty company.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/27/2022

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Recall on Engine. Engine check light on for 6 months. Code on rod bearing is shown. Still refusing to fix. Service manager suggested I drive an unsafe vehicle until the engine blows. Car was towed in.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/28/2022

  To whom it may concern:
  Hello, let us start by apologizing for your situation with your 2014 *** **** with ****** miles. We understand that vehicle issues can be frustrating. In this case the vehicle is out of any warranty assistance under the 10-year 100k warranty originally coming with the vehicle. However, your vehicle is covered by a warranty extension up to 150k miles. ** code P**** is present and active, the next step in diagnosing would be to perform a bearing clearance test. Upon performing the bearing clearance test, if results pass, nothing more can be done and vehicle is released back to the customer, however if the test failed,results are sent to *** engineering for review. ** approved an engine would then be replaced in the vehicle.
  As the customer picture shows, many misfire codes are in the system and current. The singular p**** code is inactive. Our Factory *** scanner only misfire codes to be present. To proceed with a bearing clearance test **** code must be present and active. We have performed the bearing clearance test twice for the customer although it did not meet the requirements, the second test as a good will gesture. Both times the bearing clearance test has passed, so under the recall parameters and ********* guidelines we cannot replace the motor. This is a guideline from *********************** and in no way can be altered by any dealer. It was explained to ****************** who called on Potters behalf that the motor is misfiring and burning oil, not a covered issue under the warranty extension. After answering Mr. ******** questions, he then threatened to go to the media and say we have told him to perform unorthodox repairs which he would not elaborate on unless we replaced his motor. ****************** was told specifically he has two choices1. Replace the engine at customers expense or 2. Drive it home as is, it does still run. To reiterate, it is standard industry policy to only perform warranty work under warranty guidelines and parameters. We will not be participating further due to the threats given by ******************, nor do we condone bullying or blackmailing. Vehicle is ready for customer to pick up.
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/28/2022

   
  Complaint: 17489788
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  ****************** is my retired; senior citizen father whom called because Beau W was not returning my (single mother working double shifts; every day) phone calls. Youre refusing service to the sole owner of the **** under warranty that was purchased at your dealership 3 years ago. Do Not Slander my fathers name there was NO Bullying nor Blackmailing done out of his mouth. He said notify the media without the word social in front of it should show how old this man is! Your employees are the ones in questioning.  I will be picking my car up today. Please, make sure the battery is charged, since its been sitting soOo long Im sure its dead like your customer service. Ill be continuing my communication with KIA ******* case #********.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Angel ***************************

  Business Response

  Date: 07/01/2022

  ****************,