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:01/10/2025

  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.

  Had this dealership replace my defective motor at 33,000 miles, It took somewhere around a month for the engine get replaced . The day I pick up my vehicle from the dealership and got it home. I noticed a transmission leak after I parked.There were puddles under my vehicle and drips marks all down my driveway to my parking spot. It’s a pave driveway.At this time I notice the damages the dealership caused to my vehicle from replacing the engine. They didn’t tell me anything about the damages when I pick up the vehicle.So I had returned to the dealership and leave the vehicle again for another month, The dealership told me it wasn’t a oil leak but a transmission leak from the torque converter from where they either forgot to put a seal in or the seal went bad. They did not go into detail about the seal. This took about a month as explained above.When I got the vehicle Back it went to the collision center to fix the damages . The paint had orange peel in one area and did not match up with rest of the vehicle the parts they painted. One area still not fix but just painted over on the hood and still damaged not fixed to the firewall . Took it back a second time to the collision center for corrections the only correction I see they did was the orange peel area . Vehicle painted areas not fixed and other damage areas around engine bay not fixed on the second time . The dealership say they where not doing anymore to the vehicle,I put my trust in the dealership for there quality work and should not be punished because they damaged my vehicle and not willing to make it right … my first new vehicle in my life and babied it , took care of this vehicle without any damages until I let the dealership replace the defective engine,

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/10/2025

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  Business Response

  Date: 01/27/2025

  Mr. ****** purchased a 2021 Kia Seltos from Rusty Wallace Kia in Morristown. In 2024, around 33,000 miles Mr. ****** brought the Seltos to Wallace Kia of Bristol with an engine concern. The engine was replaced under Kia's Powertrain Warranty. Soon thereafter, there was a transmission concern Wallace Kia also repaired that was not related to the previous engine repair. Mr. ****** brought the vehicle back with damage that he felt Wallace Kia of Bristol was responsible for after the repairs were completed.  Wallace Kia of Bristol felt that some of the damage on the underside of the hood may have been caused by removing the engine from the engine bay, while other areas Mr. ****** pointed out were likely not caused by our repairs. In an effort of goodwill and to give Mr. ****** the benefit of the doubt, Wallace Kia of Bristol completed all the repairs Mr. ****** desired at its Kia Certified Paint Facility. However, Mr. ****** was not 100% satisfied with the repairs, so Wallace Kia of Bristol redid the areas of the concerns. This went on for a few different times and we reached a point where the paint and repairs were done and there was nothing more to do for the vehicle. At that point, we informed Mr. ****** that these repairs are complete and that Wallace Kia of Bristol would no longer be able to work on his Seltos. We then advised Mr. ****** that if should need additional work or repairs that he should take the Seltos to his selling dealer (Rusty Wallace Kia in Morristown). 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/31/2024

  Type:Product 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.

  On May 24,2024 I purchased a 2024 New Volkswagen Atlas from this dealership. On June 19th, 2024, the screen in this brand new vehicle went out. I reached out to the dealership who asked me to come into the dealership to have the screen reset because this was a known problem. I had the screen reset and it worked for around a month. The screen went back out, the dealership said they would replace the screen. I had to make another appointment, another trip to the dealership. They completely replaced the screen. Said this would fix the problem. Then on October 17th the screen went back out. The dealership is saying they cannot do anything about this. The lemon law states it has to be repaired three times, they can't "repair" this issue because there is NO fix for it at this time. The screen controls everything, making it a hazard to drive this brand new car. You cannot control your climate control, cameras, safety features. I believe the dealership should buy this vehicle back from me for what it is worth right now. No one should pay 45k for a new vehicle that you can't even safely, comfortably drive. This is obviously a well known problem for Volkswagen but yet they are still selling Atlas's everyday knowing the screen has a defect in them.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/17/2024

  Jaleeda, we are sorry that you have had this issue with your infotainment screen. It is particularly unfortunate that it happened so recently since your purchase and the initial repair prescribed by VW did not fix the issue. You are correct, VW is now aware of an issue with the screens and they are working quickly to develop a permanent fix. As a VW dealership, we only execute VW's warranty policies and procedures. Wallace VW of Bristol does not get to participate in the part design or repair procedures. That means that we are dependent on VW to release a permanent repair. We wish that we had a repair right now that would fix your screen issue, but we do not. As a dealership, we are waiting for VW to release that repair. The manufacturer (in this case VW) is responsible for vehicle quality and your dealership (Wallace VW of Bristol) is responsible for being able to complete the repairs prescribed by VW. At this time, VW has not released the repair and as such we do not have the ability to fix the infotainment. We have informed VW of your particular case and we encourage you to reach out to them a* ************** if you are wanting to discuss if your situation qualifies under lemon law. Unfortunately, lemon law is outside the dealer's jurisdiction and you would have to contact VW at ************** to pursue the lemon law. Wallace VW of Bristol will contact you as soon as a repair is available. We're so sorry for the inconvenience and hope to have a resolution soon.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/17/2022

  Type:Product 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 purchases a used 2017 Kia Sportage not from Wallace Kia and immediately make an appt to CK on all recalls to make sure none was missed. I met with Heather service advisor and after looking up the Vin she informed me that all recalls were up to date. she also informed me that there was no current warranty but the engine had a lifetime replacement on it. There was no mention of conditions about the warranty just that if was covered for the life of the car (the engine). As a first-time Sportage owner, I had no knowledge of any class action suit against Kia on the engine. Two weeks ago my car was diagnosed with bad cylinder and rings damage and was told this was not covered under the warranty. Service advisors are highly trained and I'm sure compensated and must have pretty good knowledge of car repairs and warranties. The cost to replace this engine is $6125.00. I feel Wallace Kia owes me the cost of the engine replacement. I have read online that some unethical dealerships do this to gain future business. I am asking that Wallace Kia refund me half of the cost to replace this engine $3000.00 I have spoken to the service manager and one of the Owners and all they offer is an I'm sorry There's a lot of space between I'm Sorry and $6125.00 ******* and Sara **** PS I was never told about the lifetime engine warranty for Kia for Seizing and knocking which was a result of a class action lawsuit against Kia for their poorly built engines. as this will be the dealerships defense

  Business Response

  Date: 12/14/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/11/28) */ Mr. **** purchased a pre-owned Kia Sportage on December 21, 2021 with 105,039 miles from an organization that is not a Wallace organization. Per the Carfax (attached) Mr. **** purchased this vehicle from Grindstaff Ford. Mr. **** contacted the dealership and asked us to complete an inspection, and any open recalls on the Kia Sportage. Our Service Advisor, Catherine Douglas advised Mr. **** of additional warranty coverages that included extended coverage for engine replacement should the engine fail under certain circumstances. We do not have a Heather that currently works or has worked at our Dealership. Unfortunately, the extended warranty did not cover the failure on Mr. ****'s Sportage that took place this year. Wallace Kia of Bristol does not share a financial interest in the selling dealership and did not encourage Mr. **** to purchase the Sportage from a competing dealership. Wallace Kia of Bristol did not provide Mr. **** any warranty on his Sportage. Had Mr. **** purchased the pre-owned Sportage from us we would have strongly suggested protecting his financial interest with an extended warranty that could have covered the cost of his engine replacement. We value the reputation of our business and will vigorously defend it against false claims. Mr. ****'s statement that "I have read online that some unethical dealerships do this to gain future business.." is nothing short of libel. Furthermore, the Carfax also shows more than 20 service visits for the Kia Sportage none of which being conducted at our dealership until after Mr. **** purchased the Sportage from another retailer. Mr. ****'s service history since purchasing the Sportage include an oil change on December 23, 2021 at Wal-Mart a passenger **** door actuator replacement at our Dealership on May 2, 2022 and another oil change at Wal-Mart on August 29, 2022. We were not party to the sale of the Kia to Mr. **** by Grindstaff Ford. Furthermore, Wallace Kia of Bristol has not completed any engine maintenance in the Sportage's history as such we would expect that the Better Business Bureau dismiss this case. I would suggest that Mr. **** file his case against the selling dealer who sold a vehicle whose engine failed less than 5,000 miles after the sale or the maintenance facilities that he has used to maintain his vehicle's engine. Consumer Response /* (3000, 7, 2022/11/30) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) Wallace Kia needs to get their facts straight< I purchases My 2017 Kia Sportage from 423 Auto Sales Auto Advantage LLC 2513 Volunteer PWKY, Bristol, TN XXXXX not Grindstaff Ford Catherine Douglas was my service advisor she took my vine # and stated to me that all recalls were up to date however she did not discuss with me any extended warranty coverages for engine replacement should the engine fail under certain circumstances as Wallace Kia Stated previously. What she did tell me was that unfortunately there was no active warranty left on the vehicle but the engine had a lifetime replacement warranty on it. There was no mention of any conditions on that warranty such as engine seizing or knocking to which I would find out later That Kia Corporate had lost a class action lawsuit and was forced to pay out thousands on faulty engines on the sportage model. When I discussed my engine repair with a new service adviser Dewayne ( did not fell comfortable going back to Catherine as she previously gave out false or misleading information.) AS i mentioned to Dewayne if you tell someone that their engine has a lifetime replacement warranty on it and that has certain conditions that needs to be told to the customer. Since I had never owned a Kia or known about KIa Corporate having faulty engines Making a blank statement to me saying it's covered for life is dishonest if not illegal. Were assuming here that Catherine being a Service advisor representing Wallace Kia has been fully trained and has adequate automobile repair knowledge to be qualified for this position. I was not provided service records for the previous owner when I Purchased the vehicle what I did do was make sure oil changes were performed as required using full synthetic oil and any other routine maintenance that Catherine suggested. In addition Wallace Kia has the facts wrong again as the actuator switch replace was for the the hating and air conditioner and had nothing to do with the side door. Saying my statement that I have read online that other dealerships had taken advantage of customers did not mention the name of Wallace Kia and saying it's libelous is only meant to scare and intimidate. Anyone can google this scenario and see lots of examplesnone of which mentioned Wallace Kia I have been very generous in only asking for half the cost of the engine replacement ($3000.00) Wallace Kia must hold it's employees accountable for their actions. I will not drop this case Business Response /* (4000, 9, 2022/12/06) */ Since Mr. **** is asking Wallace Kia of Bristol to 'cover' repair expenses on his 2017 Sportage with over 100,000 miles I believe it is important to point out that Mr. **** did not purchase the Sportage from Wallace Kia of Bristol. Page 6 of the Carfax indicates that Grindstaff Ford was the last owning dealer, but the actual selling dealer is irrelevant aside from the fact that it was not Wallace Kia of Bristol. I am simply pointing out that most dealerships will offer a customer an extended warranty at the point of purchase on a used car. Unfortunately, Mr. **** either did not avail himself of the opportunity to purchase this coverage or it was not offered to him. In either case, I have a legal and moral obligation to all our current and existing customers to not extend to Mr. **** coverage that he did not purchase or does not have through Kia. It is also worth noting per the Carfax that Wallace Kia of Bristol never serviced this Sportage until after Mr. **** purchased it and only after Mr. **** had the vehicle serviced at Wal-Mart Auto Care. There are over 20 service records on this Carfax, prior to the vehicle being brought to Wallace Kia of Bristol. The selling dealership and the service facilities are important because Mr. **** is asking Wallace Kia of Bristol to step in and compensate him for an uncovered repair when his business with the Sportage (both buying and servicing) has been conducted elsewhere. I can assure all involved that the facts are very 'straight' on our side. It was Mr. ****'s initial complaint to the BBB that references a 'Heather' as our Service Advisor when we do and did not have a Heather working at Wallace Kia of Bristol. As Mr. **** is aware it is ultimately the consumer's responsibility to verify coverages or lack thereof. Since we did not benefit from selling the Sportage, we had no incentive or reason to mislead Mr. ****. He claims that Catherine did not describe the validation procedures to Kia's extended engine coverage, but that is hearsay. Every warranty that I am aware of has validation procedures. For example, the warranty bulletins for coverage validation that are relevant to Mr. ****'s Sportage are a combined 69 pages long. Wallace Kia of Bristol did not in any way cause Mr. **** to purchase his Sportage or damage him financially by advising him of the existence of coverage. It is unreasonable for Mr. **** to assume that Catherine's advising on the mere existence of a warranty extension is a guarantee of coverage. When the failure of Mr. ****'s engine was not covered through Kia's warranty validation process, we promptly made an appeal to our Kia District Parts and Service Manager on Mr. ****'s behalf for an exception, but the exception was denied. Since the extended warranty is through Kia and since our direct appeal to the Kia District Parts and Service Manager was denied, there is no further assistance we can provide Mr. **** with the matter. If Mr. **** is looking for compensation toward the replacement of the engine in his Sportage I would suggest he look to the selling dealer or other service facilities.