the kind of morning every Kia owner now dreads. My 2018 Forte had fallen victim to the “Kia Boyz” craze—would-be thieves cracked open the steering column but couldn’t drive off because it’s a stick. Per my insurer’s rules, the car was towed straight to this dealership’s service bay. The advisor assured me the full steering column, including the height-adjustment mechanism, would be ordered right away and I’d get a call when it arrived. Relieved, I drove off in a loaner, trusting that both the car and the promised phone call were in good hands.
Weeks passed, then months. The car came back drivable, but the wheel was locked at one height—no tilt, no telescope. When I asked, I was told the adjustable section was “still on order” and they’d ring me the moment it showed up. That call never came, yet my insurance statement later showed Kia South Atlanta had billed for the entire steering-column assembly, height adjuster and all. Paid in full, installed in part—that felt less like an oversight and more like a quiet breach of trust.
Fast-forward to 2025: new ownership, new management, fresh reputation to build. I reached out again—emails with documentation, voicemails with repair-order numbers—hoping the new team would seize the chance to right an obvious wrong. Silence. The only reply was a cheery marketing email asking if I’d like to trade in my paid-off Forte for something new. Apparently, it’s easier to chase a sale than return a phone call about a part already paid for.
So here we are. My steering wheel remains frozen, my insurer’s dollars covered a component that never made it onto the car, and Kia South Atlanta hasn’t lifted a finger to correct the record. Management, you have every detail on file. Install the part you charged for, adjust the invoice to match reality, and give me a single, honest phone call. Until then, this one-star review stands as both warning and invitation: show the integrity your customers—and their safety—deserve.
