Driver’s side inside door handle failed. Cable from latch to handle snapped. Cannot find replacement cable. Kia sells the latch with cables for $178.64 plus tax. Any alternative ideas?
An auto recycling center (AKA junkyard) should be able to get the parts you need from a wreck–at a reasonable price.
Did the cable snap, or was the failure with the plastic part where the cable attaches? I’ve had a similar problem with my early 90’s Corolla, and been able to glue the broken plastic pieces back together and keep it working. On the Corolla it must be a design problem, the parts are just not robust enough in the handle, as the handle even on the passenger side, which is used maybe 50% as often, it broke in exactly the same way. Both are now glued and working fine.
If you don’t want to attempt a mickey mouse repair like I did on the Corolla, you’ll probably have to fork over the $178.68 plus tax. Or like mentioned above, consult w/a junkyard. But remember the junkyard car will likely have had a lot of door openings stressing the part already. If the price difference is less than $100, me, I’d go for a new part. First, there’s a safety issue if you can’t get out of the car when you want to. And if you’re like the rest of us, pressed for time, you don’t have time to be messing around with door handles.
It might be worth the $178 if Kia upgraded the part to resolve an early failure problem. Ask the parts counter guy if you can see one first. If it looks like the broken one at the failure point, it might not last more than 7 years. Of course, a used part could fail way before that. Get a price for the used part and decide based on replacing it 3 years from now. I wouldn’t pay more than $50 for the used part using my metric unless you plan on selling the car in 3 or fewer years.
KIA, the disposable car. (Hyundai as well)
“KIA, the disposable car. (Hyundai as well)”
If that is so, why are Kias and Hyundais generally getting really good reviews from all of the car magazines nowadays?
Are all of them unaware of something that you’re aware of?
Please clarify your statement
I think the Kias and Hyundais are vastly improved cars compared to when they first came on the market.
As to the cable problem, a DIYer could probably work around this in some way by making a cable but this would really not be an option if a shop does the work and is expected to stand behind the repair after charging X dollars for that workaround.
If the inner cable snapped (and keeping in mind I’m not familiar with how this setup is laid out) it might be possible for a DIYer to rig up a cable repair out of lawnmower cable inner strands and silver solder.
They sell replacement cables for garage doors pretty cheaply at hardware stores and home centers. Perhaps a repair coule be made with one of those.
@db4690…the quality of Hyundai and Kia today is nothing like it was 15 or so years ago.
"Initially well received, the Excel’s faults soon became apparent; cost-cutting measures caused reliability to suffer. With an increasingly poor reputation for quality, Hyundai sales plummeted, and many dealerships either earned their profits on repairs or abandoned the product. At one point, Hyundai became the butt of many jokes (i.e. Hyundai stands for “Hope you understand nothing’s driveable and inexpensive.”
My niece bought a brand new Kia while her husband was stationed in South Korea in 2000. She lived with us for a time with her two young sons in order to save money. She had problems with the little car from day one. The fit and finish was abysmal. Doors sometimes latched…sometimes not. The defroster only cleared the lowest portion of the windshield on her early morning drive to work. The engine sounded like a can of nuts and bolts being rattled. The tires began to wear in uneven patterns and the interior noise was like riding inside a tin can on a gravel road.
I finally convinced her to go to the dealership with me to rectify the situation. They took the vehicle back and let her have another Kia of her choice. That one turned out to be worse than the first one. When she threatened to use the “lemon law” against Kia they inexplicably refunded about 90% of her money. She took the deal and bought a Toyota. The dealership folded several months later.
Thank you, I’m well aware that Hyundai and Kia have made leaps and bounds and now make high quality vehicles that give good bang for the buck.
I was actually hoping that @BillyC would respond . . .
But I really enjoyed your story!
An anecdotal claim used in advertising is referred to as a testimonial.
The OP’s problem is just one of many. Ever wondered why their resale value is SO low?
I agree they are much better than 15 years ago, but they are still considered “lease cars”.
They have nice standard features and are somewhat stylish, but they aren’t made to last years and years of operation. If you like to lease cars, or sell your car every 2-4 years, they are great.
“KIA, the disposable car. (Hyundai as well)”
??? Not sure I understand. A 5 year old door handle fails and you want to throw away the whole car? What’s your point?
Thanks for the update
Maybe any lowered resale value is due to perception rather than actual unreliability.
A door handle problem on a 5 year old car doesn’t translate to their all being junkers.
If so, this would mean that Toyota Camrys belong in the junker conversation because broken inner and outer handles, along with other issues, are not a rare problem…