[rileyh1278]

I have an 06.5 Optima, bought in February. With less than 3,000 miles, a month or so ago, it started having a problem. At first, I thought the engine was dying or stalling while I was driving, but soon realized that it was in fact not stalling. It was just as if I had taken my foot off the gas pedal when I had not. The check engine light comes on, and the gas pedal becomes unresponsive.

I've had it in the shop 4 times since then. The first three times they tried to repair it by tightening up a connection to the TPS sensor, then they adjusted the connection at the computer, then they replaced the TPS sensor all together. The fourth time, they're claiming that they can't find anything wrong with it, and the computer made no record of the problem or even that the CEL came on.

I started a case with Kia's Consumer Assistance number, and they elevated it to the regional consumer assistance rep who just told me today that if they can't reproduce it, there's nothing they can do with it.

Now that doesn't make sense to me. I don't know much about repairing new cars, but I do know how to repair computers. I don't have to see the error to fix it. I know by what the customer tells me what the possible causes are and can troubleshoot them.

Since the computer is telling them that nothing's wrong, they're just shrugging their shoulders. They've taken it on a few drives to reproduce the problem, but it's sporadic and intermittent, so you never know when it's going to happen. And I'm anticipating they're going to hand it back to me and tell me it's fine.

I guess I just have to keep a video camera in the car with me and start it up when the problem presents itself, unless anyone has any suggestions for me?

Thanks!
Riley