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On September 2, 2025, I purchased a pre-owned 2022 KIA EV6 GT Line, which had traveled 30,000 miles, from Ken Brown Motors in Stevenage. The majority of the car's components seem to be functioning well, and the range is satisfactory. The vehicle was first provided new to a client from the same dealership.
The one defect I saw was that just one lever in the boot functioned properly. The nearside lever efficiently lowered the bigger rear seat backrest, however the offside lever failed to lower the smaller rear seat backrest. I decided to forgo the 65-mile journey back to Stevenage and instead visit Snow Motors in Guildford, which is just 5 miles away.
Upon my arrival, the response was not as anticipated. I had service invoices demonstrating that the vehicle remained within the 7-year warranty period. However, I was informed that there would be a £180 inquiry cost, which would include a one-hour labor charge.

Any duration over one hour will incur an extra fee, along with the cost of any components required. What is the status of the seven-year guarantee? They were unable to determine if it would be covered by the warranty, but said it would likely be classified as 'reasonable wear and tear.'
I possess a three-month warranty at Ken Brown Motors; nonetheless, they assert that they would have addressed the issue under the seven-year guarantee anyway. They contacted Snow in Guildford, but they remained inflexible. I must do a 130-mile round journey to Stevenage to get my vehicle repaired at no cost.
I am starting to question the efficacy of this seven-year warranty. Virtually anything may be classified as 'reasonable wear and tear' at the discretion of the dealer. Based on my little experience so far, it seems subject to dealer interpretation. Has anybody else had difficulties in completing repair under the seven-year warranty?

Kia operates as franchised dealers and imposes a fee for diagnostics. An authorized warranty claim will not be reimbursed.
If denied, you will incur a fee, since you are compensating the dealer for their time.


A warranty does not serve as an unconditional exemption from liability.
Not all aspects are included for a duration of seven years.

Highly recommended for understanding potential claims.

I have reviewed the warranty conditions. I would have assumed that a substantial KIA dealership would have seen this issue before and would be aware of its warranty coverage.
If they have not encountered this issue before, it may indicate a manufacture defect.
Under typical household use, these levers may be engaged about every two weeks. If this occurs more often, the vehicle owner may choose to have the rear seats folded down most of the time.

Given that my automobile was registered in January 2022, it is improbable that these levers have been actuated more than 100 times. For a vehicle initially priced at around £45,000, I would anticipate a lifespan of at least 500 to 1,000 instances before breakdown.
My first complaint is that the dealer was unprepared to reach out to KIA to see if this service would be covered by the warranty. I have a dilemma: should I risk incurring a potential expense of £300, or endure the little inconvenience of opening the rear passenger door to lower the backrest behind the driver's seat? The warranty restrictions should not place any owner in this predicament, and KIA dealers have to provide greater assistance in evaluating the probable success or failure of warranty claims based on prior experiences.

The most plausible explanation is a damaged wire. Attributable to the former owner.
Something may be lodged in the catch of the seat, resulting in it being stuck.

I believe the 7-year guarantee is comparable to any other warranty up to 3 years; nevertheless, the exclusions and stipulations about wear and tear diminish its robustness. If maintained regularly by a dealer, the powertrain is likely to be covered for around seven years. The anecdotal evidence presented here indicates that the reliability of trim and non-essential systems may be inconsistent, particularly in comparison to other manufacturers who provide shorter warranties.

That Nevertheless, it is possible that Snow is disinclined to engage in a little task such as the one you have mentioned. Many Kia dealerships seem to be rather occupied, and the availability of parts continues to be restricted. Alternatively, they may have been disadvantaged by Kia regarding such jobs, therefore imposing a diagnostic cost, unlike other dealers. It is reasonable to assert that not all dealers are equivalent, as is typical in a franchise arrangement.

Since you have had the vehicle for less than one month, instruct the dealer to do repairs at their expense, since it is very probable that the automobile was faulty at the time of sale. I bet that will indeed be a warranty fix.

Frankly, I believe you have unrealistic expectations about the seven-year guarantee, given the garage you passed when purchasing the vehicle from another party is unlikely to address what is a pretty small issue.


This situation does not permit a comprehensive evaluation of the Kia seven-year warranty.