Dallas Man Quoted $700 at Dealership After a Light Goes Off In His Kia. Then He Fixes It Himself for $33

When an all-wheel drive warning light appeared on his 2022 Kia K5, a Dallas car flipper and mechanical enthusiast thought he’d get it checked out during a routine recall visit to the dealership. What happened next left him questioning whether he’d ever return to a Kia service center again.

TikTok user @ziggybrothers, who runs a channel focused on repairing and flipping Ford trucks with his brother, shared their frustrating dealership experience in a viral video that has sparked heated debate in the comments.

“This is my 2022 Kia K5 with only 62,000 miles on it and I’m going to tell you how the Kia dealer tried to scam me out of $673,” one of the brothers explains at the start of the 4-minute video, standing outside the silver sedan.

The Problem and the Quote

The issue began with an all-wheel drive warning light on the dashboard of the K5, which the brothers had purchased as a daily driver to “run around to estimates and to put a car seat or two in the back seat, just for zipping back and forth so I don’t have to unhook the gold truck from the gooseneck trailer.”

After taking the vehicle in for recall work, he asked the dealership to diagnose the warning light to see if it might be covered under warranty. The service estimate they received was eye-opening.

“$673 to repair the wire harness for the rear differential,” the frustrated owner states in the video, showing a screenshot of the service estimate that reads: “Needs immediate attention. Recommended service Other: Rear diff pressure sensor harness wire repair $673.75.”

But when he looked up the part himself, he discovered something that made his blood boil.

“I looked up the part number and here it is a week later. And the part OEM from Kia is $33 with three plugs. That’s all it takes. You can do this in your driveway,” he says.

The DIY Solution

True to his word, @ziggybrothers tackled the repair himself, discovering that the issue was simply a broken wire in the harness—likely caused by road debris or normal wear and tear.

“Here’s the new $33 harness brand new from Kia and here’s the old one and what is causing the error light is a broken wire as you can see there the black wire is broken,” he explains while showing both parts to the camera.

The repair was straightforward enough to complete in a driveway, involving simply unplugging three connectors and installing the new harness.

Dealership Vs Independent Shops

The significant price difference highlights a common complaint among car owners. According to NerdWallet and industry experts, dealerships typically charge substantially more than independent mechanics, though they often also have specialized technicians familiar with specific makes and models. This can, but doesn’t always, make for faster and superior repairs.

The @ziggybrothers owner advocates for seeking alternatives: “Going to like a private individual owned business/mechanic shop is most of the time your best bet because they have a heart and a soul and they care about what they charge. They care about their customers.”

He wasn’t the only one getting eye-popping estimates at the dealership that day.

“The woman behind me in line at the warranty line at the service line was there to get her brakes and her rotors replaced, and it was over $2,000,” he recalls.

'It Literally Just Plugs In'

The video struck a nerve with viewers, generating mixed reactions in the comments section.

User @Rocketride supported the brothers’ position: “The part was only $30… it literally just plugs in. No tools required. The one-hour minimum for diagnostic could include the time to plug in the new harness. This shouldn’t have cost more than $200.”

However, @TheeUsedCarGuy defended dealership pricing: “Time and labor my guy. Everyone needs to get paid, I’m sure your job pays you too.”

Others shared similar experiences. @Cobralife98 wrote: “All dealerships are the same way. Went to Nissan dealership in Lake City, FL for car not coming out of park. Contacted us saying it was going to be $4,000 to fix. Went and got a second opinion from a private shop. Ended up being a blown fuse.”

Some commenters questioned the Kia purchase itself, with @Trav quipping, “That your fault u brought a Kia. Them cars suck and they charge u luxury car prices.”

That view of Kias as unreliable may be out of date. According to Consumer Reports, Kia is the 9th most reliable manufacturer selling in the US market, with Ford lagging behind at 13th, while RepairPal ranks them at 3rd, with Ford not even breaking into their top 10.

The Aftermath

The experience was frustrating enough that the Ford enthusiasts purchased a replacement vehicle. “I went out and I bought my wife a 2011 Ford Explorer from auction for 2,500 bucks that has absolutely nothing wrong with it,” the owner explains, adding his characteristic brand loyalty: “I don’t know what I’m going to do with this car yet but um I’m not a big fan of new cars as you guys know. You know me and my brother love our old Ford.”

The incident serves as a reminder for car owners to seek second opinions on major repairs, especially when the quoted price seems disproportionate to the issue at hand. While dealerships offer specialized expertise and warranty coverage, the significant markup on parts and labor can make independent shops a more economical choice for certain repairs.

Motor1 has reached out to @ziggybrothers via TikTok for additional comment. We’ll update this story if they respond.