Shirley Poullard says Kia of Lake Charles used parts from her SUV to repair another customer’s vehicle without her permission. The dealership says the Service Manager is no longer employed there after an internal review.
Poullard brought the SUV to Kia of Lake Charles on June 17 after a tire blowout on the interstate. More than a month later, she said it had sat at the dealership with little communication from the service department.
Shirley Poullard at Kia of Lake Charles
When Poullard arrived, she noticed the hood of her vehicle was up and began filming. She said the service manager first denied that anyone had touched the vehicle, then admitted on camera that parts from her SUV had been used on another customer’s car without her knowledge or permission.
During the confrontation, Poullard said, "Taking something without permission is stealing. Which is what y’all were doing is stealing". She also said, "Because had I not come up there, I wouldn’t have known. Y’all would have just threw my car back together and expected me to drive it. And later down the line when something went wrong, I would’ve been the person they tried to say was at fault."
Kia of Lake Charles review
7NEWS visited Kia of Lake Charles and spoke with the owner about the incident. The owner said, "We took your feedback seriously and immediately began an internal review. Following that review, the Service Manager is no longer employed with our company. Our team is held to a high standard of customer care, professionalism, respect, and honesty. Every customer deserves to be treated with dignity, and we sincerely apologize to the customer involved."
Poullard has her vehicle back and is actively seeking legal representation. She also said she hopes the video serves as a warning to other Kia of Lake Charles customers who leave vehicles there for service.
Lake Charles video spread
Poullard posted the video to social media, where it quickly spread across the Lake Charles community. The complaint moved from a service-bay confrontation to a public personnel decision, leaving the record clear on the dealership’s response but not on which parts were taken from her SUV.
For customers, the immediate takeaway is simple: before leaving a vehicle with Kia of Lake Charles, ask for written repair authorization and keep a record of what the dealership says will be touched. Poullard’s case shows how quickly a service dispute can become a question about consent, accountability, and whether the car returned is the same one that was handed over.
