NHTSA Complaint #10198321 — 2005 KIA SORENTO

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE MOTOR STARTED KNOCKING EXTREMELY LOUD. DID NOT OVERHEAT AND OIL LEVEL WAS FINE. ON JULY 31 I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM MS STEVENS (CENTRAL KIA) TO AUTHORIZE FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE VEHICLE. THE COST TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM WILL BE $80.00 IF NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. ON AUGUST 1ST I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MS. STEVENS STATING THE TECHNICIAN SAW SIGNS OF ?SLUDGE? WHEN HE REMOVED THE OIL CAP. MS. STEVEN QUESTIONED IF THERE WAS KNOCKING NOISE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. I EXPLAINED THERE WAS NO NOISE PRESENT AND THE LAST OIL CHANGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,800 MILES AGO. MS. STEVENS SAID SHE HAD TO GET AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED TO GO ANY FURTHER BECAUSE OF THE EVIDENCE OF ?SLUDGE?. IF THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ?OIL STARVATION? IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE FURTHER DIAGNOSIS WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $500.00. I QUICKLY DISMISSED THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN ?OIL STARVED?. IF THE ENGINE WAS OIL STARVED THE FAILURE WOULD MOST LIKELY HAPPEN OVER TIME. THIS FAILURE WAS IMMEDIATE. MS. STEVENS AGREED AND EVEN MENTION THAT SHE HAS SEEN AND THE TECHNICIAN AS EXPERIENCED A MALFUNCTION WITH A WING NUT AND BOLT BREAKING AND FALLING INTO THE LOWER PART OF THE MOTOR. SHE BELIEVED THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE WHICH WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. ON THURSDAY AUGUST 2ND AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00AM I WENT TO CENTRAL KIA IN PLANO AND MET WITH MS. STEVENS. MS STEVENS TOLD ME THE WORK ON MY VEHICLE HAD NOT BEGUN. AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30 PM I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM MS. STEVENS STATING A MALFUNCTION IN THE MOTOR OCCURRED INVOLVING A FAILED PART (BOLT). MS. STEVENS NOW IS REQUESTED FOR ME TO PRODUCE MAINTENANCE RECORDS OR THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO ME TO KNOW THAT KIA KNEW OF THE FAULTY PART PRIOR TO THE DIAGNOSIS, THEN FINDING THE PROBLEM THEN PLACING THE MONKEY ON THE CONSUMERS BACK BEFORE THEY WILL COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY. *JB