NHTSA Complaint #10234819 — 2003 KIA SORENTO

WHILE DRIVING THE SORENTO TO HIS GIRLFRIENDS HOUSE MY SON NOTICED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAGE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL. HE WASN'T TO FAR FROM TOWN SO HE CALLED AND I TOLD HIM TO GET SOME 50/50 ANTIFREEZE TO PUT IN THE RESERVOIR. HE DID THIS AND HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS UNTIL THE NEXT DAY ON HIS WAY HOME. HIS GIRL LIVES ABOUT 20 MILES FROM US. ABOUT HALFWAY HOME THE VEHICLE JUST DIED. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR GAUGES IDENTIFIED ANYTHING WRONG. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT ENGINE WAS DRIVEN WHILE EXCESSIVELY HOT. NOT BECAUSE A WARNING LIGHT OR GAUGE TOLD US SO! IF ALL OF THIS COST TO US IS DUE TO A SMALL PIECE OF PLASTIC SOMEONE NEEDS TO TAKE KIA OUT TO THE WOODSHED. "THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLANT TANK WAS CRACKED AND ALL OF THE COOLANT LEAKS OUT THE VEHICLE. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR STOPS WORKING. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS WITHOUT THE CONTACTS KNOWLEDGE; THEREFORE, HE CONTINUES TO DRIVE UNTIL IT FAILS. THE DEALER DID NOT WANT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE AND NO RECORDING OF PRIOR MAINTENANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. *TR